“NO ONE would ever choose to live here on purpose.” His declaration hung in the air as we locked eyes over the soda fountain counter. I cleared my throat before replying. “Well… I live here on purpose….” He stared at me in disbelief. Our conversation ended on a light-hearted note as he walked out the door, but his words stayed with me for the rest of the day. I know it doesn’t make sense at first glance. Why
Celebrating Mediocrity
Everyone has a soap box these days. Some scream HUSTLE HARDER! While others yell at us to stop striving... to chill out... to quit trying so hard. Who's right? Well, both of them, I think. The older I get, the more I realize the answer to most of life's questions is: It depends. Life is less about formulas, and more about feel. There's a time to run hard and there's a time to breathe and
When Modernity Leaves Us Wanting
Last month I spent time taking photos at a few old homesteads. There’s something about these abandoned places that feels sacred to me. A sort of magic lingers in the air. The veil feels thinner. There's an energy of lives lived, time past, and love shared. I can't explain it, but I can feel it. Yet my rushes of excitement often swirl with twinges of sadness. Especially as I witness the growing decay from year to year. At
On Robots and Pie Crusts
A few months ago I ran across an automated Starbucks machine. I couldn't stop staring at it. (No, I don't get out much.) By pressing the touch screen, I could command it to make whatever drink my heart desired. And of course, it took my payment too. I didn’t have to interact with a single human. Push buttons, insert card, get coffee, go. A friend told me there is now a fully automated McDonalds in Denver. You order
Breaking all the Homestead Rules
By definition, homesteading is a culture of rule breakers. That’s part of the reason I love it. Yet even the most contrarian clubs tend to develop rules of sorts. It’s funny how that works. As I’ve watch the online homestead culture explode over the years (the topic of my podcast this week), I’ve realized that I’m not great at coloring within the lines— even in the world of homesteading. Here are a few of
