This comment here, up above a bit kinda me thinking:
"i get the growing your own food thing, but isn't the point of self reliance to be free to live your own way. if you are required to stay on your land make it produce all your own food, and that is what you want cool, but if not, if it means you cant travel, then you have just traded one job for another."
There is certainly some truth to that.
Maybe 3 years ago, while I was finishing up grocery shopping in the late afternoon, I got approached by a traveler, a young man with his dog, both whom seems somewhat happy and healthy...
Turns out he was looking for a place to set up camp for a night, I think.... and while making some small talk he proceeded to kind of bash everyone who was living the straight life, the 9 to 5 job, etc.... and I was kind of just taking everything in.
Then, the conversation sort of shifted gears some, and not in a good way either.
I basically told him he made a huge mistake passing thru Connecticut, and it might not be a bad idea to head on out asap, because CT is not exactly a nice place for those on the fringe, especially these parts.
So, suddenly - and i was being honest and sincere with this person - suddenly he kind of turned on me, like I owed him something and that - that is the biggest mistake one can ever make upon first meeting me.
After getting this lecture on how I am trapped, how he is the only one that is truly free, I told him well then you don't need me then do ya !!
I'm pretty sure this was when he figured I'd be his free ride out of CT, but truth be told my rusted out Jeep was on her last legs, and the passenger door was broke - plus it was full of groceries.
So, because he turned on me, I had no obligation to help him out and I didn't.
I'm not proud of that, as he seemed pretty together and I did admire how he was just living his life on his own terms, but then towards the end his true colors came out and I saw he was not really all that happy after all.....
I myself am getting ready for a major change as i am sick of the daily never ending things always going wrong aspect of my life, and I need some serious positive interjection, and the first step will be eliminating alcohol for a while, probably for a good while - several months while I sort through which path I will take, because even I want to be not so much off the grid, but definately under the radar..... and free to live my life on my terms.
This is a real good thread here, I'll re-read it again tomorrow - after I get back from bringing my car to the shop