Self-Sufficiency and Resilience – Plans upon Returning to Australia

  Back in January of this year I wrote a post about Self Sufficiency, Independence and Lifestyle Planning . In it, I explained how I wanted to become less reliant on the current industrial system and to take more control of my own life. I’ve achieved a lot since then, but knowing that we were moving back to Australia [...]

Creating a New Future Worth Living

Yesterday at lunch I was talking to a friend who reads this blog. We were talking about hope and how he thinks I have none because of the gloomy things I write about. I told him that wasn’t true in the slightest. In fact, apart from the occasional slip into doom-mode I am usually a [...]

The journey of 100 posts starts with a single line!

Today marks a milestone. 100 posts! I thought I should celebrate with a little look back at my journey since last July, when I started this blog. This blog was conceived because I had a mind full of thoughts that needed writing down. I’ve found the process cathartic and illuminating at the same time. Usually, as I go about my [...]

I wish I was Boy Scout – I want to Earn these Merit Badges

Last week I mentioned that I want to learn more skills. A number of coincident events got me to thinking about the Scout’s and how great it is for teaching young people worthwhile skills. Since we are never too old to learn new things, I’ve decided to focus on gaining some new skills this year. Using [...]

On getting out of Debt (I bought back my Freedom)

Two years ago I was in a lot of debt. I mean A LOT! We are talking seven figures here. I was ok with it because I considered it ‘good debt’ (i.e. it was all investment related). I earned a good wage, worked in a secure job, could comfortably make the repayments and my assets were [...]

Finding our Place – Adapting in the City or Country?

Sharon Astyk wrote a very interesting post a couple of weeks ago about Reconsidering Cities. It got me to thinking about whether the right decision for us is a few acres outside a small country town or a large house block in a medium-sized city. We go back and forth on this question very regularly, so [...]

Self sufficiency, independence and lifestyle planning

Today I wanted to talk a bit more about some topics I haven’t really touched on before but which I find myself thinking a lot about. My Background First, a little background. At the age of about 22 I decided that I did not want to be working for someone else for the rest of [...]

It’s a new decade, and I’m ready to jump right into it

Yesterday afternoon I arrived back from two weeks vacation, and since my body clock has not yet adjusted I thought I’d use some quiet time at 4am to update this blog. At almost the last minute, Brendan and I had decided to spend a couple of weeks in the UK and Ireland. In the last [...]