sending thought-spores sailing

Thoughts for Barter Saturday, February 21, 2009 (On Facebook)

Jana: Last year, on a train ride back to Toon Town I started reading 'Your Money or Your Life?' by Joe Dominguez & Vicki Robin. Did you ever notice how train cars make such humble thought-spaces to bathe yourself in ideas? The title for the book came from the hypothetical confrontation: If someone held you at gun-point and asked for your money or your life, which would you give them? Your response would hopefully rhyme with 'schmife.' The text is about how we allow our experiences to be measured monetarily instead of with life energy.

I can remember, I think it was in '98, I was just back from Germany and in the akward space of reverse culture shock, and of scheming up global plans to avoid going to university or moving to the big city of Saskatoon. Well, at my house, there was no such thing as 'not being productive', so I ended up working at Blockbuster, Tim Hortons and Pizza Hut simultaneously to save up for another travel adventure. I hated the time spent at work, especially all the franchise rules like 'no singing', and considered them 'stolen hours'. Whenever I had to buy something, I'd calculate how many hours of work it would equal. The thought process kinda went like this: "hmn, 3 hrs at 6 bucks an hour at pizza hut for that CD -- uh, nope." And on my calculations went-- my dad's old sweaters were free and already broken in, what more could I ask for? I did end up with a few crappy self-hair cuts though.

Fast forward 10 years of life, wherein I'd lost much of this creative thrift in various dabbles with professionalism, gear-head-ism, and just trying to at least half-ways 'fit-in'. It was on this train ride, I decided "I'm going to work less and play more, dammit. I'm going to write for the local newspaper and crosscountry ski to work and trade my granola for darcy's moose meat. And, I'm going to ditch beer and wings thursdays, buying new books and ordering from MEC online...." After 2 years of finding teaching tiring, it was time to embrace the word 'freelance'!! It worked well for the first few months-- I made money subbing and writing and sought out free forms of entertainment... not hard in La Ronge, with a forest in our backyard and the lakeshore a short dogwalk away. So, I actually left all this. I know. : (I think for 1 part money security, 1 part build my resume, and 2 parts I still had it engrained in me that I needed to 'have a real job'. I also think my efforts could've been more sustainable if the people I interacted with had a similar game-plan of trying to de-monetize their interactions. When I moved to Grande Prairie, land of the hummer limo, and started full-time teaching again, these thoughts started to collect dust.

This note is thanks to conversations with Amanda and Dave and my pop ed class, who have helped me to dust them off again.So, dear collection of people I care about in Toronto and area, I'm hoping to barter my thoughts for yours, and someday soon transfer these into actions to effectively bypass currency- or at least our dependancy on it. What are your thoughts, and what's on your 'want' and 'would do' list? Jana

Dave Vasey: I'd barter (for): Supper, fix your flat bike tire, editing, moving help, music lesson, dog sitting/ therapy, electrical work, mending, tree pruning, painting.

i think i would barter for your words right now... carrying the writers block and it feels like two tonnes. hmmmm... i would barter for gardening tips any day - both to give and receive. it is that time of year for planning and i am excited to try some new seeds, as well as learn about some that i should try. i would barter for music lessons... i have played the guitar 18 years and am still not a confident player - but i love learning bits and pieces and playing them at home... get me around a campfire and i might play them for you if i am feeling up for it.i too would like to get into that module economy... do a bit here, a bit there and have enough to get to the next thing. reminds me of what my grandpa used to do... he would work in the bush logging, then work on the roads for the municipality. On Saturday's, he would sling beer at the bar and was always helping neighbours with renovations so that they could help him in his. anway, count me in. i am multi-talented - just ask

Dave Welwood: Having just stepped in the door from a soul-sucking shift at Chapters where checking the time on a muted cell phone in a corner is considered "against dress code", and not being able to respond with "your pay should be against the criminal code you cheap corporate whores", I totally concur with what you wrote about calculating retail items in hours rather than dollars. My thoughts are that there are many bad and good things that I could not have foreseen happening in the past year. I'm looking forward to the rest of this program, so I can get closer to my goal, which is to be living in Northern Ontario in or near a small town, learning how to garden, learning how to install solar panels and build a greenhouse. I often dream of the day I pack the moving truck and drive North up the 400, into the shield country to my new home. I would barter for food, books, and a guided canoe trip, and I second on the guitar lessons at a campfire, although all I know is Neil Young son

Leeshia: great idea! have i already told you how happy i am to have made your acquaintance? and it feels good to know that my trade/barter/share network is growing. there is/used to be something called 'Toronto dollars', but i prefer the notion of friendship as the end of the of exchange rather than mutual but anonymous benefit.i can cook/cater/cook-along-side, or just lend a hand, for few or many; lately i am obsessed with pies, dumplings, and vegetarian cabbage rolls but am friendly with recipes.i would garden/landscape work any season. no tips to share, just labour to lend. and always willing to start pots of tomatoes, herbs, and lettuce for gardens or decks.i have an abundance of cds for share/trade.i'd like to learn how to graft trees organically. i'm looking for farmland that needs a farmer.i'm fond of food, music, stories and poetry.and if anyone knows how to teach a rambunctious year-old pup to walk at a heel w/o treats or restraints, boy-oh-boy could I use your help!

Dave Vasey: i thought of something for sure i would love to barter for.... a yoga/stretching class. i have been going to a gym, but it is really impersonal and i would like to be able to do some of the moves, but am not completely sure how to. if anyone could give a group tutorial, i would be willing to exchange for food, housework, writing lessons, beginners guitar lessons or garden planning help. anyway, i am pretty serious about this one... so if anyone can help or knows someone who could, that would be fan-friggin-tastic.


Paul: when the fit hits the shan, i think tools like facebook (and lamp posts) will be needed for connecting people on THIS level -- building community based not just on 'intention' but on 'currency' ...... labour.....skills.....resources......perhaps all our of our profiles could have a 'barter' section? hmmm, and how to make this searchable? i know -- i'll trade half-baked ideas and gratitude -- thanks for sparking it jana.

Pascal: I would barter almost anything if somebody were to make my Major Research Paper go away :0 - just kidding!I love the idea of bartering, but I also wanted to add the idea of group dumpster diving. There are all kinds of wonderful things that people throw away and it would be fun to have a group to explore together. I once heard about a group of people in Food Not Bombs Calgary that had an Iron Chef dumpster diving competition. I would love to do something like this if anyone else would like to join! It is not quite bartering, but it is communal, avoids the money economy and could be a total blast!Thanks for starting this Jana!Peace, pascal

Dave Welwood: That does sound like fun. Dave, I'd like to barter something with you for some gardening lessons, as I'd like to work towards my goal of self sufficiency. I have guitar lessons, neighbourhood walking tours, books and food to barter for, oh, and guided canoe trips also.

Karen: hmm, right now, at the end of this long weekend of reading, i feel like all i have to offer are vague, inarticulate (mis)understandings of artifactual constructivism, and i would like to trade them for some good definitions of epistemological and ontologically...political ecology anyone?but Dave, i bet i could lead a session or two of yoga - if someone has space, and what else can i do? well food, meals, catered dinners, pies, bread...up to 50 I can feed...cooking lessons - canadiana international cuisine, i think i'll call it. i make pottery, so cups and bowls are now part of my repertoire, i can do some mending, editing, minor massage, and have stellar organizational skills that i rarely put to use in my own life! I've also been a part of training a couple of dogs,and I own a car that i rarely drive...What i need fluctuates, but one foreseeable requirement right now is storage space for some boxes this summer. and a ride to the airport next saturday:)


Leeshia: reading these, it strikes me that we have similar skills and interests. dave w, i'm starting the self-sufficiency road this summer.this suggestion isn't so much for a barter as much as it is for a pot-luck.dave v, I'd really like a yoga class too, maybe karen would lead a group yoga session in exchange for the rest of us bringing food/music/theory? karen (is that karen woodswoman and mutual fan of gail f?) if you want to ramble and vocally knead your semi-articulations, i'll happily listen and quiry and prod till you've thought your way thru it. if those aren't of interest to anyone, i'd like to take up karen and jana on their dog skills (pup's just found the incredible self-will and determination of 15 months, his loyalty and friendship means little against the temptations of distant yards, out of reach trees, and bolting squirrels). send any suggestions of things you need, i'll think thru my repertoire.

Dave Vasey: okay, so it seems we are coming together over a yoga potluck... i am pretty into that idea and will bring food/guitar to barter with... this weekend is totally out for me, but perhaps the next one? like sunday? i like doing yoga on sundays... appeals to my inner catholic. i am willing to forward my place, but be warned, it is kinda small. looking forward to a potential yoga-luck and meeting some of you fine folks!

Jana: I scroll down all these entries and realize we have barter thought bounty-- and this makes me smile. The early options we've suggested (I think testing these ideas will spark new ones) are tantalizing... yoga/food/music/gardening/Dave-fest-- yeehaw! Paul, I liked your idea of our fb profiles having a barter section on them. It would be cool to simply scan people's status updates and read that, hey, dave has surplus relish stock but would gladly trade for some granola. Do we want to continue this dialogue and potential 'table of interests' on fb, or can someone recommend a better online space?

Karen, do you have a weekly time available that you could lead a yoga class? Our dining room might have enough space w/ the table pushed aside. Dave, how bout you with the guitar lessons? These events could function (as well as potlucks) as potential swap times. Other convenient places to swap goods or meet for assistance or projects are @ OISE/St. George Stn., York for us yorkies, perhaps the Linnux Cafe on thursday nights -- it's jam night and a friend is playing. Other centralized, inexpensive ideas?

One thing I would also like to do (and maybe it's not bartering) is go on a Toronto field trip... an idea sparked at an Otesha potluck. Paul, if you are reading this, remember how Jenna was involved in that bike project, where the seniors home is run off of bike power and people volunteer time chunks of human power to help it run? Well, I figure we could string together a few TO experiences, maybe a rooftop forest, and an intro to dumpster diving, but only if we get to wear dumpster diver super hero costumes! Ok, so I am bartering for ideas on this one. One more thing I'd like to do is explore southern ontario a bit. I have backcountry map books, that I drool over from time to time, but I'm thought-bartering on this one.

So, this was news to me, but Patrick informed me today that bartering without claiming it on your taxes is illegal. The govies would much prefer it if we calculated the financial worth of our hours worked and submit to Revenue Canada for taxation....hmn, I don't think they really 'get it'. So I thought on this a wee bit, and, if we are doing the work for ourselves, no tax, but if we are exchanging fruits of labour with someone else, even if the same amount of time energy was put in, presto, it's taxation time.

Karen: Hi,Sunday evenings would generally work well for me. And i love sunday night potlucks!I just want to make a little disclaimer here though, that i am not a certified instructor, nor have i ever really taught a yoga class before. the experience i bring is 15 years of sporadic attendance at various types of yoga classes, and an understanding of ... Read Morewhat works for me. so, yeah. factor that into your expectations :)and Jana, maybe a good place to organize is actually a f/b group - discussion topics being grouped by themes of whats offered or needed...ie) labour, food, gardening, music...etc.and does anyone know how to play the banjo?kp.s. i totally want to visit the bike powered seniors home as that fits right in with my plan that office buildings should be run off gyms in the basement, and it should be part of every employee's workday to go and pedal or run for an hour! good for the building, good for the body, good for all!

Leeshia: Ok, so I started a blog, and I think it might work as a barter-site forum. We could also add a "list-gadget" that would let people list their offerings. Any thoughts or comments? I'd really like to set it up so that all members are administrators. I also thought (but feel free to disagree), that the more people involved, the richer the shared knowledge/skills wealth of the community. Anyhoo, happy 2009 Jana!http://bartertbounty.blogspot.com/

Joanna: this is funtabulous, leeshia! just to add to the mix: a group of us people are working on holding a free market (skill sharing, stuff sharing, ideas sharing) at the toronto free gallery (bloor and lansdowne) sometime in March,either 21st or 28th. so that might be something to check out.i will post what i know of it thus far:Toronto Really Really Free Market

What: A community-space for sharing – where people bring what they

have togive, take what they need, and leave the rest. It’s kind of like a potluck,but for goods and services!

Why: Because we all deserve to have the things we need.Because we all probably have some stuff we don’t use and could give away.Because sharing brings us closer.Because it’s responsible to our environment: our community and our planet.Because it’s a viable alternative.

How: You can drop stuff off, pick something up, or stick around! This couldinclude both items and services, such as:-clothes, books, music, furniture, household and kitchen wares, pet supplies-homemade goods, such as crafts, art, artisan goods, and baked goods (don’tforget to list the ingredients!)services, such as haircuts, yoga classes, music/dance lessons, massage, orgardening help.All unclaimed items will be donated at the end of the day.We need to work together to maintain a family/community-oriented space

Location: Toronto Free Gallery 1277 Bloor St. WTime: Free Market 12-8pm Social 9pm-2am