a backyard community center, life is the answer [little bear else holmelund minarik TXT] 📗

Here i am, a lot of money in the bank, a big house and a big yard.
One day, i got bored and felt like i have to do something different for fun, so i started building a community center in my back yard.
Please don't get me wrong, i am not doing this because i am feeling sorry for disadvantaged people, i have no right to help other people's lives, that's way over my head because i am no god, i have no right to decide who gets help and who doesn't, i have no right to invade other people's lives in the first place, i am doing this to see what i can do now to contribute to all things living including myself. If i was dead (i.e. not "living"), there would be no joy living life, i thought contributing to all things living seemed worth while.

As an example, look at the sun, the sun doesn't ask us anything in return, it just gives a lot of energy to us for free, the earth has been here long before any of us human being existed, the earth didn't ask us in return for the use of its resources either, we are using resources that have been on the earth long before our time. Everything on the earth including our bodies are recycled material, everything on the earth doesn't belong to anyone.
The sun, the earth, all big things contributing to living, would it be a problem if i was on the same band wagon for contributing my share for free?

The main building of the backyard community center has 4 identical clean private restrooms with shower, 1 big jacuzzi, and a big kitchen + living/dinning room + a work room + laundry room + 2 bank beds rooms + 1 master bed room. And there is a small green house for vegetable and some live chicken for eggs.
Everything, except food, water and sewage, is self sustained thanks to solar electricity. Maintenance, cleaning of the facility and recycling are the major efforts in the center.


As anyone could expect, there are many so called "episodes" that happened in this community center and each episode gave us valuable lesson to prepare ourselves for the next episode, before sharing interesting episodes, Here is the detailed tour of the building,

While making the floor plan and interior design for the main building, a value priority list was set:
1. Keep It Simple Stupid ("KISS", less moving parts, the better)
2. Sustainable (as much as it can using the technology available today)
* Environmentally
* Maintenance (ease of clean)
-All electric (heater, water-heater, electric-car etc. etc.)
* Enjoy each moment with all surroundings i.e. people, nature, space.
3. Beautiful
4. Be prepared for anything (as much as possible)


Because this was something i cared the most, a lot of attentions were paid to 4 identical super clean and private bathroom with shower. Tried hard to make it as clean, as private, as environmentally friendly, as sturdy, and as comfortable as possible. One of the goal was to make the room where people want to be when they want to be alone for a while. i just could not stand dirty bathroom often seen in public places.

So here is the list of main features in the bathroom:
1. All surfaces are bio-protected i.e. mold, mildew and bacteria resistant.
2. Washlet (i think this is a trademark from a Japanese toilet stall manufacturer), this saves the use of toilet papers, it washes your behind...
3. Alcohol is the only thing used to clean all surfaces, no other chemical products.
4. High capacity humidity control system and auto vent skylight
5. Self cleaning air ducts.
6. Scented oil vapor air circulation system
7. Sound proof wall and door.
8. Body drier (don't need to use towel to dry wet body)

Publication Date: 04-17-2012

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