ebrink06

Hi there, There's a new site for ancaps to list the products and services they provide. If you would like to be added to the list, reply or message me with your full name, business name, website/email, location, and whether or not you accept crypto currency and/or donations. The goal will be to go here first when you need something. The idea is to be able to support each other financially. The more of us on there the more useful it will be! Thanks! http://www.voluntary360.wordpress.com

Hello! I am wanting to create an annual essay competition for ages 15-25 about anarchy. I think this could be an interesting way to engage younger people in philosophy. The first topic can be perhaps, "How anarchy can lead to a more peaceful world". For prizes I'm thinking currency, a set of Molyneux books, "anarchy is for lovers" swag, etc.. So I'm looking for input on topics, prizes, and structure. And eventually I will be looking for sponsors, judges (people with both writing and anarchy expertise), people to spread the word, and any other thoughts you may have. Thanks for your time, Erin

I am also in sales. I'd love to know more

I do sales at an art gallery. If you commission a specific wall sculpture I will match my profits and donate it all to FDR. Why? My director insists that no anarchist would ever spend $900 on a decorative bowl because they don't believe in capitalism or money! I would love for us to prove her wrong! It doesn't count if I buy one, so I'm putting it out to the entire community. If you enjoy contemporary art, have wall space, and disposable income, read on.... Here's a link to his work: http://peterskidd.com/homepage/skidd-portfolio/ Also check out the videos on the home page of him in action. His pieces turn out pretty cool. The way he works the metal and glazes it really allows light to refract across the piece like nothing I've seen before. He also clear coats them so they can go inside or outside. (They'd look amazing on a patio with the flickering light from a fire for instance) The specific peice that fueled this conversation was a version of one of his bowls "Furnace II" (21" x 21" x 5", $960) whose markings looked to me like an 'A'. So I lovingly called it "the anarchy bowl". "The anarchy bowl" has since sold (most likely to an unsuspecting statist ), so this is the peice you would be commissioning. Since it is a commission, you can have your anarchy bowl in whatever colors or size you like. It is constructed in steel, but is light and can be hung easily wth just one screw. We do ship- the director can give you a quote based on your location. This offer extends to every anarchist who wants one to the point I'm still employed at the gallery. To commission a peice call Renee Taylor Gallery and ask for Krista. 928-282-7130 Or email her at: [email protected] She's there every day except Tuesday. You can tell her you're interested in commissioning a peice by Skidd. When she inquires further say you want an anarchy bowl! She'll take it from there being a liaison between you and the artist- getting an idea of your space, what colors and mood you want, etc. If you have any further questions for me, hit me up on the forum. And if you have a grand of disposable income and don't want an anarchy bowl- give it to FDR for goodness sake! Warm regards, Erin

Maybe hook up with these guys: https://board.freedomainradio.com/topic/41598-german-translation/

I'm in Flagstaff.

Thanks! Super interesting! So I think that I'm framing hetero/homosexuality and mono/polyamory under the generalization of "romantic relationships". Now, i'm wondering how empirical evidence could be applied meaningfully in these categories. Statistically lesbian relationships have a high percentage of domestic violence, and substance abuse. That statistic could mean a lot of things, but it doesn't mean that being a lesbian is bad. I don't know any statistics about polyamory but in substituting polyamourous relationships for lesbian relationships in that statistic would it mean that being polyamourous is bad? Loving two people at once or a person of the same sex is not the cause of disfunction. Could one use empirical evidence to prove that one relationship model or sexuality is better than another? If so what benefit would it have to a person who is biologically inclined to be a certain way? Would it matter to tall people if we somehow proved that it's better to be short? I think it really comes back to RTR. What matters is shared values and voluntary, peaceful interactions. Out of curiosity, which arguments in the thread did you find good?

Pimsleur is a great program for certain types of people. The reasons I it like are the reasons other people do not. It's very repetitive, prompts you to repeat and respond rapidly, it's purely audio, and doesn't progress very fast. I consider it an almost a passive programming of your brain. Once the rhythm and sentence structures are "programmed" in your mind it's easy to supplement with additional vocabulary and recognize the written language. Since it's audio you can do it during mindless activities like commuting or doing housework. To comment on immersion techniques other than moving to a native speaking country, I too recommend movies. Again, repetitiveness not for everybody, but I like picking just one movie and watching it over and over and over and over (with subtitles). Each time you watch it you understand more of the words and it's really exciting!!!! Movies are the best in my opinion because you can have the subtitles to always be referencing, and you're also getting the emotions and meanings visually. The visual aspect is important for many reasons other than just understanding the verbal language. It also helps in learning body language/gestures/facial expressions as well as other general cultural relevancies- what are they eating? how do they get around? what happens in the background? what people/ideas/events are they referencing? what's funny? Communicating in a language well is more than just understanding the words, it's understanding a whole culture. P.S. Babble is a great program too. P.S.S. I've learned one other language fluently, dabble in a few others, and taught a 2nd language for 5 years to teenagers.

I had listened to this podcast because I'm interested in polyamory and that statement/question stood out for me too. I asked myself that question because my parents have a deep and and happy monogamous relationship. I'm still answering it, but really does there have to be only one right way? For example, my parents are also financially successful through real estate- does that mean that if I want to attain financial success I must go into real estate and not consider other modes of life and work? They are heterosexual and I am not- does this mean that since I don't follow their model of sexuality I can't be happy? -Maybe this is why I'm not making the connection between happiness and whether or not I make the same choices as my parents. Heterosexuality, monogamy, and real-estate have worked really well for my parents; I doubt that molding myself exactly after them in that fashion would make me happy.... I'm happier to examine my own desires and have a life that reflects that. Maybe that attitude/perspective is what I'm taking from my parents... What do you think? Am I missing something here?

Hitten by Those Dancing Days Slow down, please, slow down I need to find peace anywhere in me I feel like I'm under water, struggling to get air I feel like I'm lost in this body, trying to get inside my head I wanna know what im thinking what I'm feelin What I want my life to be I wanna know how I plan to make things easier For everyone but me Tell me, please, tell me What to do know, now that I know myself Do you really think I could relie on this new person I have become Do you really think I give a damn now that I can do whatever I want Now I know What I'm thinking what I'm feeling What I want my life to be Now I know how I plan to make things easier For everyone including me Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-MXkXsmeo0

I'm fluent but not native. I'm hoping you're native so you can do final edits.

I live in Flagstaff but I'm in Phoenix every so often to visit my parents and friends. If something gets coordinated I would love to come.

Oh yes! I'd like to do Real Time Relationships too.

Sorry to hear you guys are experiencing this. I think we all have moments where we feel that the risk being ostracized or making big changes in life is greater than the need to be honest. I'm having difficulties organizing my ideas because there is so much that surrounds this problem. We are expected to self-erase from the time we begin to express ourselves in our toddler years. We are expected to conform to our parents, teachers, friends, laws etc. It's a real challenge to break away from that. I think biologically we've always needed to conform since ostracism from your tribe out into the wilderness meant death. Now we can easily stay alive in the societal structure we have, and can fairly easily find others with whom to relate. It's easy to understand logically, but is still emotionally challenging. Besides leftover biology, I think we self erase for two fundamental reasons: low self-esteem, and a mindset of scarcity. If we don't value ourselves, our needs and desires have no value and no right to be expressed. If we fear that there are no other options for a better lover/job/whatever we will continue to self-erase to keep harmony in our current situation. I'm currently experiencing self-erasure from the other side in my relationship. It's hard for me to hear that "everything I have done, I've done for you, not because I wanted it." It makes me feel like I have unintentionally played the tyrant. Without the other's voice in the relationship i feel like I have no footing. She has started to express herself more, and gets upset or doesn't come home when we disagree. I had to explain that it's okay if we don't agree on everything, that I am allowed to have an opinion, and she is allowed to have an opinion, and that they're both important and valid. As she is stopping self-erasure, exploring what she actually wants is a process. It is challenging to be with someone who doesn't express themselves or know what they want- it's kind of a moving target. I'm just trying to encourage the process, support her as much as she'll let me, and continue to have integrity to myself.

I think this is the real heart of the matter. People's interpretation of the word "friend" is very broad.. We could use a few more words in the English language besides friend and aquaintance. Any ideas?? There is a huge difference between intimate and superficial friendships. I'm a lesbian and can't have intimate friendships with other women (no matter their sexuality) without being attracted to them eventually. At that point, if she's straight, the relationship has to end up being superficial. If it's another lesbian I'm close with, it would be insanity to just want friendship since it's rare enough to find another lesbian, much less one to feel comfortable with and relate. I have some straight male friends, but they've told me that they'd be with me romantically if they could. It's easiest for me to have intimate friendships with gay men. So, yes, intimacy is a huge trigger for sexuality. At some point if you're in a friendship with someone who's gender matches your attraction, the natural process of deepening that relationship will lead to wanting more.

Hey dsayers! Sorry I took forever. To clarify what I mean by "what she stands for" is that she likes helping others through honesty and compassion. She spends most of her time doing that. Being really connected to an extended community is a little unfamiliar to me because my main source of support has always been my "foo". She's learned to build supportive relationships with others as a source of security and that's how she does it. Because compassion is her main motivation, she's taken advantage if sometimes. She's starting to understand that when she feels angry she needs to set boundaries with people. She's been waiting on her younger brother to be ready for them to have a conversation with their parents. He's not really doing anything to be ready so she said she's not going to wait much longer. I'm interested to see what comes from the conversation.

I was just thinking of translating material to French. That could reach a good portion of the world. Maybe the projects section would be a good place to start.

I like Wesley's original idea- very inventive. I would be interested. Www.brinkmanvisualart.com

Thanks everybody. She and I had a great conversation last night. She affirmed that absolutely wants to do the trip. It isn't fanancially feasible at this point, but the plan is to get the finances in order over the next six months so she can do it. I asked her if she thought she could pursue self-knowledge with me and she said she needed to do it on her own. We agreed to have an open relationship- she said she doesn't want to be with anybody else but she understood if I need to be. I said that I appreciated that but when I married her I didn't do it thinking that someday we would be in an open relationship and she would be gone for 8 months. She laughed and agreed. She wants to go, come back stronger, and continue our relationship. I suppose there is a risk that we would find ourselves needing to part ways, but to not take it would be suffocate her and our marriage. I don't have any regrets about commiting to her- I fundamentally love and respect what she stands for. I'm not sure if it's possible for me to know her at the level I think I do if she doesn't know herself, but I think I have a really good idea of who she is. Essetially, she's someone who has above averge emotional and intellectual capacity born into degredation. ("Raised by dogs" in her words). She has had a lot to overcome, and still has more to process, but the fact she is dedicated to doing it means so much. That she is still dedicated to our marriage in the long term, and is sympathetic to my needs for physical and emotional intimacy in the short term, is icing on the cake. As far as the issue of anger goes, she said she had been through an angry phase and it didn't do any good. I think at this point, I want to know more about that... We both started down the path of self-knowledge at the same time a little over two years ago. Prior to that we had been in the common haze of our careers, planning vacations, hangning out, doing projects, etc. That was all fantastic and fun and easy. This project of working on ourselves has definelty been the most challenging and I'm sure will be the most rewarding

Do you do any of the aforementioned activities on purpose for your own enjoyment? Or do you do them out of habit, obligation, or by accident?

No apologies necessary prairie- I posted to gain perspective. I definitely see the value in a victim having full control over his or her situation. I guess what I don't understand in this particular detail of the story, as well as in general, what is the role of my emotional responses and needs as a spouse?

Thank you dsayers. This is a long one... The details of her difficult childhood are truly horrific- she had a bed wetting problem when she was school age. Her parents didn't care for her hygiene so she was ostracized by other children. Her step father at one point held up the "mess" she had made to her face, yelled at her and threatened to make her wear diapers. The only memory she has of her biological father before he left was him coming home drunk and vomiting in a drawer. She was molested by a neighbor, she then did the same to her younger brother at which point CPS was called and he was almost taken away. That brings us to age eleven when she started smoking cigarettes... She was raped at eleven- her attacker (who also had an outbreak of oral herpes) told her to relish it because she would never be loved. She was very close to her cousin who lived down the street. Her uncle started abusing alcohol when his wife died and at some point a meth dealer started living there and the cousins got addicted to it when they were young teenagers. The cousin ended up in prison with a baby, but I hear she's out and clean now. My wife (as a teen) was approached by a social worker who told her that she was smarter than that which really resonated with her and she quit. That's why she left home at 15- to remove herself from the situation so she could move on. However, she was "taken in" by a group of hippies where drug and sexual abuse continued to occur on a seemingly more subdued level. She eventually left there into a more improved environment when she was old enough to sign a lease (18). I knew she had been addicted to meth and been raped. I have always admired her for being strong enough to leave behind meth and all the people she was so close to. Everything else has come out more recently. Most of it she didn't even remember- one memory started triggering others. This starting around the time she started distancing herself from me. She was very offended by the fact that I blamed her parents and felt anger toward them. She has an extreme distaste for the slightest expression of frustration or anger, and declares that compassion is the only way to deal with any situation. She says that if I don't approve of her family, I don't approve of her because they're one in the same. I need to figure out a way to communicate to her that this is not the case- that she is distinct from them. As far as her responsibilities- she has not strayed too far from home originally because she knew at some point she would need to take care of her younger brother. He attempted suicide then moved in with us when he was 16. He was on his own for a while but is now living with his parents again. He's 23 now. She realizes now that she not only stayed purely to help him, but because she felt guilty about her role in his pain. She also is trying to clean up her parents place- and convince her mom not to be a hoarder. She cares for a couple different friends with severe medical issues. She takes on as much responsibility at work as possible. She has been helping me start a business. She wants to pursue her childhood dream of saving the world- in a realistic way of corse without a cape... And she understands that she needs to start with herself. I've never specifically asked her why she has never been single. Since she's so social and has a very pleasing personality, she probably fell into relationships very easily. Since she has never really known truly what she wanted, she adapts to her lovers, realizes that her self has been completely annihilated by the relationship, then she leaves. It seems like that is what's going on here. Now that she has been on the path of self knowledge, she has started to assert herself more and we have more disagreements. This is not a problem for me- I would love to be with a "whole" person. She on the other hand is very sensitive when I express a differing opinion. I explained to her that it's okay if we disagree, that it's not a personal attack on her, that she and I are BOTH entitled to our opinions. She said she understood. She has such a wonderful outlook on life despite all she's been through. She says her philosophy has been to "fake it until you make it", and that she's ready to stop faking.

Hi! This is my first post and I'm kind of excited and nervous about it. I'm just looking for some perspective from you wise folks on a relationship situation:We've been together 7 years, married 4 1/2 years. Her childhood was very difficult. She left home at 15, has always taken on a lot of responsibility, and has never been single. Because of that, I've understood from the beginning of our relationship when we were 23, that she needed to take time for herself.I would often suggest she do so- take a relaxing day off, go for a walk in the woods alone, read/write/reflect etc. But she's always busy- It's gotten better over the years, but there were times when she was regularly double or triple booked.In the last year or two she's started to spend time alone maybe one afternoon every couple of months to hike and journal. She also largely distanced herself from me during this period of time and spent the majority of her time at work or with friends. Now she's saying she wants to travel the country alone for an undefined extended period of time in order to figure out who she is and what she wants. "Maybe 8 months?" she said when I asked how long she thought she needed.At first I was excited that she had made the decision to get to know herself. Now I'm just wishing she had paced herself over the last 7 years instead of arriving at this point where she feels like she has to do something that extreme. I'm also concerned about my needs in the marriage continuing to not be met. (1 1/2 years of distance + another year of her being completely gone)Would it be unreasonable, wrong, or counterproductive of me to ask her to pursue self-knowledge if not with me, along side of me? I want her to know herself, but maybe she could also learn some more about me in the process and it would make our relationship stronger. I want the best for her, but also for me, and for us as couple.