Halfway through my Mori sketch of Lively, I'd already felt a strong pull to Sci-Fi themes and futuristic ideas, since I was already on a HUGE Sci-Fi anime kick, and had watched the reboots of Evangelion, all of Macross Delta, and other Macross & Robotech stories, as well as the entire series of Lain. So, it's only a natural progression that it somehow morphed into an urge to do Lively back in a Sci-Fi theme which ended up coming back to my story... Funny how ur mind can do that...
Well, I started redoing and redesigning,or at least trying to come up with new versions of a Catsuit or full body suit which I often depicted Lively in since the mid 1990s as a kid.
I was often teased in college (UARTS & AIPH 1998-2001) that she was "naked girl". But, she wasn't naked, she was wearing a full body catsuit, sometimes with open feet, or with boots, or boots built on, and with or without gloves. I just wanted to focus more on the form & the proportions back then and NOT coloring, and getting as far away from OVER DETAILING my work which I'm prone to doing. (That may or may not be a good or bad thing.)
I felt that the full body suit, or catsuit, had a place more within the project she was heading. I've based much of the things she does in the story on my own teen-aged experience(s). There are not always as many opportunities for young people to step up and really do things for their community today as their were back then, or if they are they are less independence or responsibility driven. I had known many many young persons as a teenager whom were much smarter, and far more mature than not only their peers, but their teachers, parents, and most adults significantly older than themselves. Unfortunately, when you have a system that does help them, only to pull the rug out from under them just when they were getting somewhere and really shining it caused devastating problems, including depression, alcoholism, suicide, or self destruction. It's utterly a cruel thing to rob the brightest minds, and those with the best potentials for the sake of greed or destructive ideologies. I could think of so many instances where the best of my generation were cut down just before they were about to touch their zenith or apex. Those whom did EVERYTHING right, played it safe, were good persons, upstanding citizens, and real contributors. So, I wanted to incorporate the things that work when maintained into the story, yet still allow for areas where characters need to grow, and to address a transition in society, and the blow-back of ignorance whom can't handle progress, or whom have become so jaded because they never got that when it was "in their day".
A major key component of this story is THIS project:
The Gardens of The Future Project(s)
I wanted to create an actualized transition of how it would go, and the kinds of ridiculous things peoples do to lash out as change even when its for their own benefit.
I couldn't decide on a single garden model because each region will have different needs, climates, and require specialized and tailored ways of being more effective, and yet even in colder climates tropical or desert crops could be grown in in greenhouses.
The projects will be all working and living experiments of multiple systems which are self sustaining, but will also change the way the monetary system is used. The standard of living will be so high, and so luxurious, and people will be able to pursue the highest things in life. If they wish to relax, it wouldn't be berated at all, because there would be so many options to do any number of things, and money will be used to enrich their experiences rather than being stuck in a survival mode. People would have more meaningful lives, have better relationships, and could travel with ease. Commerce would still exist, but it will be more of an extra thing. There would still be a mixture of regulated capitalism and socialized things, with lots of choices because different persons have different needs, and some need competition where as others do not. Everyone could chose any number of things tat work for them, and change as frequently as they wanted.
Hunger would end, poverty would end, and everything would become a Renaissance.
Everything will already be heading into an automated robotic private sector anyway, and this project was meant to be the solutions to implement for that municipal transition. And, the people will have a lot of say, and interaction with the process.
However, the main antagonist will come at the project, placing it in jeopardy even tho' it's already paid for, and use propaganda, and smear tactics. He's greed driven, pompous, arrogant, and rude.
As for a number of design elements I'd wanted for these gardens, a key feature was making things functional, but also decorative, and pleasing to the eyes. Many green technologies are often jeered for being "eye sores" however, ancient technologies like windmills were once also viewed this way, and now seen as quaint, or charming.
I wanted windmills and wind turbines to be decorative, beautiful, and perhaps even whimsical, while also being practical, functional, safe, and unbreakable.
I had seen several styles of more decorative windmills and wind turbines this year, but I only have these simple model references here. I could see a number of ways to use structures like these in decorative motifs, with varying colors, patterns, and in different sizes to the point where it could be a cultural thing rather than a utilities only thing. I don;t like the idea of ONLY, White, Black, or bland metallic colors.
Regarding Hügelkultur Application into Permaculture Design:
This is one of my FAVORITE aspects of permaculture is that it can incorporate nearly ANYTHING within a balanced system design. Usually Hügelkutur is seen as "messy", ugly, untidy, unsightly, or too rugged looking. But, that's because permaculture farmers aren't horticulturalists.
Actually, I have several concepts for incorporating hügelkulture RIGHT into the buildings using gorgeous design-work for the maximal aesthetically pleasing view, but also to maximum shade crops, sunny crops, regulating temperature, and even the water table or watershed. This is so versatile, that the applications for this are ENDLESS, and once a proper balance is worked out it could easily sustain its self for generations.
Things that come to mind are re-purposing skyscrapers, old unused factories, unused spent mines, whole city blocks will become "Food Forests" and meal times will become much like Chinese holidays in that people will look forward to leaving the home/house/apartments and meeting their neighbors outside to share cooking, eating, live entertainment or exercise. The experiences will go beyond the old classical Chinese Scholar's Gardens but incorporate a variety of urban cultures, and massive exchange of ideas, creativity, problem solving, etc. And, anyone could easily visit other neighborhoods and interactively exchange anything.
These simple basic concepts could be incorporated in a vast number of ways, and methods to maximize output.
Picture the most perfect and most beautiful place you would, or could ever want to live in. No one would EVER in their right mind want to live in a life that force a "maximin" because that would be forced poverty, and a low standard of living. You would want to live at the
maximum. But that would mean you would have the most choices, the most opportunities, and the best chances at even creating new ones, your own ones, or even helping others.
One gripe about permaculture Design is that it's ugly, or messy. But, many gardens are beautiful. There's NO reason to assume that ALL beautiful gardens could have no functionality, nor is there a reason to assume that all functional gardens must be messy, or ugly.
Think also a moment: If YOU were a wealthy person, whom had your wealth managed and sustainable, how would you live? Wouldn't you live sustainable?But, wouldn't you ALSO live at the maxium comfort you could possibly have? Would you provide the best, and most comfortable of choices, experiences, and circumstances for yourself, your children, your family, those you care about, etc.? You would. Many times when people often argue against a society of a higher standard of living they go out of their way to repeat stories about how Communism didn't work, or "the projects", or that people need struggles... and yet the very wealthy often have whole generations of people whom have extravagance just handed to them which they'd never earned, and yet often feel entitled to everything and also to take away from everyone else.
Tho' you may NOT need extravagance, a high quality standard of living, one that gives the bets options to all is actually a much better society because it has far more advantages than those whom ONLY lived forced onto the maximin.
Human history, and prehistory, has humans living in tribes or villages, and everyone in the tribe operated for the good of that tribe, or village. Agriculture however, caused a huge amount of inequality, slavery, and imbalance.
Is it wrong for a richard to want to provide the best for his own personal family and self interests?
Because those whom would argue AGAINST providing for all in this way, would do this themselves for their own selfish reasons, to feed their ego's selfishness, and greed for power.
Yet, for all people, like the ancient villages and tribes, whom are a civilization, it makes NO SENSE to not utilize all resources and knowledge for the betterment of the societies. This is human nature, and we are also part of nature.
Fictional Rivendell:
Imagine a high tech, absolutely stunningly gorgeous, and breathtaking town, or city, or neighborhood much like the Tolkien fictional Rivendell.
There is no reason to assume that YOU do not deserve to live in such a beautiful place. The color of your skin does not matter, your parentage does not matter.
Imagine a world in which you lived in a place like this, but permacultured, and absolutely breathtaking! You could visit other towns, and cities at your leisure. Everything was paid for, the energy, the transportation, you could spend your money, or save your money. AND, your life's work wouldn't be ONLY driven by money unless you wanted it to be. You would never have to take a job you didn;t want unless you wanted extra money. Or, you could live comfortably, with several options, and do whatever is actually meaningful to you in your life. you could actually participate in your community at will, because you had the time. You could take vacations, or trade and sap seeds or plants, or fruits from your home gardens.
The possibilities are endless, and if something doesn't work, you could figure out why, fix it, of find something better.
here are some old styles of gardens that were enjoyed by wealthy folks in human history's past
Cultural Ideological Design such as a Scholar's Garden:
Moroccan Gardens
Terrace Crops to maximize space:
There are so many ways to utilize so many ideas, concepts, and things that already are proven to work.
We could all actually be living a better life RIGHT NOW. A better today, a better tomorrow, a better world, and better life.
But, you cannot understand it from your current way of thinking.
All of your fears are ones told to you to keep you in your place.
That is why this story is so important to me.
I wanted to show everyone that they took the WRONG PATH.
I was researching quite a bit of Mongolian stuff for some parts regarding Djehkäujaa's story line. But, I wanted to practice more anatomy, which I haven't always been able to do, but I was practicing trying to draw some stylized art, and practice my skills because I wanted to develop Ao Xingtao more. I haven;t really settled on his final look yet, but I often feel like I'm getting there.
