How will we live tomorrow?

“We live in such a segmented society. When people ask me how old I am, I just say, ‘older’. I’m older than I was yesterday. If we can enjoy the moment, see the beauty before us; we’ll be all right. But life is like a radio dial. Hard to keep the static at bay.”

Seton Smith, vintage pick-up driver, Watts, CA

How will we live tomorrow?

“Very difficult. Let’s face it. We’re going down the tubes.”

Bill Hull, Army veteran 1970-1976, Lake Forest, CA

How will we live tomorrow?

“With as much adventure as possible.”

Chelsea, Museum staff, Richard Nixon Presidential Library, Yorba Linda, CA

How will we live tomorrow?

“What I’d like to see is living partially or totally off the grid. This can build a community of people who come together. I lived like that among Shikhs in the Sonora Desert outside of Tuscan. They were very open-hearted.”

Magarlit, Reed College student, Portland, OR

How will we live tomorrow?

“Was the mission system good or bad? People debate that. The Chumash built these buildings. People argue whether it was beneficial or whether they were slaves. As far as colonization goes, there have been worse things. But it was defiantly colonization.

“One thing is clear. California would not be what it is without the mission system. It is the backbone of California.”

Linda Bentson, Docent, Old Mission Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA

How will we live tomorrow?

“The older the generation, the weaker their critical skills. The younger the generation, the sharper their critical skills. The reason is because of the Internet. We are in good hands.”

Steve Gallandti, Stout drinker, Santa Barbara, CA

How will we live tomorrow?

“As an environmental student, I have studied people’s evolving relation to the environment. I am moving away form pre-occupation with climate change and war to focus on taking care of myself. How I am going to live tomorrow is to take care of myself, so that I am able to help others. I see myself training to be a wellness practitioner and/or play music.”

Helen Spencer, Reed College student, Portland, OR

How will we live tomorrow?

“Live like there is no tomorrow.”

Joe, Caltrans Bridge Inspector, Long Beach, CA

How will we live tomorrow?

“We’ve got think about a really big ‘we’. That is hard to couple with what ‘I’ need to do. It’s not all about me, or even us.

“The good fight I want to be involved in is permaculture. It resonates with my creativity and collaboration. Its therapeutic and practical and spiritual.”

Tara, Reed College student, Portland, OR

How will we live tomorrow?

“Hopefully better than today in terms of energy. Hopefully simpler, smaller.”

Joe Walker, video editor for Notre Dame football series, at Watts Towers, CA

How will we live tomorrow?

“More than likely without my hearing….How in God’s name did you end up in Elmore? Elmore Ohio is noisiest place I’ve ever lived……Elmore is where silence went to die….I once had a T shirt made up that said…”if you’re NOT making noise, how do you really know you’re alive? No one even noticed….the volunteer fire department is the loudest….now, I know they have to use sirens but honestly, when they pass my store they are so loud I can’t help getting the image of a crew of 6 year old boys all dressed up, hunched over a steering wheel making siren noises at the top of their lungs. The frequency of these “emergency” trips are so often….(sometimes 3 time a day) at all hours of the day or night, that I wonder what the criteria is for a trip….I’ve always assumed it was when life or property is in danger…..but I can’t say for sure, anymore.
Folks here don’t so much talk as holler; as well they love to let whatever vehicle (car, truck, combine, tractor, or cyclotron) sit and idle for hours at a time, at the curb, while they shop or eat breakfast…..I ask people….why do you do this?…I mean there is this thing called global warming…..aren’t you ashamed that you’re poisoning the planet with NEEDLESS carbon dioxide….don’t you have any Grandchildren?…….they just look at me like I have lobsters crawling out of my ears…….I’ve surmised that local residents are immune to any appreciation of causality and I have come to believe, that they believe, that none of them are going to die……and life will just go on indefinitely….that is unless they spend some money…..because as we all KNOW….if you don’t spend money, you will not die…”

Ernest Scarano, Elmore Antiques, Elmore, OH