Forum Activity for @midread

O.K. - I live in a REALLY small town LOL!!!

General Talk

Alright everyone - just had to share this because after I got home today, it just struck me as SO funny - thought someone else might get a laugh out of it. THIS is how small town we are...Went to the local health food store to pick up some shampoo and was trying to make a decision for myself and the rest of the family (we have different hair needs - obviously). One of the women that works there asked me if I needed help and I explained what I was doing, made a decision and then she asked me if I used conditioner. I replied "no, since I am dreading my hair, I don't use it." She replies "what?" I repeat my answer and she again replies "what?" I repeat myself and she replies "You're doing WHAT to your hair?" I finally stop what I am doing, look her square in the eyes and say "MY HAIR IS DREADING!!!" Blank stare from her for a minute and then "Your hair is dread - what???" I then tell her "I AM DREADING MY HAIR - YOU KNOW, DREADLOCKS??" By this time I am speaking S-L-O-W-L-Y and using wild hand movements like an idiot and I tell her - "I WASH MY HAIR - I JUST DON'T USE CONDITIONER!!!" Another totally confused stare, while she processes - then the lightbulb "OOOOOHHHHHH!!!!!!" The she quickly turns around and walks away. I noticed upon checkout that she tried unsuccessfully not to stare at my hair.I was in a hurry so didn't give it much thought, but as soon as I got home and had a chance to replay the incident in my head, I busted out laughing!! She had absolutely no clue what I was talking about and I am probably the first person she has even seen with hair like this in this area. She probably REALLY thought I could use some conditioner to tame this mess!!!! LOL!!!
updated by @midread: 02/05/18 01:12:32PM

Sophisticated Dread Styles?

Dreadlock Styles and Dread Styling

Thanks everyone! These are really very helpful!! Lots of good ideas!!!

Sophisticated Dread Styles?

Dreadlock Styles and Dread Styling

I have a few formal events coming up. Wedding, anniversary celebration, etc. While some of the formal dread styles I have seen on here are pretty, does anyone have anything they do with their dreads that is a little more sophisticated? I am looking for something that would work for formal or an office event - like my husband's Christmas party later this year (I know - long time from now.)I have had short hair for like 20 YEARS and am used to a real sophisticated, no fuss style. I love my longer hair & baby dreads, but feel like a hair "virgin" LOL! Not quite sure what to do with this mess for something "fancy-shmancy". My hair is just long enough now in the back to put in a REALLY small ponytail - and layered. If I pull the sides down straight, they are just starting to brush my shoulders, but usually are "kinked" up - Just to give you an idea of the length I am dealing with. Does anyone have any pictures, website suggestions or just plain suggestions???? Thanks!
updated by @midread: 01/13/15 08:35:10PM

Funny T-Shirts

General Talk

Oh I love the "how'd you get your hair all straight" one! I could have worn that BEFORE I started dreading.. LOL!

Off the Grid?????

Alternative Lifestyles and Subcultures

Hey SE, can you go into a little more detail about these "communities?" How many people/homes are you talking and how is the community self-sufficient? How are the expenses for the permits, wells (if you require them), etc., covered????

Off the Grid?????

Alternative Lifestyles and Subcultures

Ha-Ha... O.k. - I never thought of my nude hot-tub time as being "group" nude hot-tub time either, but as long as you are quiet and don't splash a lot, well maybe..... And, you know, as poor as we are getting, the hot tub is getting hard to afford, a lot of people taking turns with blowing bubbles with straws might not be a bad alternative to an "on the grid" hot tub!!!! LOL!! SE - your comments always crack me up!! soaringeagle said:

haha nuthin wrong with runnin round the woods nude and u can do that in a community thats fine with that
earthships are 90% underground so ya really wouldnt notice em at all except the greenhouse on the south side
but its all good we just might have something else workin out we;ll still drop by for nude hottub time...but not at 5-6 am..thats my bedtime

Off the Grid?????

Alternative Lifestyles and Subcultures

I don't know, I don't live in a subdivision now because I literally can't breathe when I look out my window and see cars, and homes and people and "things." My chest just tightens up. I need air and space and animals and landscapes and my field - it's how I connect with God - it's how I "regenerate" and "rejuvinate". I like to go out to my hot-tub in the nude (nothing immoral, I just don't want to mess with a bathing suit) at 5:30 or 6:00 a.m., talk to God, have my coffee and listen to the birds and pheasants call. To me, it's heaven. I can't do that in a "community" where everyone is getting up to go to work and it's like "ooooohhh - look the Arent's like to hot-tub in the nude - check it out!!!!" Every buck that snorts in the fog during rut season, every woodchuck, every goose, every coyote that runs through our yard, every Monarch butterfly "flock" that migrates through our property is a gift to me for a brief moment. I thrive on it. I LOVE it. People? Yeah, I love them too, I have eternal hope for mankind, I pray for mankind, but do I want to live with a bunch of people all dependent upon each other???? Uuuummm, I don't know....I want to live off the grid, but I think - Independently. I would have to be "moderated" into a group - learn how to "group" function. I think, and yes - this is selfish beyond belief, that if I woke up one morning, looked out my bedroom window and saw another dwelling within my perception of "space" that I would literally hyperventilate. I am not "above" sharing my nude hot-tub time, but afterwards, I want you to go home!!! Far-away home!!! LOL!!!

Off the Grid?????

Alternative Lifestyles and Subcultures

It was because it was not a permanent structure. Apparently, they are afraid that it will be there forever alongside an unfinished house or something like that. We have trailer parks here, but there is only one piece of property I have EVER seen with a trailer on it that people actually live in and that trailer has been there at least 30 years. Everything else is an actual house or one of those modular homes that come in two pieces that looks like a house - and most of them have garages on them. I don't know how they get away with it unless they were "grandfathered" in somehow before the regulations. But for miles around here there are no trailers on anybody's property. Wierd huh???? soaringeagle said:

its all in the wording
for instance if you apply for a loan or mortgage calling an earthship an earthship your denied however if you call it rammed earth construction your approved
i really cant see how they have any right telling u u cant put a trailer on your oewn property a trailers not a permenant structure so i dont think they legaly can put regulations on that
yea maybe they can try pushing u around but should be able to fight it and win

Off the Grid?????

Alternative Lifestyles and Subcultures

Are there buillding code regulations associated with those earthship structures? We have completely anal building inspectors here.The township where we live won't even let you park a trailer on your property to live in while you build a house on it. My friend and her husband bought some property near a golf course in the woods in the same township a few miles over. They wanted to park a trailer or camper and stay in it while they built. The township said no way. So, even though we have our own little paradise here, We are subject to major intrusion by the township. I don't know if we could even BUILD 1 earthship here, much less a few.
updated by @midread: 07/24/15 01:43:22PM

Off the Grid?????

Alternative Lifestyles and Subcultures

We look into buying solar panels, but they are MAJOR expensive.