Billy DeCarlo, Project: Pioneer Podcast

It’s the last hurrah here in summer/fall pioneer-land. Most of the other settlers are winterizing their covered wagons and wrapping them for the winter. They’re mostly weekenders, so they have a cozy home to go back to and hibernate. Some will snowbird, heading to warmer climates for the cold season. Lucky! I’m guessing that’s not Florida—not the Sarasota area anyway. The very few full-time statio...

Our recent posts have been topical, so let’s use this one to catch you all up on what’s going on with our journey and here in pioneer-land for Giavana, Pia, and me. Follow ups on prepping, racism, politics, and personal finance. Project: Pioneer is the live weekly reality journal of a couple and their small dog as they leave their ‘normal’ life in a luxury apartment for a new semi-off grid life in...

There’s been a lot made lately of Kamala Harris’ racial identity. This whole horrible chapter in our American history is driven by racism. Actually, throughout history around the world, it’s almost always been about racism. Black Like Me was one of the most impactful books I read back in high school. It’s the story of a white journalist, John Howard Griffin, who used dermatologist treatments and o...

Giavana, Pia and I went on a nice field trip to investigate some of our choices in the big decisions we have ahead in this pioneer life. This time in history, for the country, the world, and for us, is both exciting and scary. We like to plan, to prepare (as preppers), and have options. Of course, if the God of Chaos asteroid hits us in five years (on Friday the 13th, 2029!), there won’t be many o...

It’s Monday, and I bet you wish it was still the weekend. Nobody says with their last breath, “I should have worked more.” We work longer and harder than we need to. There are plenty of reasons for that, and I talk about them often, usually in passing. Many of you don’t even need to go to that job you dislike, trust me. Let’s focus on your money in this post, so you can have an easier, less stress...

We had our first visitors here in our pioneer enclave, after being at this lifestyle for a year. We see our families often, but until now, none have ventured into our world. It can be a little hurtful at times, but completely understandable. This life can be intimidating, and it’s not for everyone. It takes one out of their comfort zone, especially those who are only familiar with the sticks and b...

Hey, we made it to fifty posts! Thank you so much for your support. It means a lot to us, honestly, especially when times are tough. It was great that last week’s post was on empathy, and what followed was the DNC convention, which focused on empathy , community, families, compassion, love, joy, and America. We might just be OK, but it’s not going to be all flowers and unicorns. It’s likely going...

Once upon a time, when my son was still a kid, we participated in a racquetball tournament. He was up against an old guy who had braces on every joint. My son was always one of those angels with altruism wired into the DNA from birth. Anyway, the old guy missed a serve, and his ball dribbled away to the far end of the court. Seeing the guy’s condition, my son ran to grab the ball for him to serve...

You can see it if you perch toward the top of a hill overlooking a music festival. That mass of synchronous humanity moving in unison to the rhythm like a beautiful school of fish. If you get caught up in the joyful excitement and move down to the stage, then look back at the crowd, you see the exuberant smiles. Joyful—that’s the word of the day. Project: Pioneer is the live weekly reality journal...

We went on another mission to a different big city. As we walked those streets, little Pia seemed in distress and not understanding why there was nowhere for her relief, only hard steel and concrete as far as the eye could see. It was a stark contrast to her pioneer home with us in the woods. She seemed sad, and I wanted to bring her home. She took note of the humans lying on the sidewalk, helples...

There’s been a lot of chatter on the socials about how to leave the US for other countries—like, for good. It’s toned down a bit with the new enthusiasm around Kamala Harris. Let’s talk about it, since Giavana and I like to have options, and one of them is to do exactly that, if necessary. The ability to do something like this, if necessary, is a primary reason we sold our home and all our stuff a...

Just beyond the chest-high legion layer of juvenile corn stalks, our valley sits, fronted by a sentinel forest of hunter green trees. Our pioneer home in the woods lays nestled behind, obscured. The rearguard mountain range runs behind us, striped by sparse cloud cover and the sun above in a brilliant space-blue sky. There is beauty all around, at least for now… Project: Pioneer is the live weekly...

This post is to, for, and dedicated to those Gen-Zers out there. Please send this to any you know. You see, we need their help. We need them to save us. Hey, I know you’re busy doing like, young people stuff, and, you should be. Like the old song says, it’s summertime, and the livin’ is easy (I hope). This is the free time in your life before you get sucked into the cycle of mortgages, bills, kids...

“It’s better to be a warrior in a garden, than a gardener in a war.” —Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings The violence in my last post might have been a bit hard to deal with. I’m sorry about that, but it’s important to drive home what’s happening, what could happen, and to prepare. The shock factor was to wake people up, to motivate them to become active, to hopefully, possibly prevent this....

My Sweet Jessie, The writer Hemingway once said that things happen slowly, then all at once. You don’t know of him, and you won’t, of course. Not now, as those works are long gone. When you visited our small paradise this past summer and we went on our beach vacation, it was the best of times . My final image will be your smile during our walks through the woods, and that beautiful picture of me y...

Giavana and I started this prepper pioneer journey a year ago, selling our home and all our crap to move into an RV in the woods. We did it because we saw red flags—big red flags. We’re not conspiracy people, we’re careful people. I think we both secretly hoped we were wrong, and this would just be a fun adventure. We were wrong about that, and unfortunately, correct in our original premise. On th...

Giavana, Pia and I are on the road, once again, to a different state capitol in order to process docs to hasten our escape. As I’ve been urging, you and your family should also think hard about what’s to come. It turns out, we’ve all been duped into focusing on the wrong thing all along. Project: Pioneer is the live weekly reality journal of a couple and their small dog as they leave their ‘normal...

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This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit billydecarlo.substack.com/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit billydecarlo.substack.com/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit billydecarlo.substack.com/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit billydecarlo.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit billydecarlo.substack.com