Now that you've read my writing, watched my videos, and listened to my audios, I'm hoping that you'll be able to assist me in my search. I love ARG's. I'm fairly new at them, but ever since I've discovered them I have found my calling. I've created a blogspot for my quest. Please post any suggestions that you may have in order to help me further my pursuit for happiness. Thank you!
(In case you were wondering: My mother is alive and well. She torments me for "killing her off" on a daily basis. I told her she gave birth to a writer and she'd have to deal with the killings.)
- In search of...
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![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=92.1)
youporkchop- June 16th, 2007
- My last journal entry. (OOG)
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- youporkchop
- June 1st, 2007
touched
I was driving home tonight after another ridiculously-stressful day at the plant. I had an itch on my driving foot. It was one of those itches that make you swerve all over the road like a drunkard because you can't get your shoe off, steer correctly and press the gas at the same time. You know what I'm talking about. Anyhow, I drove the rest of the way home sweating because it wouldn't stop. It was terrible. After I pulled in my driveway and parked my car, I ripped my shoe off and scratched until I successfully removed my epidermis from my foot. Sweet relief.
I sat there in the driver's seat with one leg hanging out of the car, the other leg proped up on the "out of the car leg", my sock dangling from my toes and my head pressed against my car seat. I started thinking about work. I do it everyday. I go there and I solve every problem necessary to keep the operation running correctly. Everyday, there is a new issue that I'm supposed to miraculously resolve, so it seems.
The company I work for is running very lean right now and I know for a fact it is directly related to the fuel prices. They had a huge pow-wow last month about them. Ever since then, people within the company have been becoming more and more volitle. I'll never forget about two weeks ago my boss told me, "Fuel is going up twenty cents a gallon tomorrow. You make your drivers top off everyone of those tanks." That's when I knew things were getting tight.
There's evidence of frustration that is intensifying by the day. Just last week a driver manager sent an e-mail in all capital letters to my boss, basically screaming about the fact that we don't have enough drivers to cover our shift. It's not our fault. Driver's don't grow on trees and they certainly can't work if you don't hire them. It looks like the company is spreading itself very thin to try and conserve some money. They are creating nothing but chaos.
To be honest with you, I don't like my job. There is a certain level of comfort there at this moment, but it's slowly diminishing by the day. I guess it's because when I leave at 2 a.m. in the morning, I'm already thinking about having to be back at work at 3 p.m. that same day. I have to try and fit everything I need to do into about four hours of free time. I leave work with a headache every night.
So, I'm still sitting in my car, itching my foot and suddenly as I'm thinking all of this...I had an epiphany. I really think that oil is ruling my life!! Oil, gas, fuel, whatever you want to call it...is nothing but trouble. It is a burden to our civilization. It's worse than a drug addiction. We HAVE to change our ways.
WWO has made me understand the pattern of this society of convience. The higher the demand for convience, the higher the price. Until society gets a grip on this factor, it'll never change. It's sad.
WWO has also made me realize that I have abilities that I can utilize in order to earn a living that do not involve oil use at all. I can write, I think. If I could do WWO all over again...I'd change many things. People tell me that I'm too critical of myself and I agree. I just hope that you enjoyed my story. I put a lot of thought into it and really worked to make it plausible and realistic. If anything...it was real to me.
I'm going to miss this excersize, but it's just the beginning of something great for me. It's time that I went back to school, put my head to better use and stop letting "oil" rule my life. Thanks again, friends. You've changed my life.
And now I command you to keep on rockin' in the ARG world! =)
Sincerely,
Melissa Richards
- 1973 Oil Crisis
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- youporkchop
- May 31st, 2007
In the midst of the site going down, I figured I do couple quick searches and see what other information I could post to the site. We need every tidbit of info we can find to create this permanent record of the oil crisis. I'm finding all sorts of great stuff today. This is an article on the 1973 oil crisis. It's a little eerie reading that after what we just went through.
- I don't know why but this makes me think of WWO.
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- youporkchop
- May 31st, 2007
tired
This song gives me sort of a political feeling. I envision a world leader who knows the consequences of his actions, yet continues to do whatever he wants for money, power or influence upon people. I suppose the part that really strikes me is the chorus. If you've never heard this song and you like rock...go to their website then enter it from either one of the options. Once you're in, there's a scroll button for audio in the upper right hand corner.
30 Seconds To Mars
FROM YESTERDAY-
He’s a stranger to some
And a vision to none
He can never get enough,
Get enough of the one
For a fortune he'd quit
But it’s hard to admit
How it ends and begins
On his face is a map of the world
(A map of the world)
On his face is a map of the world
(A map of the world)
From yesterday, it’s coming!
From yesterday, the fear!
From yesterday, it calls him
But he doesn't want to read the message here
On a mountain he sits, not of gold but of shit
through the blood he can look, see the lives that he took
From a council of one
He'll decide when he's done with the innocent
On his face is a map of the world
(A map of the world)
On his face is a map of the world
(A map of the world)
From yesterday, it’s coming!
From yesterday, the fear!
From yesterday, it calls him
But he doesn't want to read the message
he doesn't want to read the message
He doesn't want to read the message here
On his face is a map of the world
From yesterday, it’s coming!
From yesterday, the fear!
From yesterday, it calls him
But he doesn't want to read the message here
From yesterday,
From yesterday,
From yesterday, the fear
From yesterday,
From yesterday
But he doesn't want to read the message
He doesnt want to read the message
he doesn't want to read the message here
=================================================================
People NEED to read the messages here.
- WWO...like a candle in the wind.
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- youporkchop
- May 31st, 2007
- thankful
I've never been "good" at goodbye's, especially after all this. I guess the thought of losing something else at this point is hard to swallow. But no matter how I try to avoid it, it's staring me in face.
I look back at the events that have passed and wonder how I made it through. I wasn't nearly as prepared for the challenges as I thought I was going to be. Nor did I realize the obstacles I'd have to overcome in order to survive.
The one element that kept me going day in and day out was my friends. I never saw them except for in videos or pictures. The only time I ever really "heard" their voices was in an MP3 file. But when they put pen to paper...their voices screamed loudly and proudly along with mine. They comforted me when everything had gone wrong and made sure to guide me in the right direction when I'd lost my way. Yes Netizens, I'm talking about you.
I've learned so much in the last 31 weeks. This mess that they call a "crisis" is merely a test of civilization. It's a test to see if we help each other out or if turn our backs on one another. We've chosen to help each other and because of that we've become smarter, more self-sufficient, and less dependent on oil. We've infected each other with ideas and developed communities. We've learned to live together in order to survive. There are so many things that I'd have loved to document, video and explore, which I will still do even after the site goes down, but I would've loved to have shared them with all of you.
I know this won't be the last time this happens and next time will be far worse than this episode. When it does, we will be ready for it. Our losses won't be as heavy and we'll be way ahead of everyone else. We already have the winning-edge. We need to continue our efforts of creating more scaled down collectives of people such as neighborhood's and small towns, so that when the shock happens again, when can laugh in it's face.
As for what's in my future after the oil shock, I'm sure work will pick up again at G.M. This time around I bet we'll see the first full line of ethanol combustible cars. I'll be glad to go back to see Pam and Frank, if they decide to continue working there. I do miss them a lot. We really had a great time working together. I wouldn't trade them for the world.
I'm not sure what Dad is going to do. He's taken a liking to Branden and his wood cutting business. They spend most of the day outside in the woods, just chopping away. They laugh and joke like father and son. It's funny to watch them pick on each other. I'm glad they've bonded like they have.
Pauly has grown up quickly, so it seems. He's much more responsible since this whole crisis kicked in. I never have to ask him to do anything because he's either already done it or in the process of getting it done. He's become quite the young adult. I am proud of him for being so strong. Since Dad has come home, he has relaxed a bit more as well. See, he's adopted, so he's afraid he's going to lose another set of parents altogether. He's a good boy and smart too!
Right now, I'm sitting in my room. My Father is tucked safely into his bed. My brother is watching T.V., Branden is sleeping on my floor with a pillow tucked neatly under his chin and I'm smiling with tears slowly streaming down my cheeks. This is the first time in a long time that I've smiled because right now, despite the fact that I miss my Mother terribly and I'm losing all my friends, I am happy. As happy as I'm going to be I suppose. Everything's not lost.
I'm going to miss you all very much. In all my life I don't think I'll ever find as good a friend as all of you. Thanks for everything. Take care of yourselves.
- The scoop on Dad.
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- youporkchop
- May 30th, 2007
- happy
I was so excited when I called that I don't even remember what I said. Anyhow, I received a phone call from the company he works for and they told me that one of his co-workers, who is also a driver, contiually drove the route where Dad's truck was found. He didn't want to give up on him. Apparently, it paid off. He saw my Dad slowly walking down the side of the road in the dark.
Dad said the computer in his truck stopped working and he dropped his cell phone in a puddle just after he lost communication with dispatch. There wasn't any payphone's at the diner he'd stopped at, so he figured if he continued driving that he'd come across a payphone sooner or later.
His truck sprung a fuel leak while driving throught the desert and eventually broke down. He packed up some rations, which he had plenty of, and abandoned the truck when the sun came up to seek out shelter in the shade. He found a large cave that had fresh water in it so he stayed in there during the day. While he was in the cave...the fuel leaking from the truck caught fire in the desert sun, which is why his truck was burnt to a crisp! He continued this pattern in an attempt to make his way to civilization. He heard the search and rescue helicopters, but none were near him. He was almost 15 miles away from the area the truck was found when the driver picked him up. He's home now and I am thankful that he's ok. He's not taking the news about Mom well at all, but he still tries to smile and make us laugh.
Well, there's the skinny on my Dad. I have to get going, we've got some work to do today. I'll be back later.
- Dad's Home!
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- youporkchop
- May 30th, 2007
- happy
I called in with an update when I got the news that Dad was alive!
- Bumped off the schedule at GM.
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- youporkchop
- May 29th, 2007
cold
I woke up today in a terrible mood. I had a nightmare, which I choose not to tell you about, and it jolted me awake. I looked out the window only to see dark clouds looming overhead and small snowflakes falling from the sky. I hate snow.
I went downstairs and made myself a cup of tea. Things have been slowly improving over the last couple weeks. Stores are starting to receive goods, some people are starting to work again, and gasoline is becoming more available. People are still committed to riding their bikes to work, or the store, or wherever it is that they want to go. I, on the other hand, do not have steady work. As a matter of fact, Tom (my boss) called me at the beginning of the week to inform me that I wasn't even able to work the three days a month that GM scheduled. I was bumped off the schedule due to seniority.
Branden and Pauly are still asleep right now. It doesn't look like we will get to raking the leaves today, especially if the snow continues to fall. I guess I could work on my windmills. The income from them has been nice. I did spend a little bit on parts finally. I'm still making a nice chunk of change, though.
Someone is knocking on my door. It looks like my neighbor Steve. He probably has a windmill payment. He likes to talk so I'll just end this post now.
- A little income from the backyard.
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- youporkchop
- May 28th, 2007
- calm
Branden has taken to cutting wood from our woods outback in preparation for the coming winter. We've decided to use wood burning stoves to heat the downstairs and small electric heaters upstairs. The neighbor's saw him cutting the wood one day last week and wanted to buy a stack of it from us. He built a cart out of wood and old tractor wheels. He's charging $80 a cart load and believe me when I tell you it's about a month's worth of wood burning all day and all night. It's much cheaper than oil or natural gas.
Lately, a few people of the neighborhood have also offered to pay me to build windmills for them so I've been outside in the garage quite a bit over the last few days. I started charging $300 dollars a windmill. I think that I'm underselling my work but it's not like people have a lot of money to throw around. I even offer a sort of lay away progam for folks. As they're paying me...I'm building their windmill. The best part is that I'm not spending a dime on parts right now. I have enough material to build three more windmills and that's $900 profit.
We've been scraping by with what little money Branden and I had in our savings accounts. There's only two more house payments left and we're in the clear. It'll be all ours. The bank has been lienient on us about the payments because like us, others aren't able to make steady payments either due to the crisis.
I guess the government is feeling the blow, too. We still haven't gotten any mail as of yet. I haven't heard anything lately about the sort center idea. I suppose they're still crunching numbers.
My friend Jon called just a little bit ago. He said his parents are moving to the mountains to get away from the city. It seems everyone is running for the hills these days. Branden's Mom hasn't contacted him at all since she left. When I asked him about it he said, "She never cared about me before so why would she start now?" Pauly and I care about him and truthfully, I think that's all that matters to him. Since he's moved in here, he's the happiest I've ever seen him.
It's time for dinner now so I have to be moving along. I'll be back first chance I get.
- More sad news on the home front.
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- youporkchop
- May 28th, 2007
- thankful
I received a phone call from the Nevada State Police today. They found the remains of what they believe to be my Dad's truck. They found it while doing a routine flyover of the highways by helicopter yesterday. I asked the officer on the phone if they had any pictures of the truck because I might be able to identify it. He said he could e-mail them to me, but they wouldn't be very helpful. I didn't ask him why. I didn't want him to tell me...I wanted to see for myself.
I waited twenty minutes and the e-mails finally arrived. I hesitated to open them for fear of what they contained. I wasn't ready for what I saw.
This is my Dad's truck...
and his trailer...
We really are alone...
The little flame of hope I had protected so sacredly within me has just been blown out. I haven't showed Pauly the pictures yet. I'm not even sure that I should at this point. He's been doing so well lately and I think that him not knowing would be a good thing for the time being.
It's time to change the subject.
In other news, I received a letter from the Postmaster General two days ago. They said they love my idea and were already kicking it around when I sent the e-mail. They said that I would be the first to know when this plan goes into effect because they will contact me about my offer of building a small sort center out in the backyard. Delivering mail by horseback would be so cool.
In the meantime, I am still kicking around my options so keep the ideas coming. We need all the help we can get right now. Thanks for all your ideas thus far, they are appreciated!
