hello world...

I've had this account for over a year. When I opened it I was in California, working for a tech giant that makes it's trade in advertising and user data. Earlier in the year I'd caught the Bitcoin bug and it pulled me down the cryptocurrency rabbit hole. The idea of making money on a new asset class was interesting; the notion that it could it could free society from the tyranny of central banking was even more intriguing; and, finally, discovering that blockchain technology would very likely turn the presiding web profit models upside down is what really got me hooked. My career in tech started with blogging and while I've been considering the idea of returning to the indie creator world, the thought of depending on display ads is not appealing. I've now seen how that variety of Silicon Valley sausage is made. And I'm a strict vegetarian.

The truth is I never felt like I fit in there. Demographics aside, my core values didn't seem to resonate with those that vibed the loudest in the Bay Area in general. My (very liberal) husband has before accused me of being "a conservative." I deny that designation and if I had to check a box it would be Libertarian. But labels be damned. I deeply disdain politics and all the waste it produces. I believe in voting with all of your currency: your time, your money, and your attention. Besides not being a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat, I didn't fit the template because I don't value Ivy league degrees, I believe the Human spirit is greater than any computer will ever be, and I don't think of hiking as a sport.

My brand of outdoorsy means that I want to step out my door and see trees and pasture and water and wild. Commuting on those California highways (even when on a plush tech bus) was killing my soul. And even with a substantial household income, my husband and I were looking at a lifetime of massive debt - and slavery to our corporate jobs - if we wanted to upgrade from our small condominium home. We've never wanted a big house, but a life governed by an HOA is my version of lavender hell. We wanted homeownership to mean freedom to produce food and power, have our own water, and get some distance from the constant demands of cultural conformity. So we headed east to North Carolina and I couldn't be happier.

Rural Buncombe county, North Carolina

And yet, while I enjoy country life, I realize that a completely remote, off-grid, homesteader existence would probably also leave me frustrated. I love the peace and quiet, but I also love art museums, obscure book stores, fine vegan dining... Unlike what I observed in my erstwhile prepper heros, I don't want to shut out the world. I don't want to build my private estate and barricade myself in it while I watch the world burn. I really like cities, I just don't prefer to live in them. Traveling to capitals around the world is exciting and invigorating for my creative self. And even if I happen to spend an entire year close to my home in rural America, I'll still engage and transact with a global community. Whether I'm in Berlin or Buncombe County, out in the pasture or on the town in Paris, I thrive the most when I can connect with the wide world, share ideas and establish value. So, hello world!

Paris