THE INTRODUCTION

I've searched the inter-webs long and hard for gamers into self-sufficient living. It seems the two do not go hand in hand, although when I go to trips such as ZombieCon with Zombie Squad, I meet people of 'geeky' credentials that are completely into survivalism, minimalism and self sufficient living. So, I know that I'm not alone, it's just no one is broadcasting. Or maybe no one has figured out how to merge them together. Regardless, I've been searching for a better way to live while meeting my personal desires since about... 2007. Before we go any further, here's a little bit about me.

My name is Nathan Crowe, I currently live in O'Fallon, IL in a 'first-time' house. I currently do computer graphics and video teleconferencing. I'm also a Dell and Gateway certified PC hardware technician. I've been here for right around 4 years now figuring out what to do next.

Prior to my purchase of the house, I spent 6 years working Air Force Intelligence. I wasn't one of those remarkable airmen that did all kinds of volunteer work for bullets on the Enlisted Performance Reviews, I just did my job and I was lucky enough to have supervisors that rewarded hard work over 'schmoozing' for points. I won a bunch of awards that I don't really remember anymore (I wasn't there to win awards, but it was nice to get them for the right reasons instead of watching ass kissers get them for all the wrong ones) and got out in 2005.

Before that, I tried my hand at college, but I've always been more of a worker than a student. I've basically always been an average student; not for lack of intelligence in any way, my IQ is supposedly 155, but by disinterest. I became apathetic to subjects early on because I observed adults and tried to fit things like algebra and biology into their lives... even asked how often they used the subjects. It became apparent to me early on the school was a sort of funnel... you go in one end and when you come out the other, employers don't care how you did, simply that you did.

That in itself was sort of stupid to me. I started working right away at 15 with a worker's permit (Hardee's) and jumped through various jobs during my 3 1/2 year high school career. The only reason there was 1/2 year is because they required me to take at least one class for the first half of my senior year... I was actually hoping to graduate a full year early and just work full time.

That was my first lesson in exercising personal choice vs the system expectation. Here you have a student who took extra classes with the intent of finishing high school early to work; but instead of acknowledging that he was able to take 4 years worth of classes in 3 years, they expect a 4th year despite all requirements being met. So they waste taxpayer money and force him to take 1 class in the fall semester. Why? What an absolute waste of time.

In Dec 2005, I bought my first house and initially was exhilarated at the perceived freedom it provided. But it became apparent to me within the first year that a house is not freedom, it is just a very pretty cage. All the things I wanted to do were immediately snatched away from me by pipe ruptures, electrical failings, flooring replacement... blah blah blah... There's no money left in my budget to do the one thing I absolutely loved: travel. I went from being wasteful to frugal in about 2 years of trial and error... well, at least what I consider frugal. I've been called a miser before I felt like I became frugal, so I'm sure those people think I'm downright scrooge-like now.

Simple bills like electricity, water, gas, insurance... when I began to calculate how much it all cost I was appalled that people just accepted it with a, 'that's just the way it is' attitude. Something else that may help some people understand my inability to accept 'the standard' is the personality test scores that stick me in a category called INTJ grouping. It doesn't mean much to me, but if you know anything about the INTJ mentality, it may prove to be a useful bit of knowledge on the things that drive me.

I knew that there had to be a better way to live; and after only a year, I was ready to sell my house. However, there were things that had to be fixed before I could sell it. To this day, I have been unable to uncountable reasons to finish the house do to accidents, things breaking, my cat pissing blood, having to buy a car when mine broke down and being unable to fix it... I think if you own a home, you know exactly what I'm talking about. The act of treading water but never being able to get out of the ocean.

For 3 additional years, I've been in the house longer than I wanted to, trying to get ahead.

So that's me, now here's what I want to do. I want to build a home that is not only sustainable (to use a modern catch word), but self sufficient (which definitely not something politicians want to hear). Not because I want to be eco-minded or believe in global warming, I really don't. I want to do it for financial reasons because I don't believe I should be required to PAY to LIVE. I don't believe I should have to trade hours of my life in order to pay for imaginary money shortages in a system that benefits the regulators of 'laws' and not the common person. In creating this sustainable self sufficient low cost home, I also want it to do something I enjoy... play video games and watch movies.

The last point seems to be the single biggest hurdle to cross... everything else was surprisingly easy. In fact I found multiple solutions to many different issues I faced and requirements I'd have to meet. But it always seemed to come back down to consumption of power. Many eco-minded entrepreneurs; such as the folks at O.U.R. Ecovillage for example, have a natural inclination to not include the power yields needed to power a 'typical' American house because they don't believe that the current model is sustainable. In many ways, I think they actually find the idea of having a TV and playing video games contrary to the world they imagine. I don't completely disagree with them, I love the outdoors and I thoroughly enjoy my time in the country when I get it.

But the fact is, Dick Cheney was somewhat right when he said, 'the American way of life is not negotiable'. While I don't go that far, I refuse to accept that it is impossible to mesh the 'green' way of life, 'modern' way of life and the 'frugal' way of life. I believe they can all go hand in hand if some thought is put into it.