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HomEcology Podcast – HomEcology

HomEcology Podcast, Moneca Kaiser discusses the concept of HomEcology

In this edition of HomEcology Podcast, Moneca Kaiser discusses the concept of HomEcology

Transcript


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[Music]

 

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you’re listening to the home ecology

 

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podcast with monica kaiser

 

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so hello

 

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um i’m here with monica kaiser of moneca

 

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kaiser design build and on this lovely

 

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sunday afternoon uh how are you today

 

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monica i’m great thanks great great so

 

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we’re at it again

 

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uh however this time around we’re going

 

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to uh get deeper into the conversation

 

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and philosophy of homoecology

 

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now that’s a term you have coined so to

 

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speak and how about we start with your

 

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explanation of what homoecology is

 

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yeah that’s a that’s a great place to

 

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start this

 

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home ecology

 

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is a

 

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synthesis

 

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of some things that are very important

 

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to us but we don’t really talk about a

 

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lot home

 

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home is kind of it connotes something

 

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about community

 

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and environment and it’s evocative of

 

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something meaningful to us we all long

 

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for home

 

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we talk about homecoming journeys we

 

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we we write poems about home and we all

 

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know what homesickness is

 

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and

 

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i wanted to

 

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try to study that to what is it that

 

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makes up a home

 

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and i wanted to begin a conversation

 

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about what those elements are

 

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so home ecology is about our

 

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interdependence and our

 

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um

 

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community i guess

 

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what i’m trying to do is elevate the

 

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built environment

 

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to be in harmony with the culture

 

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and

 

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ecosystem we’re dependent on

 

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to have more of a symbiotic relationship

 

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with

 

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everything okay and uh so

 

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what are those elements that you are

 

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speaking of

 

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um so i’ve i’ve

 

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been playing with this for a while

 

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and it’s complex it’s not complicated

 

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but it’s complex and there’s a big

 

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difference there’s an elegance and a

 

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simplicity to it but talking about it

 

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can

 

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can

 

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it can get a bit unwieldy so

 

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what i’ve done is i’ve broken it down

 

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into five elements of home ecology or

 

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principles

 

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things that we need to aspire to in in

 

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order to create great homes

 

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and the the aspirations are awakening

 

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acknowledging our interdependence

 

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adaptability like cultivating

 

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adaptability and embracing adaptability

 

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cultivation

 

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um which

 

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i just use that word i don’t mean to but

 

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cultivation is like what do we want to

 

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cultivate in our homes what do our homes

 

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want to cultivate in the world so sort

 

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of setting an intention and designing

 

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towards that intention and honoring our

 

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values all the time and thinking of the

 

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home as a living organism and something

 

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that propagates

 

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meaning and values and

 

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enlightenment actually is my hope

 

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and then ease we need ease we need ease

 

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so that so that we can give more so that

 

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we feel abundant and we can flourish

 

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so those are the elements and we could

 

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easily do a podcast on each of them

 

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the idea is that you can’t build a home

 

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alone

 

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i think john dunn said no man is an

 

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island and it’s and it’s and we repeat

 

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that and repeat that because it

 

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resonates so deeply and no home is an

 

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island either and we can’t create a home

 

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alone like these track builders they can

 

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build these terrible parasites on the

 

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environment and rape the land for as

 

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many dollars as they can have and you

 

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know just these places that nobody

 

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really wants to live but it’s all that

 

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they can kind of manage

 

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dead zones yeah and i mean they’re not

 

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alive there’s no diversity there’s no

 

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there’s

 

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they’re sanitized homogenized

 

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communities that don’t work you see a

 

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lot of box towns growing yesterday

 

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that’s that seems to

 

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really resonate with people that uh oh i

 

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have to own this type of

 

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box house instead of

 

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building

 

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and inspiring to have their own type of

 

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values put into their homes is that

 

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something that kind of relates to that

 

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very much so

 

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very much so and i think that in order

 

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to build an actual home we need to

 

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co-create it we can’t do it alone

 

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it’s a very intimate process of

 

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listening and learning so the person who

 

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needs this home needs to be listened to

 

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the way a mother would listen to a

 

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newborn baby and understand its needs

 

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and wishes and aspirations you know how

 

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a mom can

 

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you know a really good mom is attuned to

 

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her baby and and she knows the baby

 

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wants something but doesn’t know what

 

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but she’s wise because she’s had a few

 

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other children or she’s read the books

 

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and she cares a lot and we have to start

 

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approaching homemaking with a lot more

 

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caring and not about the granite

 

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countertops or the quartz countertops or

 

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the leather granite countertops or the

 

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whatever concrete countertops or you

 

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know and not even about how

 

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eco-effective those things are that

 

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matters but the deeper conversation is

 

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where is this countertop situated in

 

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your heart what are you going to do

 

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there like how is your grandchild going

 

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to help you roll out the cookies and

 

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where are you going to get the flower to

 

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make the cookies are you going to be

 

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living locally like in that you know

 

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trying to buy from the local people

 

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and

 

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what does a kitchen look like that cares

 

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more about heart and environment and

 

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your grandchildren than like dwell

 

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magazine you know which i mean it’s a

 

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bad choice because dwell is kind of

 

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enlightened but

 

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we have to stop thinking about how

 

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things look and talk about how things

 

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feel and why we want them to be that way

 

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and what they’re going to cultivate

 

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that’s great and so what inspired this

 

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idea like behind the values

 

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where where did it stem from for you

 

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i guess i started out i had a difficult

 

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childhood i was i was pretty

 

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challenged

 

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and

 

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just home was very dysfunctional and sad

 

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and

 

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i realized really early on that there

 

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must be more to life like

 

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like this is crazy

 

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and i wanted to find things that i could

 

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really believe in and hold on to

 

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so

 

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i just spent my whole life studying

 

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philosophy and

 

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initially i did it at university

 

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i kind of loved it but i was so

 

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overwhelmed by having all these concepts

 

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that didn’t belong to me

 

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so i met a wonderful teacher of um tai

 

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chi and art

 

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and meditation who is buddhist and i

 

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left university and i’ve practiced with

 

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him for 30 years

 

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and it’s been this just lovely discovery

 

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of of really aligning my life with my

 

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values like i wanted to have a

 

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meaningful life

 

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and a truthful life and i chose to get

 

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to know myself and figure out what i

 

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care about and

 

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i’m 51 years old and i’m so happy like

 

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and i didn’t you know i had terrible

 

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depression till i was 28 like i really

 

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had a lot of suffering and

 

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and then i spent most of my adult life

 

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cultivating

 

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not in a self-help way but being present

 

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in meditation and with good people and

 

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learning about meaningful things

 

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and

 

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i feel like i’ve got

 

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and then being blessed by this wonderful

 

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teacher who i believe is enlightened and

 

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has been able to impart um

 

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you know he always raises the bar and

 

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helps me just elevate my thinking and

 

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vision and i really want to bring that

 

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back into homemaking into something very

 

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practical and

 

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i feel that the reason i’m happy is i

 

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have aligned my life with my values i’ve

 

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created a business that reflects my

 

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values and

 

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i’m abundant and i’m nurturing and i

 

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give a lot and it’s easy it’s you know i

 

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remember being young and it was hard to

 

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think about other people i had a good

 

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heart but i had no capacity

 

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so that’s what i want i want to make

 

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good homes for people

 

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and through co-creation and

 

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interdependence and this little bit of

 

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awakening these these home ecology

 

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principles that i’m asking us to

 

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reclaim in our homemaking process

 

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i think people will be nourished and and

 

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they’ll feel taken care of they won’t

 

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feel taken advantage of like those

 

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countertops are great but they cost like

 

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12 000 bucks and you know who took a

 

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piece of that instead they’d be like oh

 

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i made a really good decision on this

 

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kitchen it works

 

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and and you know i’m gonna make cookies

 

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for the for the

 

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um

 

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whatever community event that’s coming

 

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up and beyond you know i mean that’s

 

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just the beginning yeah okay so uh um

 

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let’s let’s take a practical application

 

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here can you talk about an experience in

 

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which you applied homoecology principles

 

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to design and how it made a difference

 

246

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to the overall design of the home

 

247

00:09:28,879 –> 00:09:32,80

specifically like is there a client that

 

248

00:09:31,39 –> 00:09:32,799

you were

 

249

00:09:32,80 –> 00:09:36,959

you

 

250

00:09:32,799 –> 00:09:36,958

satisfied that way i’m sure yeah at all

 

251

00:09:37,278 –> 00:09:42,80

there’s a really nice one that comes to

 

252

00:09:39,39 –> 00:09:43,439

mind a client came to me and um you know

 

253

00:09:42,80 –> 00:09:44,959

them liz um

 

254

00:09:43,440 –> 00:09:46,240

yeah yeah

 

255

00:09:44,958 –> 00:09:49,119

and uh

 

256

00:09:46,240 –> 00:09:51,200

they wanted she she they inherited a

 

257

00:09:49,120 –> 00:09:52,879

little bit of money

 

258

00:09:51,200 –> 00:09:54,399

they told me exactly how much money they

 

259

00:09:52,879 –> 00:09:56,240

had and they said what they wanted to

 

260

00:09:54,399 –> 00:09:56,958

have done

 

261

00:09:56,240 –> 00:10:00,80

and

 

262

00:09:56,958 –> 00:10:01,518

she had this really kind of fun vision

 

263

00:10:00,80 –> 00:10:04,639

of wanting to do something a little bit

 

264

00:10:01,519 –> 00:10:06,799

over the top and very like

 

265

00:10:04,639 –> 00:10:08,639

um i’m sorry i’m kind of ignorant of

 

266

00:10:06,799 –> 00:10:10,559

decorating styles because i focus on

 

267

00:10:08,639 –> 00:10:11,600

something more fundamental

 

268

00:10:10,559 –> 00:10:13,838

but it was

 

269

00:10:11,600 –> 00:10:15,360

it was playful and a little bit over the

 

270

00:10:13,839 –> 00:10:17,360

top a little bit too much which is a

 

271

00:10:15,360 –> 00:10:19,919

style that i really love

 

272

00:10:17,360 –> 00:10:22,320

and i got to know them a little bit and

 

273

00:10:19,919 –> 00:10:23,919

she has chronic fatigue and

 

274

00:10:22,320 –> 00:10:25,920

he has a few

 

275

00:10:23,919 –> 00:10:29,39

health issues developing and they’re

 

276

00:10:25,919 –> 00:10:31,360

creative lovely people and i thought

 

277

00:10:29,39 –> 00:10:33,599

i think you need like a kind of peaceful

 

278

00:10:31,360 –> 00:10:35,839

home and i started to talk to them about

 

279

00:10:33,600 –> 00:10:37,519

you know maybe we could scale this back

 

280

00:10:35,839 –> 00:10:39,360

a bit and and

 

281

00:10:37,519 –> 00:10:41,440

calm down our palette because they

 

282

00:10:39,360 –> 00:10:42,399

talked about wanting to have

 

283

00:10:41,440 –> 00:10:45,120

like

 

284

00:10:42,399 –> 00:10:47,360

shared space but also private space

 

285

00:10:45,120 –> 00:10:49,120

one’s passionate about opera the other

 

286

00:10:47,360 –> 00:10:51,120

about jazz

 

287

00:10:49,120 –> 00:10:52,720

they they don’t necessarily love

 

288

00:10:51,120 –> 00:10:54,799

listening to each other’s music all the

 

289

00:10:52,720 –> 00:10:56,320

time

 

290

00:10:54,799 –> 00:10:57,439

that happens

 

291

00:10:56,320 –> 00:11:00,160

yeah

 

292

00:10:57,440 –> 00:11:02,560

and we moved into this you can find it

 

293

00:11:00,159 –> 00:11:05,679

on the website this really wonderful

 

294

00:11:02,559 –> 00:11:08,639

transformation and it’s kind of classic

 

295

00:11:05,679 –> 00:11:10,958

very minimal very calm palette but

 

296

00:11:08,639 –> 00:11:13,360

beautiful and elegant and

 

297

00:11:10,958 –> 00:11:16,159

they love it so much i do remember going

 

298

00:11:13,360 –> 00:11:18,320

through the portfolio for that one and

 

299

00:11:16,159 –> 00:11:20,879

the noticeable difference from the as is

 

300

00:11:18,320 –> 00:11:23,360

you can tell every piece of music

 

301

00:11:20,879 –> 00:11:26,78

equipment and and albums that they have

 

302

00:11:23,360 –> 00:11:28,0

683.36 –> 688

it’s still there but it fits and attunes

 

303

00:11:26,78 –> 00:11:30,0

686.079 –> 690

more to their lifestyle now you can

 

304

00:11:28,0 –> 00:11:32,320

688 –> 692.32

really appreciate it and they they

 

305

00:11:30,0 –> 00:11:34,799

690 –> 694.8

showcase their i think it’s one of the

 

306

00:11:32,320 –> 00:11:36,560

main pictures they showcase their their

 

307

00:11:34,799 –> 00:11:38,799

main artists in the kitchen and stuff

 

308

00:11:36,559 –> 00:11:41,679

like that but it really shows

 

309

00:11:38,799 –> 00:11:42,639

a piece of them in a sense

 

310

00:11:41,679 –> 00:11:44,719

um

 

311

00:11:42,639 –> 00:11:46,720

and if if i could if you go to their

 

312

00:11:44,720 –> 00:11:49,200

pinterest board which we should share on

 

313

00:11:46,720 –> 00:11:50,480

facebook it’s it’s not like that at all

 

314

00:11:49,200 –> 00:11:52,480

because they were thinking of how do

 

315

00:11:50,480 –> 00:11:55,39

they want this to look

 

316

00:11:52,480 –> 00:11:56,399

instead of how do i want to live and

 

317

00:11:55,39 –> 00:11:59,120

once we got into that deeper

 

318

00:11:56,399 –> 00:12:01,360

conversation of how do you want to live

 

319

00:11:59,120 –> 00:12:04,720

and what do you value we ended up with

 

320

00:12:01,360 –> 00:12:06,959

this very harmonious lovely space

 

321

00:12:04,720 –> 00:12:08,720

and then just to sort of take that a

 

322

00:12:06,958 –> 00:12:11,679

step further

 

323

00:12:08,720 –> 00:12:15,519

we never had a conversation about

 

324

00:12:11,679 –> 00:12:17,759

me or my personal beliefs or their

 

325

00:12:15,519 –> 00:12:19,519

personal beliefs really we were always

 

326

00:12:17,759 –> 00:12:21,278

talking about home

 

327

00:12:19,519 –> 00:12:25,278

needs

 

328

00:12:21,278 –> 00:12:26,639

you know couches um kitchens

 

329

00:12:25,278 –> 00:12:29,39

and

 

330

00:12:26,639 –> 00:12:30,399

interesting enough when the job was all

 

331

00:12:29,39 –> 00:12:32,879

done

 

332

00:12:30,399 –> 00:12:34,639

rio said to me she said you know i’m

 

333

00:12:32,879 –> 00:12:36,559

different now and i’m like what do you

 

334

00:12:34,639 –> 00:12:38,240

mean and she goes well you changed me

 

335

00:12:36,559 –> 00:12:39,199

and i said what do you mean and she said

 

336

00:12:38,240 –> 00:12:41,278

well

 

337

00:12:39,200 –> 00:12:43,360

i believe in god now

 

338

00:12:41,278 –> 00:12:45,120

i’m not kidding

 

339

00:12:43,360 –> 00:12:46,720

i don’t and she said and i don’t know

 

340

00:12:45,120 –> 00:12:48,480

how that’s going to manifest or what

 

341

00:12:46,720 –> 00:12:49,920

that means or even what religion i’m

 

342

00:12:48,480 –> 00:12:53,440

into

 

343

00:12:49,919 –> 00:12:55,360

but i’m i feel more connected yeah a

 

344

00:12:53,440 –> 00:12:58,160

connection a connection to something

 

345

00:12:55,360 –> 00:13:00,639

other than yourself or or a piece of

 

346

00:12:58,159 –> 00:13:02,480

furniture or a certain countertop in a

 

347

00:13:00,639 –> 00:13:03,200

sense yeah yeah

 

348

00:13:02,480 –> 00:13:05,600

and

 

349

00:13:03,200 –> 00:13:07,519

yeah yeah it was really neat well so

 

350

00:13:05,600 –> 00:13:10,240

speaking on that and i know this uh this

 

351

00:13:07,519 –> 00:13:13,200

doesn’t uh it fits into homo ecology but

 

352

00:13:10,240 –> 00:13:14,879

you’ve kind of mentioned the the term uh

 

353

00:13:13,200 –> 00:13:16,800

can you talk a bit about curing

 

354

00:13:14,879 –> 00:13:20,320

dysfunctional house syndrome

 

355

00:13:16,799 –> 00:13:22,240

and how that ties into ecology yeah

 

356

00:13:20,320 –> 00:13:24,160

that’s a really good that’s a good one

 

357

00:13:22,240 –> 00:13:25,600

my nephew came up with that brilliant

 

358

00:13:24,159 –> 00:13:27,838

concept of

 

359

00:13:25,600 –> 00:13:28,959

of the dysfunctional health syndrome and

 

360

00:13:27,839 –> 00:13:32,800

it’s so

 

361

00:13:28,958 –> 00:13:35,199

um apropos it’s like so many houses do

 

362

00:13:32,799 –> 00:13:37,359

not accommodate our lifestyle

 

363

00:13:35,200 –> 00:13:39,440

and the number of struggles i have with

 

364

00:13:37,360 –> 00:13:41,360

people about i know you’re giving up

 

365

00:13:39,440 –> 00:13:43,360

valuable real estate in your living room

 

366

00:13:41,360 –> 00:13:45,519

or your dining room

 

367

00:13:43,360 –> 00:13:48,480

but you have to have a closet when you

 

368

00:13:45,519 –> 00:13:50,799

come in the house like you just you know

 

369

00:13:48,480 –> 00:13:52,399

like like think about your marriage and

 

370

00:13:50,799 –> 00:13:54,399

your relationship where are your kids

 

371

00:13:52,399 –> 00:13:56,0

832.399 –> 836

putting those shoes if you don’t have a

 

372

00:13:54,399 –> 00:13:57,759

closet yeah and who are you going to be

 

373

00:13:56,0 –> 00:13:59,198

836 –> 839.199

yelling at for leaving them in the wrong

 

374

00:13:57,759 –> 00:14:00,799

space

 

375

00:13:59,198 –> 00:14:01,599

so

 

376

00:14:00,799 –> 00:14:04,319

um

 

377

00:14:01,600 –> 00:14:06,0

841.6 –> 846

and you know how many i like you’ve got

 

378

00:14:04,320 –> 00:14:07,680

to be able to get in the kitchen if you

 

379

00:14:06,0 –> 00:14:10,240

846 –> 850.24

live with a family with more than one

 

380

00:14:07,679 –> 00:14:12,159

person in there but maybe you want a

 

381

00:14:10,240 –> 00:14:14,799

certain area of the kitchen that only

 

382

00:14:12,159 –> 00:14:17,519

you get in there and again it’s all to

 

383

00:14:14,799 –> 00:14:19,599

make the home more harmonious so that

 

384

00:14:17,519 –> 00:14:21,679

you can live together

 

385

00:14:19,600 –> 00:14:23,600

that idea that good fences make good

 

386

00:14:21,679 –> 00:14:24,479

neighbors you have to apply that to your

 

387

00:14:23,600 –> 00:14:26,639

home

 

388

00:14:24,480 –> 00:14:30,320

and what kind of boundaries and

 

389

00:14:26,639 –> 00:14:31,600

and built elements can you create that

 

390

00:14:30,320 –> 00:14:34,720

provide

 

391

00:14:31,600 –> 00:14:37,839

proximity and spaciousness and

 

392

00:14:34,720 –> 00:14:40,480

privacy and cohabitation and

 

393

00:14:37,839 –> 00:14:42,880

all these different ways we like to live

 

394

00:14:40,480 –> 00:14:45,360

they all have to be adaptable we can’t

 

395

00:14:42,879 –> 00:14:48,78

just sort of plunk things together like

 

396

00:14:45,360 –> 00:14:49,680

families grow we grow we all evolve and

 

397

00:14:48,78 –> 00:14:52,399

the home has to grow and evolve and

 

398

00:14:49,679 –> 00:14:53,278

adapt to our different needs we can’t

 

399

00:14:52,399 –> 00:14:55,278

sort of

 

400

00:14:53,278 –> 00:14:57,198

just think well you know this is good

 

401

00:14:55,278 –> 00:14:58,480

like it’s good when you have little kids

 

402

00:14:57,198 –> 00:15:00,559

but they’re going to go

 

403

00:14:58,480 –> 00:15:02,639

and to school into high school and to

 

404

00:15:00,559 –> 00:15:04,719

university and grandparents might move

 

405

00:15:02,639 –> 00:15:05,919

in and kids can’t always be sharing the

 

406

00:15:04,720 –> 00:15:07,278

same room

 

407

00:15:05,919 –> 00:15:09,519

you know one usually moves into the

 

408

00:15:07,278 –> 00:15:12,159

basement is that going to be part of it

 

409

00:15:09,519 –> 00:15:14,240

at all what type of questions do you ask

 

410

00:15:12,159 –> 00:15:15,679

do you ask your clients when you when

 

411

00:15:14,240 –> 00:15:18,879

you first meet them

 

412

00:15:15,679 –> 00:15:21,599

um well we’ve designed this whole quite

 

413

00:15:18,879 –> 00:15:22,720

elaborate um series of questionnaires

 

414

00:15:21,600 –> 00:15:24,320

and they’re really fun and they

 

415

00:15:22,720 –> 00:15:25,120

overwhelm the clients

 

416

00:15:24,320 –> 00:15:26,480

so

 

417

00:15:25,120 –> 00:15:28,78

they’re going to be in the book because

 

418

00:15:26,480 –> 00:15:30,79

they’re they’re very relevant but i

 

419

00:15:28,78 –> 00:15:32,958

scaled it back because one-on-one we can

 

420

00:15:30,78 –> 00:15:35,278

interview and sort of intuitively attune

 

421

00:15:32,958 –> 00:15:37,679

to these things but what i really want

 

422

00:15:35,278 –> 00:15:39,439

to know i don’t want to know what how

 

423

00:15:37,679 –> 00:15:41,39

big a kitchen you need or how many

 

424

00:15:39,440 –> 00:15:42,880

people you have over for dinner i want

 

425

00:15:41,39 –> 00:15:44,399

to know who do you admire

 

426

00:15:42,879 –> 00:15:46,799

who’s your hero

 

427

00:15:44,399 –> 00:15:48,958

where have you felt most comfortable

 

428

00:15:46,799 –> 00:15:50,319

if you had to describe your ideal

 

429

00:15:48,958 –> 00:15:52,399

environment

 

430

00:15:50,320 –> 00:15:54,79

in a color what color would it be and i

 

431

00:15:52,399 –> 00:15:55,759

don’t mean that literally i just mean

 

432

00:15:54,78 –> 00:15:57,599

what color evokes the feeling you want

 

433

00:15:55,759 –> 00:15:59,199

your home to have

 

434

00:15:57,600 –> 00:16:00,399

i want to know

 

435

00:15:59,198 –> 00:16:01,679

you know

 

436

00:16:00,399 –> 00:16:04,639

what do you hate

 

437

00:16:01,679 –> 00:16:09,0

961.68 –> 969

what really gets your your irish up like

 

438

00:16:04,639 –> 00:16:09,0

964.639 –> 969

not to be i hope that’s not offensive

 

439

00:16:09,198 –> 00:16:12,399

um

 

440

00:16:10,320 –> 00:16:14,79

you’re not irish are you

 

441

00:16:12,399 –> 00:16:16,159

we won’t speak on that

 

442

00:16:14,78 –> 00:16:18,559

my teacher hopefully my mother’s not

 

443

00:16:16,159 –> 00:16:20,399

listening yeah well my teacher always

 

444

00:16:18,559 –> 00:16:22,479

said that hot blood is a sign of a good

 

445

00:16:20,399 –> 00:16:23,759

heart and i associate irish culture with

 

446

00:16:22,480 –> 00:16:26,720

hot blood

 

447

00:16:23,759 –> 00:16:27,919

so those kinds of questions you know

 

448

00:16:26,720 –> 00:16:29,680

um

 

449

00:16:27,919 –> 00:16:31,759

yeah those are what we need to know to

 

450

00:16:29,679 –> 00:16:33,919

make homes okay and then how does it get

 

451

00:16:31,759 –> 00:16:34,639

down to you know

 

452

00:16:33,919 –> 00:16:36,799

like

 

453

00:16:34,639 –> 00:16:39,680

how does it get down to finally picking

 

454

00:16:36,799 –> 00:16:43,758

the countertop then right well it’s

 

455

00:16:39,679 –> 00:16:46,399

almost like the countertop picks us

 

456

00:16:43,759 –> 00:16:48,399

in the sense that

 

457

00:16:46,399 –> 00:16:50,240

there there’s we’re gonna do a podcast

 

458

00:16:48,399 –> 00:16:52,320

someday about permaculture with people

 

459

00:16:50,240 –> 00:16:53,360

who are much more eloquent about it than

 

460

00:16:52,320 –> 00:16:55,360

i am

 

461

00:16:53,360 –> 00:16:57,120

but the idea of permaculture i took this

 

462

00:16:55,360 –> 00:16:59,199

weekend workshop once and it was

 

463

00:16:57,120 –> 00:17:00,959

wonderful it gave voice to these

 

464

00:16:59,198 –> 00:17:03,278

thoughts that i’ve always had but i

 

465

00:17:00,958 –> 00:17:05,599

never had a vocabulary for

 

466

00:17:03,278 –> 00:17:06,880

and they talk about designing in harmony

 

467

00:17:05,599 –> 00:17:09,359

with nature

 

468

00:17:06,880 –> 00:17:10,959

and allowing everything in its ecosystem

 

469

00:17:09,359 –> 00:17:13,359

to give from its highest level of

 

470

00:17:10,959 –> 00:17:15,38

capacity like we all know that you know

 

471

00:17:13,359 –> 00:17:16,879

you work with me so you know that when i

 

472

00:17:15,38 –> 00:17:18,798

do admit i set us back three weeks

 

473

00:17:16,880 –> 00:17:22,640

whereas when i do

 

474

00:17:18,798 –> 00:17:23,679

design i’m like elevating everything

 

475

00:17:22,640 –> 00:17:24,559

so

 

476

00:17:23,679 –> 00:17:26,798

um

 

477

00:17:24,558 –> 00:17:29,519

the idea also that i took away from

 

478

00:17:26,798 –> 00:17:31,759

permaculture and it’s just good sense

 

479

00:17:29,519 –> 00:17:34,639

and they’re modeling after nature is

 

480

00:17:31,759 –> 00:17:38,960

asking the question of what does this

 

481

00:17:34,640 –> 00:17:41,520

space or home or or program want to be

 

482

00:17:38,960 –> 00:17:44,400

and then to look for clues and to to

 

483

00:17:41,519 –> 00:17:46,960

listen so really by the time we get down

 

484

00:17:44,400 –> 00:17:49,759

to picking the countertop we know

 

485

00:17:46,960 –> 00:17:52,0

1066.96 –> 1072

ourselves and we know our team so well

 

486

00:17:49,759 –> 00:17:54,160

that if you know of course we want the

 

487

00:17:52,0 –> 00:17:56,798

1072 –> 1076.799

the concrete planet the concrete

 

488

00:17:54,160 –> 00:17:58,960

countertop or the glass the recycled

 

489

00:17:56,798 –> 00:18:00,558

glass countertop makes complete sense

 

490

00:17:58,960 –> 00:18:03,200

and we want the recycled glass because

 

491

00:18:00,558 –> 00:18:06,79

it’s in keeping with our values around

 

492

00:18:03,200 –> 00:18:07,840

you know sustainability and beauty and

 

493

00:18:06,79 –> 00:18:09,759

we want the concrete countertop because

 

494

00:18:07,839 –> 00:18:11,199

we want to make it ourselves right and

 

495

00:18:09,759 –> 00:18:13,679

even though it’s a little bit hard on

 

496

00:18:11,200 –> 00:18:15,759

the environment this is something we you

 

497

00:18:13,679 –> 00:18:17,600

know we we want this in our home this

 

498

00:18:15,759 –> 00:18:19,279

thing we crafted and

 

499

00:18:17,599 –> 00:18:21,839

and we’re going to look at ways of

 

500

00:18:19,279 –> 00:18:24,639

offsetting that um

 

501

00:18:21,839 –> 00:18:25,759

you know carbon whatever thing sorry

 

502

00:18:24,640 –> 00:18:27,919

yeah

 

503

00:18:25,759 –> 00:18:29,679

yeah no that makes sense yeah okay and

 

504

00:18:27,919 –> 00:18:31,200

so um

 

505

00:18:29,679 –> 00:18:34,0

1109.679 –> 1114

and we talked about a bit about this

 

506

00:18:31,200 –> 00:18:35,679

last time in the last podcast um the

 

507

00:18:34,0 –> 00:18:38,240

1114 –> 1118.24

whole master plan

 

508

00:18:35,679 –> 00:18:41,919

and how that kind of

 

509

00:18:38,240 –> 00:18:43,759

uh idea of having a plan for your entire

 

510

00:18:41,919 –> 00:18:45,840

home your entire community so that it

 

511

00:18:43,759 –> 00:18:48,79

relates to your community how do you tie

 

512

00:18:45,839 –> 00:18:50,159

in home ecology with that

 

513

00:18:48,79 –> 00:18:52,720

well yeah i mean that that’s what’s

 

514

00:18:50,160 –> 00:18:54,798

essential is i think the fundamental

 

515

00:18:52,720 –> 00:18:56,880

element of home ecology is it wants us

 

516

00:18:54,798 –> 00:18:59,759

to think in terms of systems and the

 

517

00:18:56,880 –> 00:19:01,919

whole and harmony and so we look at our

 

518

00:18:59,759 –> 00:19:04,79

home as a part of something greater and

 

519

00:19:01,919 –> 00:19:07,840

a part of something smaller so right

 

520

00:19:04,79 –> 00:19:10,79

down from that countertop out to our our

 

521

00:19:07,839 –> 00:19:12,399

street and our community our

 

522

00:19:10,79 –> 00:19:13,519

neighborhood our city

 

523

00:19:12,400 –> 00:19:16,80

and so

 

524

00:19:13,519 –> 00:19:18,240

we need to integrate a master plan where

 

525

00:19:16,79 –> 00:19:19,599

we and the master plan isn’t just

 

526

00:19:18,240 –> 00:19:21,440

where’s the kitchen gonna be what’s

 

527

00:19:19,599 –> 00:19:24,79

gonna happen when the kids are grown up

 

528

00:19:21,440 –> 00:19:25,759

and off to college what if we break a

 

529

00:19:24,79 –> 00:19:27,439

leg and need to live on the main floor

 

530

00:19:25,759 –> 00:19:29,519

it’s not only that

 

531

00:19:27,440 –> 00:19:30,720

it really is beginning with what do i

 

532

00:19:29,519 –> 00:19:33,440

value

 

533

00:19:30,720 –> 00:19:35,360

what what do i want my home to cultivate

 

534

00:19:33,440 –> 00:19:37,759

in the world what story do i want it to

 

535

00:19:35,359 –> 00:19:41,678

tell how do i want it to welcome people

 

536

00:19:37,759 –> 00:19:43,839

how do i want it to teach the children

 

537

00:19:41,679 –> 00:19:44,559

and um

 

538

00:19:43,839 –> 00:19:46,159

and

 

539

00:19:44,558 –> 00:19:48,79

what are the elements that are in

 

540

00:19:46,160 –> 00:19:49,279

harmony with all these things so that

 

541

00:19:48,79 –> 00:19:51,599

when i go

 

542

00:19:49,279 –> 00:19:53,359

decide that i need

 

543

00:19:51,599 –> 00:19:55,519

i don’t know like a lot of times people

 

544

00:19:53,359 –> 00:19:57,359

will want to develop their basement and

 

545

00:19:55,519 –> 00:19:59,519

they won’t realize that in five years

 

546

00:19:57,359 –> 00:20:01,119

they’re going to need a new kitchen

 

547

00:19:59,519 –> 00:20:02,639

because they’ve outgrown this one

 

548

00:20:01,119 –> 00:20:05,119

they’ve got the basement finished they

 

549

00:20:02,640 –> 00:20:07,600

have to rip out this 80 or 100 000

 

550

00:20:05,119 –> 00:20:09,439

basement ceiling like the ceiling’s not

 

551

00:20:07,599 –> 00:20:12,79

that big you know you can easily throw

 

552

00:20:09,440 –> 00:20:14,480

away 20 000 ripping out of

 

553

00:20:12,79 –> 00:20:16,558

the parts of the basement yeah

 

554

00:20:14,480 –> 00:20:18,480

to make the future work and yeah that’s

 

555

00:20:16,558 –> 00:20:20,480

what we want to avoid so you don’t hang

 

556

00:20:18,480 –> 00:20:21,440

a nail in my opinion without a master

 

557

00:20:20,480 –> 00:20:22,960

plan

 

558

00:20:21,440 –> 00:20:24,640

because the art has to be in harmony

 

559

00:20:22,960 –> 00:20:27,200

with the whole thing too that’s true

 

560

00:20:24,640 –> 00:20:28,720

like even uh when you were speaking of

 

561

00:20:27,200 –> 00:20:31,440

like they had

 

562

00:20:28,720 –> 00:20:34,0

1228.72 –> 1234

they had so much that that spoke to them

 

563

00:20:31,440 –> 00:20:36,159

their items their records and everything

 

564

00:20:34,0 –> 00:20:37,839

1234 –> 1237.84

but it was it wasn’t a matter of finding

 

565

00:20:36,159 –> 00:20:39,520

the right cabinet for

 

566

00:20:37,839 –> 00:20:42,158

how to showcase those it was building

 

567

00:20:39,519 –> 00:20:44,400

around their value of music and their

 

568

00:20:42,159 –> 00:20:46,80

value their values of their home and how

 

569

00:20:44,400 –> 00:20:47,360

they wanted to make that work

 

570

00:20:46,79 –> 00:20:49,599

um so

 

571

00:20:47,359 –> 00:20:51,439

well again monica it’s been a pleasure

 

572

00:20:49,599 –> 00:20:52,639

taking your brain and we’ll catch up

 

573

00:20:51,440 –> 00:20:54,240

next time and we’ll talk actually more

 

574

00:20:52,640 –> 00:20:56,0

1252.64 –> 1256

in depth about curing dysfunctional

 

575

00:20:54,240 –> 00:20:57,359

health syndrome because i know that’s in

 

576

00:20:56,0 –> 00:20:59,759

1256 –> 1259.76

itself his own

 

577

00:20:57,359 –> 00:21:03,399

fun little entity so thanks again thank

 

578

00:20:59,759 –> 00:21:03,400

you it’s a pleasure



Moneca Kaiser Design Build Ltd.

254 Columbus Ave Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1K 1P6

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