51 Building a House in the Woods

The move to northern Minnesota was an unexpected decision stemming from one of life's random choices. After completing my undergraduate degree and getting married, we relocated to a small town in Minnesota, Appleton, where I took a job as a teacher. We lived in a 10 by 50-foot mobile home, contributing to my transient reputation. I had taught myself to play the guitar at a young age and was part of a rock and roll band throughout college. Eager to improve my guitar skills, I seized the opportunity to take classes at a university up north.

The university was located in Bemidji, a regional center known as the northernmost point of the Mississippi River. It offered a comfortable blend of rural charm with a hint of urban life. After leaving college following my graduation, my wife had not yet completed her degree. Despite my academic record, we decided to move lock, stock, and barrel to Bemidji. While she focused on earning her degree, I juggled multiple jobs, managing a convenience store and teaching at an alternative school for court-referred juveniles.

Having previously lived in a mobile home, we dreamed of homeownership. As is often the case in life, an opportunity arose when we were presented with the chance to buy a piece of land in the north woods that had never been developed. We quickly fell in love with it. After some aimless wandering, we cleared a spot to build a house and decided to construct a geodesic dome. As a farm boy, the idea of building a house, let alone a dome, didn’t seem daunting. Yet, this is where the phrase “hindsight is always 20/20” truly resonates.

I cut and assembled the structural components in my garage, and while I had help with the initial assembly, everyone eventually left, leaving me to carry out the project on my own. It became my responsibility to handle everything from shingles to electricity, plumbing, fixtures, and finishes. We moved in long before the work was finished, and my wife developed "dishpan knees" from doing the dishes in the upstairs bathtub, which was the only functional one at the time.

Despite several near-death experiences and years of confusion, the project finally came to a close. It was an eclectic mix of fear, delight, frustration, revelation, depression, and satisfaction. The lesson learned was that, like it or not, every day starts and eventually ends. The best strategy is to roll up your sleeves and get to work. It’s all about putting in the effort and actually doing something rather than just sitting around waiting for things to happen. Consistent effort and perseverance are key components of any successful strategy. Whether in agriculture, career advancement, or personal development, the act of engaging directly with our goals is often the most effective way to see them become a reality.  Consistency in the face of confusion is a key to life.