Finished xmas tree

I forgot to put up a finished picture earlier, so here it is.  Total cost - $3 for the can of spray paint, $2 for the ribbon for the bow ornaments, $3 for the lights.  Not too bad for an $8 tree.  

I need to do some reading before classes start - I've got 6 Jefferson Bass books, a new Patricia Cornwell book, and a new Jeff Lindsay book that I haven't had time to get to during the semester.  I keep getting distracted by going down rabbit holes online, instead of just reading my books.  

A google search for the red cross hand crank radio I got as a birthday present from my brother lead me to a review on some survivalist forums, which I browsed around, which lead me to a bunch of links on homesteading, which lead to a bunch of really interesting recipe sites.  I just wasted two days not really getting anything done, but now I really want my own mini farm when I graduate.  

I think if I could get 3 heifers, a bunch of chickens, an aquaponics setup with tilapia and veggies, and a decent sized greenhouse, I could probably provide 70% of the items I'd buy from a grocery store.  I'd be able to guarantee that my animals were raised humanely, veggies wouldn't have to be trucked from all over the place, and I'd be good to go in the case of a zombie apocalypse.  Unless cows can be turned into zombies.  Then I'd probably be worse off.