Oregon Calling

I’m writing this post from a build site in a national forest outside Bend, Oregon. I’ve dropped roots here for the next two months, minus a week of family time in Calgary. My home for the next several weeks is a nice shady spot by a lake, an hour outside of the nearest town. The stars at night here are plentiful, the people are wonderful, and the project is something I’ll enjoy devoting my energy to.

My last post detailed my summer plans, which included a road trip and some time in New York. Unfortunately the project out in New York changed scope and I was no longer necessary, but fortunately I was contacted about coming to help put together a gathering to celebrate the solar eclipse in August. Festival crews from all over the world are coming together to collaborate on a massive festival and I’ve been brought on to help manage material purchasing. For me, this is a step in the right direction of merging my old career and my passion of building good things. The festival will have a permaculture garden to demonstrate sustainable living techniques, and the crew has already created a strong bond between ourselves and the native people whose land we are living on. We will work hard for the next two months, and once the work is all done, we have a week-long festival to enjoy!

Unfortunately I’m back on the office side of the build, working in a trailer ordering materials while crews get to build intricate stages, floating bridges, and large art installations. My role feels just a little too similar to the job I recently quit, but I am making the best of it. My heart is bummed to be missing out on the fun side of the project, but I know there’s a silver lining to me being stuck in a trailer. I was hoping to be working in the sun every day, using tools, making tangible progress, and instead I’m trying to guess what people will need for their projects, and track down random items that have slipped through the cracks. It’s definitely a position that hadn’t occurred to me as one of the crucial backbone roles, but I’m seeing its value. Like most of my jobs and roles in the past, I’m learning valuable information as to what I don’t want to do for the rest of my life, and I’ve reaffirmed my desire to be focused on the field side of projects. So far my favorite day in this role has been the Fourth of July, when all of my suppliers were closed. I got to be on the tools all day and we built a bunch of shop tables for crews to use while fabricating pieces for stages and art installations.

On the bright side, my partner Indy and I have begun coming up with some pretty amazing plans for the next several months, and my position in the work trailer allows me to use break time to research things that will help bring our plans to fruition. That’s certainly a nice silver lining for the next few months. Another bright side of the next few months is that we are in a beautiful part of a state I’ve been meaning to explore more of. Last Sunday on our day off, we went on a hike to a pristine blue lake deep in the forests, and later enjoyed some locally-brewed beer while we brainstormed ideas for the future. Certainly makes it tough to be upset about anything when you get to enjoy impeccable nature everyday in the best of company.

As the past few weeks have shown, plans change constantly and it’s hard to tell for sure where we will be in a few months, but I know for sure we are in Oregon through the end of August, and then heading to New Mexico for the Earthship Academy. Beyond that, who knows what the future holds!?! Some may hate this kind of uncertainty in their life, but I really love it. I find it exciting to have goals and plans, and know where I want to end up, but to be fluid with the path of how I get there. Many things are up in the air, but life is one hell of an adventure right now. That’s one thing I am certain about.