How very exciting it’s been to make this seismic, purpose-driven shift. At the end of July, I parted ways with the most meaningful and challenging job position I’ve ever occupied. It was a difficult decision, but I’m certain that the circumstances were right to take a calculated leap of faith towards a healthier life even more in alignment with my values. At the age of 39, I moved to another area of the US for the first time, to continue growing and experiencing new things. Here’s the back story:
About a year prior to taking this leap, my partner and I utilized our vacation time in the fall of 2019 to visit Colorado and New Mexico for some R&D and R&R. Along with some targeted relaxation time exploring nature, our mission was to get a taste of Earthship living in Taos, NM, and to spend some time in the Colorado Springs area. We wanted to learn first-hand about Earthships, as we felt—and still feel—that they are the safest and most ideal type of home to eventually invest in. The 4 days we spent living in a “simple survival” Earthship in the Greater World Community solidified our determination to eventually invest in one ourselves.
With the massive Earth-packed tire wall and berm comprising the back quarter of the home, the space was incredibly quiet, minus the occasional brief burst of noise from the water pump. There was a distinct feeling of safety and isolation from the elements. All of the systems worked as expected; the electricity, toilet, shower and sinks functioned just as any conventional home would. Regarding the interior climate, a few times we became a bit overly warm. We were able to mitigate the discomfort easily by opening the rear cooling tube and front greenhouse transom, and spent one or two nights sleeping with a box fan on low. The box fan was not necessary; it just made sleeping that much more comfortable by adding an extra touch of cooling air movement. To further our understanding, we read through a few of the Earthship books that the host had left for guests to enjoy, toured the visitor’s center and a few other models in the community. I was not at all surprised to find my suspicions confirmed; while not entirely perfect (no such thing may exist in housing), an Earthship remained our ideal type of house, and we doubled down on our interest in eventually owning one—especially if we’re able to customize it.
While in NM, we hiked 4/5ths of the way up Wheeler Peak, visited Black Rock Hot Springs and Petroglyph National Monument.
We also visited the 48th annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. We neglected to take any pictures while in Colorado, but we did explore CO Springs for a couple of days, taking note of the scenery, the culture, resources and employment opportunities there and in the Denver area.
Upon return, I spent the next 10 months back at work, supporting my teammates in my capacity as Marketing / Multimedia Manager at Epiphany Farms Hospitality Group. As with most restaurant businesses, Covid-19 hit the company very hard, but the team stepped up big time, flexing to take on additional duties while rolling out brand new delivery and pickup services. Fortunately, the local community was very supportive and the company was able to maintain a sufficient amount of its business without catastrophic loss. It was, and continues to be a very uncertain and challenging time for EFHG, but the company culture of teamwork and perseverance in conjunction with an incredibly supportive community has kept them moving forward. During my 3 years at EFHG, I met and worked with numerous highly skilled, talented, knowledgeable, fun, vibrant and just plain good people, who—like me—were privileged to channel their passion into hard work towards making meaningful change in the world “one plate at a time”. It was a transformative experience, but I found myself craving a new work environment to push me and my skill set in new directions.
In early July, my partner and I received notice from Earthship Biotecture of a field study taking place in a remote mountainside location near Nathrop, CO for basically the entire month of August. After many intense discussions, we decided that the field study was a great opportunity to learn first hand what is involved in contracting and building an Earthship, and that we had a sufficient amount of resources built up between us to seize the day and relocate from Illinois to Colorado. From our research and experience, the CO Springs and Denver area was clearly booming with plenty of the right resources and job opportunities suited to our desired path. The Earthship field study was the trigger that we would pull to blast off into the next phase.
From our current standpoint gaining footing in the Denver area—without question—the Earthship field study was among the top 3 most amazing experiences of our lives. We learned so much, and had many unforgettable times with some of the most lively, charming, knowledgable, intelligent and hard-working people we’ve ever met. The rich connections and memories we made while living on the mountainside will last a lifetime. Throughout the month, I captured numerous photographs and hours of video footage. I’ll be writing a post and producing some video pieces at some point to recap and share the experience.
MEDIA FORM 