In an effort to start interviews with Ultramodern Futurists, it made sense to start with myself. I didn't do this all myself. I received help from my nephew in exchange for coffee and 2 hours of chess. Before we get to the interview, I want to offer the opportunity of being interviewed to any Ultramods who have started taking steps in their community (EMAIL). The overall goal of the interviews will be to provide a gallery of Ultramods.
Interview with Jessie Desmond
Jessie Desmond was born in Fairbanks, AK in 1982 and has remained there, for the most part. She has a 3-year tech degree in 2D Animation (Joe Kubert School, Dover, NJ) and a B.A. History (University of Alaska, Fairbanks). She is currently considering going back to school for a Grad Certificate in Applied and Computational Mathematics. Jessie owns a small side business called Karadimos in which she operates her Ultramod projects. She is also the author of The Ultramodern Futurist Manifesto and the Ultramodern Futurist website. She is a big fan of horror and scifi, documentaries, and the paranormal.
How would you describe yourself?
I describe myself as an octopus. I have so many interests that I often have a ton of things going on all at once. I'm just excellent with time management, so I get things done. I do tend to be fairly quiet and I do live up to my INTJ personality type. I like to do things once, correctly and efficiently. I have been told that I approach projects, whether it's mine or someone else's, like a freight train. The plus side to this is that I get shit done, but sorry if you get run over.
Why did you write The Ultramodern Futurist Manifesto?
I wrote the manifesto to express my discontent with current society. Here I am, hoping that I'll be able to see some early form of Starfleet (or something akin to it) be formed, and all I see around me are people basically moving backwards. It doesn't make sense to me and I know that there have to be others out there who also find it disconcerting. I've seen people dismiss science, make irrational choices, use logical fallacies and cognitive biases on a regular basis, refuse progress, and get hung on social issues that we should have already worked through as a society. I had to express my thoughts and attempt to find some sort of community. It's an ongoing search.
How have you taken steps in your own life to be an Ultramod?
On a personal level, I've been trying to minimalize the things I have. I think my biggest issue are with my books. I love books. I have a ton of them. I have started reading more ebooks than physical books. I have also been making an attempt to recycle and lower my carbon footprint. I picked up a Lomi composter recently and I'm hoping to pick up a MyGardyn home hydroponic system so I can grow my own food year-round. I find sustainability to be the easiest way of making personal changes.
The purchases I make now are calculated. I opt for quality over quantity. My ultimate goal is to live more as I see the future to be. I'm not interested in having "stuff" for the sake of having stuff.
What type of Ultramod projects have you completed or are working on?
This is a hefty question. My 100% completed projects are: The Good Health Initiative Tax Rebate (promote good health with an optional tax rebate), The Ultramodern Futurist Manifesto (book and website), Golden Heart Quad (EV charging, recycle drop-off, green energy, public space), and Bold Transit Stop (modernized bus stop). The book has been published and the website...well, you're here. The tax rebate, the golden heart quad, and the transit stop have all been sent in to people who can make things happen. I think I might be presenting the Golden Heart Quad project to the borough this next month or something. I might be on a radio show soon to discuss the tax rebate idea. I have some other projects that are almost complete: Ultramod Complex (an ultramodern living complex) and Seed Mars (growing sod and spruce in Martian regolith).
I have about 20 other projects that I'm working on, but I'm not ready to discuss those projects at this time.
The foundation for Ultramods is to create balance of health regarding physical, mental, spiritual, and medical health. How do you approach this in your life? Do you have any recommendations for others on how to approach balance?
Physical - I tend to workout 5 days a week by going to the gym in the early morning. I'm trying to incorporate Brazilian jiu-jitsu a few times a week, as well. I mostly lift weights and run on an elliptical at the gym. I would love to enter a body building competition at some point.
Mental - I get bored very easily. I find that if I continually challenge myself in some way, I can alleviate that boredom. I think boredom is overlooked in society, so I always suggest that people continue learning and work on projects to prevent making poor choices [due to boredom].
Spiritual - I am not a religious person, but I consider myself to be spiritual. Meditation and self-reflection are my main spiritual go-tos. I don't feel like I've ever been out of balance spiritually, so this is easy for me to keep in check.
Medical - I see a natural medicine doctor. I've fixed a hypothyroid issue. I've fixed some adrenal issues. I currently have a high estrogen level that I am in the middle of bringing down. Aside from this, I generally never go to the doctor or get sick. I am on a particular diet to keep things in check and it doesn't suck.
My recommendations are to look at these four areas of health and figure out what needs to be worked on. If you are working hard on the physical and aren't getting anywhere, you might need to talk to someone regarding what you're eating or you might need to get your bloodwork checked to see if it's more of a medical issue. Find a doctor who wants to help fix the issue rather than "bandage" the problem. If you're constantly bored, come up with your own project.
What advice do you have for non-Ultramods?
If society continues on the path it's on, the world is going to fall apart. We need to look beyond social blockades and we need to make a move towards progress. People need to be encouraged to be smarter and overall healthier. We need to take care of the planet, it's the only one we have. Consider a first contact scenario with an extraterrestrial race - the world would completely fall apart with fear and panic because we are not ready for it. Why not attempt to be ready if it happens?