HOMEWORK

Fri, 03/13/2020 - 7:45pm

About this blog:

  • HOME SWEET HOME was embroidered on a framed sampler the living room at my grandpa and grandma’s farmhouse up on the mountain where we lived long ago and far from here.

    Those were the first words of wisdom I learned to read, write and understand. Looking back today, I realize how this inspiring motto guided me throughout my life’s work of building my own home . . . sweet and truly mine. That plus my collection of bumper sticker wisdom.

    I grew up, left home and explored various careers until I became qualified to teach Industrial Arts at my hometown high school. My plan to have my own home was in motion. I bought a modest little fixer upper at the edge of town. My intention was to fix it up, add an addition, live there awhile to make sure everything worked, sell it and finally start building my own home. I figured I could get most everything done during summer vacation. I was young and optimistic.

    I learned a great deal from that first building project. So much that I’ll have to tell you more.

    Meanwhile: THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

“May you live in interesting times”  
 
. . . is a Chinese blessing/curse. As I write today, in the midst of world economies falling sloppy dead, it looks like this blessing is being fulfilled. The Coronavirus/COVID-19, ironically from China, is pushing us into interesting times for sure.
 
As the curse propels us into impending calamities it's not difficult to foresee what awaits homeowners who are a paycheck or two away from being deprived of their property due to mortgage foreclosure after losing their jobs with bankrupted businesses lost in the economic collapse happening right now.
  
I am focusing on homeowners because they - possibly you - are the ones I'm trying to help with my Homework blog. Let’s skip details of future miseries and look at another possibility. Organizing The Homestead School for Owner Builders is my goal. How it will work is detailed in some of my other posts. You can look it up. For today let’s play “What If”.
 
What if an aspiring homeowner had enrolled in one of these schools a few years ago, graduated and was now operating a business they learned at the school? Today's problems would not have to affect their lives. The ability to avoid crowds by working at home would keep them healthy. There would be no loss of a paycheck due to missing work or losing their job. Surviving the current crisis and being able to help the less fortunate during these hard times is a benefit. There are other perks to being uniquely independent. I’m sure you can think of some, but for the moment let’s do this again:
 
What if when the major crisis we are in has calmed down, leaving millions in poverty and it's time to rebuild the economy, a few dozen or a few thousand Homestead Schools start up? This would jumpstart not only the economy but society. The schools would supply sensible, practical, fair-priced private homes to those who do not want regulated, overbuilt, unsustainable, overpriced housing ordered by the government. And the schools would create a bumper crop of high paying job opportunities in the bargain.
 
Come to think of it, we could own such personal homes now if we got rid of Agenda 21 inspired legislation that decrees only licensed professional businesses are allowed to build private homes. I’ve detailed these disgraceful regulations in some of my other posts. You can look it up. For today let’s remember this:  Each day is an IQ test.