Tracy had been coming slowly on board with this, but has been still reserved. We talked this morning and now I know why.

He was under the impression that I was aiming for subsistance style living - grow all your own food, raise animals, don't have any money. He already did that while growing up and has no desire to return to that. I'm not game for that either. No way am I raising animals. A large garden I'll do as I enjoy the hell out of that.

While there is an environmental benefit, and a spiritual benefit - I'm in this for economics. Eliminating housing and utility costs will give us more control over our lives. Period. Will we work for ourselves (in which case we will work for our customers) or work at another job? Yes we will. What being able to live off of a very low income will do is allow us to tell people/employers to go fuck themselves. It shifts the balance of power.

Because I am sick (as is Tracy) of giving your all, having your employer squeeze every last drop out of you, and then throwing you away or keeping you around for more bullshit as the whim takes them. I can't even fault employers for that. I understand exactly why they do this. Just because I understand it doesn't mean I want to play thier game anymore. As long as we have debt and bills to pay that equals more than 25% of our combined income - we are wage slaves.

After Tracy and I talked, we came to an agreement to give this a go. So we need to narrow down where we will live and look for employment there. Within 2 hours of a city, but out in the country. If Austin wasn't such a shitty town, it would fit the bill.