Monday, February 7, 2011

best of both worlds

I'd like to start off by saying I really think I need a new name for my blog; my life is currently not all that "adventurous".  A year ago today it was quite adventurous and exciting as I was living the single life to the fullest (as full as a single mom could live it anyway).  Now my life is much more introspective, focused and purposeful.  I'm realizing I need to find some balance though and add a little fun back in.... I'll figure it out.  In the meantime, catchy blog name suggestions welcome.

So Mission Waste Management got off to a rocky start.  Bokashi bin was working great, but a week after starting my worm bin and a few days after adding 500 worms I ordered online I noticed my worms were trying to run for the hills!  I put them back in and mixed the contents of the bin (which is very smelly and disgusting and large rubber cleaning gloves only offered so much protection) but the worms were still desperately trying to escape the bin.  I Googled for a solution and the only one I found was that the bin may be too acidic, possibly due to citrus scraps.  Grapefruit was on sale for 2 weeks in a row, and I didn't realize it was bad to put too many citrus peels in!  One site suggested adding garden lyme; I found the last bag available at Home Depot.  I added some, had no idea how much the website didn't say, and mixed it all up again.... worms still unhappy. 

I had a moment of "Forget it, I give up, I fail at anything that requires skill with nature, I'm putting on my shiny red heels and stomping down to Boeringer to apply for a job as a pharm rep... I surrender!"  I quickly remembered the grim reality that in 5 years time I won't have options such as this.... Survival driven, I decided to re-do the bin; dumping all the contents into a separate bin, picking out some of the still intact citrus peels, laying down fresh bedding (damp, shredded newspaper) and then adding the contents back in.  This was a messy, smelly endeavour- by now we had put the bin in the garage due to the smell.  Next morning I checked the wormies....... Success!! They were staying in the bin and seemed content.

I was reminded of my youth; living in northern CA and playing outside, in the streets, in the woods, learning by experience, trial and error, and the determination I had to produce the result I wanted whether it was building an elaborate fort out of tree brush or riding my bike without holding on to the handlebars or making a "potion" that you could dip your finger in and remove it dry (true story, it involved rubbing alcohol and face powder...).  This whole thing has me rediscovering my ingenuity; a wonderful human quality which modern day technology has caused most people to discard. But how lucky are we now that concrete, researched information is so accessible?! A little know-how via books, google and youtube, and a little trial and error and wha-la!! 

I feel great awakening within myself; like I was always meant for this.  I've always felt intuitively that I am a creature of the earth; hearty, sturdy, thoughtful, creative, adaptable.... carnal...  This is the next evolution for mankind; to find balance between spirituality, carnality and mortality.... between technological and primordial. It is scary, but exciting... like how Eve must have felt right before she bit into the apple.... which only reaffirms that I need to get that tattooed on meh!!  OK folks, happily hopping off my soap box, off to clean my house :)

Ta-ta for now,
Mizz Z

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