Mesa Verde

​About a week ago we went to mesa Verde. I had never been there but I had learned about it in my anthropology classes.
It is a national park that has multiple archaeological sites. Some are houses and other buildings on the mesa tops where they farmed. But the impressive sites, the ones people really go to see are the cliff dwellings. Giant multi level pueblos nestled in natural caves and alcoves high above the canyon floor and nearly inaccessible from the mesa tops.
I don't think I have ever gone to a place that has sparked my imagination like this place. It was awe inspiring and just filled me with curiosity. How would life be like to live on the side of a cliff but be part of an otherwise normal agricultural society. What was the violence like that would force you into living like that. If the best source of water was 9 miles away at a bottom of a canyon what was water gathering like?
I already wrote a book about a hunter gatherer society, in large part because I was fascinated by what life would be like as a hunter gatherer. I kind of want to write one about a complex cave palace dwelling society to explore the possibilities....

Satisfaction

​I've never really budgeted before. I've kept track of where my money goes and I've avoided spending money but that isn't really the same as planning on spending a certain amount and then doing things to make that happen.

Lately Jeremy and I have been budgeting, especially in terms of groceries and I have never found grocery shopping so satisfying. Usually when I have completed my grocery shopping it is like, "great, I'm done with that necessary item." But since we've been budgeting successfully it has not only been a chore to check off, but it has also been an accomplishment. Is it any wonder addictive computer games tend to have lists of simple requirements that you can accomplish each day and gain a bit of that sense of satisfaction.