Hello,
I have been lurking for a while and finally decided to introduce myself.

I live in the upper Midwest and have been seeking a simple, meaningful life for decades. I think it began about a year after I started my first "real" job out of grad school (I'm an engineer and spent about 12 years working in various ridiculously high-stress jobs that generally left me dissatisfied with selling my time as well as my health to make crap that no one needed on a rushed schedule that really didn't matter).

I read most of the simple living canon in the late 90s. I went back to those books time and again (from the library, of course).

I work in education now and it is more satisfying, less stressful, and poorly compensated, but I have a chunk of time off each summer that will probably keep me there until I can retire. That time, of course, is for gardening and being outside.

I look forward to joining your conversations!