Why do I do the things I do...?

This is going to be an evolving little blog about my lifestyle and the choices I make. It's more for my own sake than for others to read, but I thought I'd include this little caveat, just in case someone had the bad idea of reading it.

It has been my goal for quite some time to live differently - to escape the consumerist lifestyle that has unfortunately become the norm in the western world. Marketers have told us that we'll be happy if we just have this or that, but I don't want to be a part of the wasteful world, buying more than I can afford and feeling unhappy because I can't have that other thing. I want to live well below my means and enjoy the freedom from the burden of desire. I'm sure there are many who live more simply than I, but over the years I've whittled away some of the unnecessary. Today I live on a twenty six foot sailboat with oil lamps for lighting and a bucket for a toilet. I sold my car about two years and get around almost as well by bicycle and public transportation.

My commute is about 30 miles, and it takes me about an hour each way, as opposed to the 35 minutes it used to take by car, but I think I'm healthier and happier in my present circumstances. I tend to sleep in a little bit every morning, so I was always stressed on my way to work. I would rush to throw some close on, rush to stuff my face with a few eggs, and then get in my car and road rage for a half hour. I was totally stressed out before I even got to work. Without the car I still rush to get dressed and eat, then race my little bicycle across town to the bus stop. Once I get on the bus, I take a deep breath, open up a book, and let someone else drive. I don't know what I did without it. After reading a chapter or two, I have a short walk to my office where I keep my other bike, and I'm ready to start my day. It's a miraculous buffer between home and work. Since I work in a number of locations, I get short moderate workouts throughout the day, and I always energized and a little more alive after I get off my bike.

The bike itself is a old peugeot. I got it awhile back for $40 bucks. It's been through a lot of changes since then. Almost everything has been replaced since this picture was taken. Over the years it's also turned blue, silver, and now green. I end up repainting every few years, because it's never had a proper finish. I've always just used rattle cans. It doesn't look quite as nice, but then, if it looked too nice, someone else might want it, and then I'd have to worry about it getting stolen.