“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” -Buckminster Fuller

This quote by Buckminster Fuller illustrates and sets the stage for how the people behind Seismic Awakening came to embark upon this journey.

I am very excited to finally take this time to outline the master plan (so far) for our bus conversion of Glorya Marie the ’77 Crown Super Coach and what I have been calling the “Bus Manifesto” while expanding upon a passage I wrote in a previous entry:

“Above all, Seismic Awakening and our bus conversion is about consciousness expansion – in particular waking up to self-reliance and community in our modern western culture.  As a general rule we are in control of very few of our basic needs: water, electricity, food – just to name a few.  At the same time we rely much more on big business and people working jobs on the other side of the world to fulfill our wants and needs than we do our neighbors.  People are living closer together than ever but the distance between us has deepened.  This is our answer to the illusion of separateness.” ~Seismic Awakening: An Introduction

These are the Principles of the Bus Manifesto:

The first page of our Bus Journal for Glorya Marie:
This is Not Just a Bus, This is not just a house, THIS is a Statement. THIS IS A DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

Simplify – Own Less, Use Less – MAKE IT COUNT

A smaller living space means less space to store material possessions. Much more thought goes into the items kept.  Tools, keepsakes, furniture, appliances; must be more functional, packed with purpose and meaning, relatively small footprint, or all of the above.

Downsize Personal Living Space – Get Outside More! Clean House Less, Make Art More

Less room to move about indoors (the bus) is a great excuse to use and appreciate the outdoors for everyday activities and explore wherever we happen to be parked.

Spend Less – Trade More – Co-Op More

Modern culture has been overrun by consumerism, personal ownership, the idea that we need a lot of things we don’t use very often.  We will be bringing with us tools, skills and talents with which to contribute and barter.  These will be the things we use the most, while we will be relying on others to assist us in other ways.  In simplifying our possessions, we can open ourselves to the community of people around us. Allowing others to lend basic items, or help with basic to advanced tasks can build trust, faith in our fellow humans, and makes us a real community by supporting each other.  In my particular experience and observation, we know our neighbors very little today in comparison to the standards of say the 1950’s or even 10 or 20 years ago.  This disconnection makes us easier to control as a mass – division through fear, trivial social ideals blown out of proportion, and ego-centric thought are the goals of the powers that be.

Minimize Impact on our EcoSystem – Maximize Impact on Culture

Seismic Awakening wishes to lead by example.  The bus conversion that carries our sound camp set up and housing for artists is an upcycled 1977 Crown SuperCoach School Bus.  We are her 3rd owners.  Due to new state regulations, Glorya Marie was no longer suitable to operate as a commercial vehicle but we saw no reason that this steel tank of a machine should end up in a scrap heap.  Rather than buy a new(er) RV we decided to custom build the habitation infrastructure and will be using recycled and upcycled materials and used goods whenever possible. Not only will this keep down our costs and transfer of Federal Reserve Notes, it keeps precious materials out of the landfill and reduces dependence on manufacturing while increasing self and local reliance.  Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or for better environmental value.  Check out our Pinterest board for some awesome examples of upcycling 

Now that you have a basic idea of the artistic and social goals of Glorya Marie, Seismic Awakening’s Bus Conversion Project, here is an (ever-expanding) list of features and amenities we will be installing on board.

• Efficient Solar-Powered Electrical system with battery storage
• Rain Water Catch made from used Sails
• Composting Toilet & Kitchen Compost
• Top Deck for Storage that doubles as a Stage
• Sink and appliances re-used from old trailers and RV’s
• Bunks and convertible sleeping areas for 6+
• Super Efficient LED lighting
• Homemade Swamp cooler (much more energy efficient than AC)
• Outdoor Solar Shower Station
• Runs on Biodiesel currently, may convert to run on straight veggie oil
• Mega Ride-Share Capability

This past week we have encountered some of our first rough patches on the road to conversion, but every time I see the enthusiasm of friends, colleagues, and family who are inspired by our aspirations, excited to have a venue for their healing, their music, their art… The struggles pale in comparison to the payoff.

Have any questions, feedback, ideas, or other offerings? We appreciate all messages so please feel free to Contact Us!

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