Don't think so.wish I could move to Canada but I can't even cross the border legally cause of a DUI.you guys seem to be strict.ugh,sorry guys.im just kinda freaking out.good to see you Troutman.hope you got settled alright
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House caught fire
- Thread starter shithawk420
- Start date
M
moose eater
Alaska's in, and has been in, the early throws of a stout recession, and we're headed into what may turn out to be a more 'normal' winter, despite claims of warmer-than-average weather, well into December.
We have negative population growth for the last 2 years, and (if you happen to have a few bucks in your pocket) one of the few bennies of a recession here (or anywhere, really) is that housing often goes down in cost; sometimes WAY down. (*In the later mid-80s, during one major recession here, though it was during a time we had far more oil to bounce back on) you could buy a 4-plex in Anchorage for ~$25,000, and I personally looked at 2.5 acres in 1989/90 with 3 bedrooms (chalet-style) with a wrap-around redwood deck, for about $35,000 out in the Mat-Su Valley.
But it's going to take time for such deals to emerge, and, again, you'd need to have some coin in your pocket to take advantage of that crisis.
Oil contractors will pay lower end of North Slope contractor employees' wages at this point, but be ready to succumb to (or beat/contend with) UAs or hair-testing for dope, and you'd need to be sober, or they'll send you packing... quickly.
The in-State hiring preferences are being (once again) touted by our Koch-addled Governor's AG as 'unconstitutional,' so you'd have that in your favor. Not new news, but still disheartening for some.
There's homeless shelters in Anchorage and Fairbanks, but they're being slashed in their budgets the last I read, and some of them (such as the Salivating Army) often require you to share in their religious practices in order to break bread with them. Not to mention the restrictions re. intoxication on-site, etc.
South East Alaska, in the Panhandle/Inside Passage, among the Islands, has smaller economies and smaller communities, and is a tad warmer, but a fair bit more wet, too. Juneau is WAY expensive where rents are concerned, and many smaller rural communities have steep rent markets, too; mostly due to lack of sufficient housing for there to be cheap rents. And the State ferry System, that leaves Bellingham Washington, is in budget crisis too, with some long-time isolated communities getting ready to lose ferry service for the winter; rarely occurred in the past. And the winter fares are no longer 25% off summer fares. And the driver of vehicles on the ferries in the winter no longer ride free.
As far as commercial fishing goes, the chances of getting on a boat at the dock, as a green-horn, are pretty slim, and many boats that -might- hire in such a manner are boats you probably don't want to work for, for fear of not getting paid.
Logging in SE is seriously diminished in prevalence in contrast to 40 years ago, and is, or can be, very hard work.
Menial service jobs, from courtesy clerks, to wait staff, bus boys, or dish washers, pay poorly, but can provide a steady income, though the larger grocery stores or dept. stores play the same games with keeping folks designated as 'part-time temporary,' even if they're working 40-hour weeks, so they can keep their benefits at a minimum, with more limited liability.
Homesteading in the bush, and living off the land, in a Hansel & Gretel type situation, is largely a fictional movie theme, and once you get far enough out into the woods, if you desire to have any modern conveniences at all, those will cost you way more in that setting than they would in suburbia.
Occasionally remote lodges will offer to hire care-takers, but they are often remote places, and often leave a person with limited or no immediate social interactions, while being required to keep the place safe and secure. Many stories about mishaps, or mismatched help, in such settings. Some of them humorous, and many not so much.
If pulling up stakes and seeking a place to skate until you can get on your feet, I'd look for a warmer climate with reasonable cost of living, that hasn't gone too far out of their way to criminalize various aspects of homelessness.
No clue what America would look like today if the transiency that resulted from the 1929 Depression were to strike in that severity again today, considering our up-tight ways here now where homelessness, etc. are involved, versus those traveling by rail or thumb back then. not to say those folks back then had it easy; they didn't.
Good luck, Hawk.
We have negative population growth for the last 2 years, and (if you happen to have a few bucks in your pocket) one of the few bennies of a recession here (or anywhere, really) is that housing often goes down in cost; sometimes WAY down. (*In the later mid-80s, during one major recession here, though it was during a time we had far more oil to bounce back on) you could buy a 4-plex in Anchorage for ~$25,000, and I personally looked at 2.5 acres in 1989/90 with 3 bedrooms (chalet-style) with a wrap-around redwood deck, for about $35,000 out in the Mat-Su Valley.
But it's going to take time for such deals to emerge, and, again, you'd need to have some coin in your pocket to take advantage of that crisis.
Oil contractors will pay lower end of North Slope contractor employees' wages at this point, but be ready to succumb to (or beat/contend with) UAs or hair-testing for dope, and you'd need to be sober, or they'll send you packing... quickly.
The in-State hiring preferences are being (once again) touted by our Koch-addled Governor's AG as 'unconstitutional,' so you'd have that in your favor. Not new news, but still disheartening for some.
There's homeless shelters in Anchorage and Fairbanks, but they're being slashed in their budgets the last I read, and some of them (such as the Salivating Army) often require you to share in their religious practices in order to break bread with them. Not to mention the restrictions re. intoxication on-site, etc.
South East Alaska, in the Panhandle/Inside Passage, among the Islands, has smaller economies and smaller communities, and is a tad warmer, but a fair bit more wet, too. Juneau is WAY expensive where rents are concerned, and many smaller rural communities have steep rent markets, too; mostly due to lack of sufficient housing for there to be cheap rents. And the State ferry System, that leaves Bellingham Washington, is in budget crisis too, with some long-time isolated communities getting ready to lose ferry service for the winter; rarely occurred in the past. And the winter fares are no longer 25% off summer fares. And the driver of vehicles on the ferries in the winter no longer ride free.
As far as commercial fishing goes, the chances of getting on a boat at the dock, as a green-horn, are pretty slim, and many boats that -might- hire in such a manner are boats you probably don't want to work for, for fear of not getting paid.
Logging in SE is seriously diminished in prevalence in contrast to 40 years ago, and is, or can be, very hard work.
Menial service jobs, from courtesy clerks, to wait staff, bus boys, or dish washers, pay poorly, but can provide a steady income, though the larger grocery stores or dept. stores play the same games with keeping folks designated as 'part-time temporary,' even if they're working 40-hour weeks, so they can keep their benefits at a minimum, with more limited liability.
Homesteading in the bush, and living off the land, in a Hansel & Gretel type situation, is largely a fictional movie theme, and once you get far enough out into the woods, if you desire to have any modern conveniences at all, those will cost you way more in that setting than they would in suburbia.
Occasionally remote lodges will offer to hire care-takers, but they are often remote places, and often leave a person with limited or no immediate social interactions, while being required to keep the place safe and secure. Many stories about mishaps, or mismatched help, in such settings. Some of them humorous, and many not so much.
If pulling up stakes and seeking a place to skate until you can get on your feet, I'd look for a warmer climate with reasonable cost of living, that hasn't gone too far out of their way to criminalize various aspects of homelessness.
No clue what America would look like today if the transiency that resulted from the 1929 Depression were to strike in that severity again today, considering our up-tight ways here now where homelessness, etc. are involved, versus those traveling by rail or thumb back then. not to say those folks back then had it easy; they didn't.
Good luck, Hawk.
M
moose eater
And the only way to get into mainland Alaska is through Canada, unless flying. Even if you take the State Ferry up through SE, once you get to either Haines or Skagway, you have to enter Canada to get into the mainland of Alaska.
Canada selectively offers those with DUIs (but they're not required to) what was once, and may still be, referenced as a 'rehabilitation fee', which, once upon a time, was a flat $250 CAD. That has since, in my understanding, become more fluid or variable in pricing over the last couple decades, and they're not -required- to offer it at all. Though I personally know of cases where a person with previous DUI issues has crossed numerous times before coming up on their computer screens as needing to pay such a fee.
On the bright side, Canada Customs is often far more fair and business-like in their questioning and decision-making.
Canada selectively offers those with DUIs (but they're not required to) what was once, and may still be, referenced as a 'rehabilitation fee', which, once upon a time, was a flat $250 CAD. That has since, in my understanding, become more fluid or variable in pricing over the last couple decades, and they're not -required- to offer it at all. Though I personally know of cases where a person with previous DUI issues has crossed numerous times before coming up on their computer screens as needing to pay such a fee.
On the bright side, Canada Customs is often far more fair and business-like in their questioning and decision-making.
Why don't you just get a job and earn some money to get back on your feet?
Not bashing and nobody hates working more than I do but.... maybe it's an answer.
.
Not bashing and nobody hates working more than I do but.... maybe it's an answer.
.
Thanks for the advice guys.i really do appreciate it.but if I really could get a job i would have to walk 30 miles one way and take care of my dog too.its really fucked.sorry to vent.im still trying to figure stuff out.
Now that you mentioned that Moose,i took care of my uncle's llamas without seeing anyone in a year.maybe I should look into that.as always you got so much knowledge it's kinda scary! Lol
troutman
Seed Whore
M
moose eater
Remote lodges advertise in a variety of locations, Hawk. Check the more stereotypical places, like Alaska Magazine.
Our electric co-op also puts out a magazine that is shared by other co-ops from Alaska to Oregon, etc. called 'The Ruralite'. They have limited ads in the back of the rag.
Or, on-line, there's a forum I once attended, but it's a bit red-neck for my tastes. (Alaska Outdoor Directory Forums). There's a 'Help wanted' and maybe a 'Situations wanted' forum near the bottom of their forum menu, if they're still on-line.
The State Job Service has changed their method of posting and recruiting for jobs over the last bunch of years. It's seemingly all on-line now, even at their office, with less need for live staffing, and more unanswered questions, but that may be another place to look.
Otherwise, a Google search for 'Help Wanted; Winter care-taker for remote lodge"/etc.
Our electric co-op also puts out a magazine that is shared by other co-ops from Alaska to Oregon, etc. called 'The Ruralite'. They have limited ads in the back of the rag.
Or, on-line, there's a forum I once attended, but it's a bit red-neck for my tastes. (Alaska Outdoor Directory Forums). There's a 'Help wanted' and maybe a 'Situations wanted' forum near the bottom of their forum menu, if they're still on-line.
The State Job Service has changed their method of posting and recruiting for jobs over the last bunch of years. It's seemingly all on-line now, even at their office, with less need for live staffing, and more unanswered questions, but that may be another place to look.
Otherwise, a Google search for 'Help Wanted; Winter care-taker for remote lodge"/etc.
M
moose eater
Difference between your uncle's llamas and a remote lodge includes off-grid functions (I assume, in your uncle's case anyway), but also the psychological effect of knowing that you can get some place to where people are fairly easily (again, assuming your uncle's place was somewhat near society/community), versus knowing you're 100 or 200 miles from any quasi-hub of civilization, resources, etc.
Generators, solar, battery banks, inverters, wood heat, radio phones, short-wave, satellite phones that run upwards of $1.25 to $2.00/minute, meaning that your employer might not appreciate over-use of such things, and more.
I know of no one, including friends who have lived successfully in the bush for 3+ decades, who haven't been affected in one way or another by the experience. So that's a head-space one has to prepare for. Good reading material helps. And playing a musical instrument for your own challenges and entertainment value.
If you ever wanted to really get to know yourself beyond the mask, the bush, by your lonesome, is the place. But the silence can tax you.
On the bright side, talking excessively, and to yourself, is to some degree more normal, and if perceived as not normal, there's no one there to criticize you for it but you. ;^>)
Generators, solar, battery banks, inverters, wood heat, radio phones, short-wave, satellite phones that run upwards of $1.25 to $2.00/minute, meaning that your employer might not appreciate over-use of such things, and more.
I know of no one, including friends who have lived successfully in the bush for 3+ decades, who haven't been affected in one way or another by the experience. So that's a head-space one has to prepare for. Good reading material helps. And playing a musical instrument for your own challenges and entertainment value.
If you ever wanted to really get to know yourself beyond the mask, the bush, by your lonesome, is the place. But the silence can tax you.
On the bright side, talking excessively, and to yourself, is to some degree more normal, and if perceived as not normal, there's no one there to criticize you for it but you. ;^>)
M
moose eater
Hopefully the last set of thoughts re. your predicament for a while, Hawk.
Floating processors (floating seafood processors) are often sea-based or port-based fish canneries or freezing facilities. Either a resistance to sea-sickness or lots of Dramamine, etc., would be a thing.
They are often (but not always) remote, though the social contact is typically the opposite of that of remote lodge care-taking, with sometimes too many people on-board, and not necessarily all of them of the sort you'd typically hang with of your own choosing.
Pay is often a bit meager, but room and board typically comes with the deal.
Long hours, and either hard or tedious work is a norm.
Dope is probably still forbidden on such vessels, and alcohol isn't likely to be welcome either. But where there's a will....
But it's one of those jobs that can provide a place to stay, however temporarily, while getting a few shekels in your pocket to plan your next move.
Some such operations hire out of Alaska, and some out of the Pacific Northwest, i.e., Seattle.
It's off-season for salmon processing, so if you were to find such a job/vessel, it'd likely either be crab and/or shrimp, or maybe bottom fish/long-liners, or Pollock from the trawlers.
There's also a HUGE push here to bring fiber-optic cable television, internet and phones to the State (ALL of the State, if they can manage it). I spoke with one of their crew (from a specific contractor) when they stopped by. Their season of labor production spanned from 1 week before the ground thawed, until 1 week after it freezes, so the immediate future is out for now, but they were traveling all around the State (Alaska), with housing provided where ever they went. And maybe a per diem too, though I can't say for sure on that part.
The basic laborers they were working with were plentiful in number (meaning there was lots of standing around), and they were grossing between $7,000 and $10,000/month, with very little experience.
Again, you'd likely need to piss clean, or render a clean hair sample, though I can't state that part with any certainty, either.
The pay was attractive enough that I thought about going on the road for the active season for a few years with my wife, with both of us doing that gig, 6+ months of the year, grossing $14,000 to $20,000/month between us, spending the winters in a warmer place... with few persons.
Those are all of the ideas I can come up with for now.
Floating processors (floating seafood processors) are often sea-based or port-based fish canneries or freezing facilities. Either a resistance to sea-sickness or lots of Dramamine, etc., would be a thing.
They are often (but not always) remote, though the social contact is typically the opposite of that of remote lodge care-taking, with sometimes too many people on-board, and not necessarily all of them of the sort you'd typically hang with of your own choosing.
Pay is often a bit meager, but room and board typically comes with the deal.
Long hours, and either hard or tedious work is a norm.
Dope is probably still forbidden on such vessels, and alcohol isn't likely to be welcome either. But where there's a will....
But it's one of those jobs that can provide a place to stay, however temporarily, while getting a few shekels in your pocket to plan your next move.
Some such operations hire out of Alaska, and some out of the Pacific Northwest, i.e., Seattle.
It's off-season for salmon processing, so if you were to find such a job/vessel, it'd likely either be crab and/or shrimp, or maybe bottom fish/long-liners, or Pollock from the trawlers.
There's also a HUGE push here to bring fiber-optic cable television, internet and phones to the State (ALL of the State, if they can manage it). I spoke with one of their crew (from a specific contractor) when they stopped by. Their season of labor production spanned from 1 week before the ground thawed, until 1 week after it freezes, so the immediate future is out for now, but they were traveling all around the State (Alaska), with housing provided where ever they went. And maybe a per diem too, though I can't say for sure on that part.
The basic laborers they were working with were plentiful in number (meaning there was lots of standing around), and they were grossing between $7,000 and $10,000/month, with very little experience.
Again, you'd likely need to piss clean, or render a clean hair sample, though I can't state that part with any certainty, either.
The pay was attractive enough that I thought about going on the road for the active season for a few years with my wife, with both of us doing that gig, 6+ months of the year, grossing $14,000 to $20,000/month between us, spending the winters in a warmer place... with few persons.
Those are all of the ideas I can come up with for now.
U
useless.gardens
try a ride share type advert on craigslist. see if you can get someone to help, you pay a fixed weekly, and then find a job in the radius necessary?
shit, i got a mini cooper wagon in great shape... why do i need to ba a slut for uber or lyft? thinking about this right now. and look i could be busy, make some extra, and do it for myself.
in your case, why not try the reverse?
shit, i got a mini cooper wagon in great shape... why do i need to ba a slut for uber or lyft? thinking about this right now. and look i could be busy, make some extra, and do it for myself.
in your case, why not try the reverse?
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I wanna say thanks to you guys cause your awesome.second I wanna say my good buddy let me stay the night a t his house and got me on the right track and gave me a good pep talk.i feel bad about all this woe is me crap.when he's done with his current job well fix the ceiling and take the ducts out before we turn on the heater.alot of work but at least I think I got a game plan.i really appreciate you guys.hopefully in a week I can show some progress pics on the house.
I think it's pretty normal do be a bit 'down' when your fucking house burns down, dude. LOL Sounds to me like you're a pretty strong soul.
You'll come back and your life will be better for it.
Like they say, "What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger".
Good luck bud.
.
You'll come back and your life will be better for it.
Like they say, "What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger".
Good luck bud.
.
A friend in need is a friend in deed
A friend in need is a friend in deed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8woDtww9UpQ
..... sound like your friend is a keeper!
A friend in need is a friend in deed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8woDtww9UpQ
..... sound like your friend is a keeper!
AgentPothead
Just this guy, ya know?
Good luck hawk!! I'm still wrangling with USPS over that package. Will get it figured out hopefully.
My buddy just dropped off a new couch and nice portable electronic heater. It's getting cold in the Midwest well,everywhere.i really got to think of keeping warm.im an idiot! I'm too much of a pussy to go north! But I will if I have to.fuck I miss internet
I will definitely make a detailed rehab.nobody should have to go through though fires.
Hi,
Sorry about the fire and doubly sorry about hardship you faced with support organizations. Thanks for sharing the first hand experience about support network in USA.
I have never faced such hardship, what I can offer is some boiled down points from time when I considered homested living (mobile home and few spots of land in different locations).
transpotation - getting food, going to work etc. bike will give operating range of few miles. scootter etc light two wheeled will give operating range of 10 miles or so. cheaper to operate than car.
cooking. 5 gallon LPG tank and gas burner will give you option to cook meals while powergrid is not operational/ option. added bonus it generates heat, can be used to power heater/ fridge if need be.
heating. aerobic compost is good way go generate a bit of extra heat. added bonus .. it can work as waste management inc. human/ pet poo (gross but .. going is tough right now so.. ) .. starting an aerobic compost is tough in cool/cold environment.
dont try to heat up entire place. select where you sleep as 'in' into house as you can (escaping heat will heat up other rooms). preferrably adjacent to (or even bed at) kitchen which need some heat also. Idea is to have tolerable heat in room you sleep and other rooms cool. blankets/ tarps/ bedsheats attached to doorways hallways windows etc to keep heat in is good and removable option. (thicker is better but even thin ones stop airflow >> helps a lot.
If possible.. try to keep an eye out for job openings elsewhere.. this would be a good spot to relocate ( place dose not sound nice nor you happy there .. so if you were to find a job elsewhere .. would it make sense to pack what you have and relocate to the job? only you know details of your life and thus only you can decide, I am just pointing out some options. )
I wish you fortitude to push through this!!
Sorry about the fire and doubly sorry about hardship you faced with support organizations. Thanks for sharing the first hand experience about support network in USA.
I have never faced such hardship, what I can offer is some boiled down points from time when I considered homested living (mobile home and few spots of land in different locations).
transpotation - getting food, going to work etc. bike will give operating range of few miles. scootter etc light two wheeled will give operating range of 10 miles or so. cheaper to operate than car.
cooking. 5 gallon LPG tank and gas burner will give you option to cook meals while powergrid is not operational/ option. added bonus it generates heat, can be used to power heater/ fridge if need be.
heating. aerobic compost is good way go generate a bit of extra heat. added bonus .. it can work as waste management inc. human/ pet poo (gross but .. going is tough right now so.. ) .. starting an aerobic compost is tough in cool/cold environment.
dont try to heat up entire place. select where you sleep as 'in' into house as you can (escaping heat will heat up other rooms). preferrably adjacent to (or even bed at) kitchen which need some heat also. Idea is to have tolerable heat in room you sleep and other rooms cool. blankets/ tarps/ bedsheats attached to doorways hallways windows etc to keep heat in is good and removable option. (thicker is better but even thin ones stop airflow >> helps a lot.
If possible.. try to keep an eye out for job openings elsewhere.. this would be a good spot to relocate ( place dose not sound nice nor you happy there .. so if you were to find a job elsewhere .. would it make sense to pack what you have and relocate to the job? only you know details of your life and thus only you can decide, I am just pointing out some options. )
I wish you fortitude to push through this!!
Thanks for the advice.ive never heard of an aerobic compost.is that like putting a bunch organic stuff together and burning it? I've got all the donkey and horseshit I need! Lol
