How I'd Really Really Like to Live

first, you must check this out: www.solardyne.com. granted, it's a weak, commercialized way of getting my point across. so here's my real point: everything we need the earth already provides and i can't wait until i don't have to rely on petroleum or electricity. the earth's pure natural resources (not oil, but wind, sun and water) contain enough energy for us to not only survive, but to thrive. it's absurd that we have reached a point where technology makes it possible for us to live directly off the land without polluting it, but we draw ourselves closer and closer to lifestyles that damage the only thing we've got - our environment. it's absurd, but not surprising. first world countries have become obsessed with working so hard for a lifestyle they can't fully appreciate, because they're working too hard to understand what they've got! like i said, it's not surprising. what's absurd is that we have an opportunity to reverse the damage we've done, to live proactive, organic lives. we need to wake up and realize that a close connection to our planet will give us that much more gratitude for and satisfaction in what we enjoy and how we enjoy it.

as for me, in addition to building my house off the grid, i'm going to live in a warm climate right near the ocean where earth, water and wind all converge in a savage, primordial nexus of natural forces. i'll surf every day, travel locally by bicycle or horse, fish the ocean and rivers for my protein, cook my food with a wood burning stove, refrigerate my food in an icebox, stove-heat my water for baths, tend my own organic garden of soy for me and hay for my horse, and write the great modern novel on... a typewriter! the only electricity i'll need, as far as i see it, will be to light my house at night when my bohemian friends as we gather to drink home-brewed beer, play ping-pong and board games while listening to vinyl on a hand-cranked phonograph. come to think of it, we could do that stuff outside... on the beach... around a bonfire! but what if it rains? yeah, i guess we'll need to go inside then and have to use stupid electricity. no! we'll celebrate the rain. we'll dance and cavort in it all night. we'll pound our chests in the glory of being alive. nothing will be spoiled. everything will be relished. and our lives will be our finest creation!

sorry if i'm invoking thoreau too much, or if it sounds like i'm on something. i promise i'm not. well, okay... i did drink A LOT of coffee. so i hope i don't sound too crazy. but anyway, who's with me? i know marty is. that's a given, we've talked about this sort of thing and he's into every bit of it. he'll be making small miracles of neuroscience happen in a laboratory nearby. anyone else? adam can be the town's resident musician who rises to critical acclaim and success and later retires to give music lessons to the locals. justin can start a local acting company and maybe run a theater with a summer shakespeare festival that features his famous acting buddies from all over the world. sam, i'm not sure there will be many murders in our community that would need forensic investigation and psychoanalysis, but you could start your own private practice and serve the mental health of our community, does that sound good? and maybe i can stir up a few homicides for you, just to keep things interesting. i've got to admit, though, that the real challenge will be finding the women of our dreams who will embrace this life with us. do you guys know of any contenders? i'll wait to hear back from you.