I Blog Because...

I am a born and trained teacher. I want to let folks know what really works in creating a meaningful and simple life without feeling like a deprived American and it works for many, many people. I don't always need professional advice: I need access to those who are sincerely trying to walk according to the beat they hear inside and are willing to share what works for them.

• I enjoy writing.

• Over the past 4 years, I've made some interesting changes in my life that go against the grain and I know I can change in ways that are both unpopular yet productive. I know how to surrender what I cannot change but I can definitely change me. I am the only one who can make my life work for me AND it's a lot of work with personal responsibility. I hope the resources on this blog empower you to go for simplicity if that's what you hear calling your soul at this point in your life. If not, I hope you are entertained because the voices of the frugal village surpass most of the entertainment you pay for - IMHO.

• I am learning weekly about the severe impact of high consumption on the global community and social injustice in the USA. I can't change the world, but if I decide to change some of my damaging habits/attitudes little by little, I can change my response to my "immediates" around me and how I interact with others.
• I now know the damaging chain reactions that high consumption play on personal mental and physical health. I continue to add links in the side column for contemplation. I can't control how many years I live but I can control the quality of the years I have left.
  
• It is less painful to learn from other people's mistakes and I've made plenty. I hope you learn from my mistakes but also reap the benefits of personal change as they apply to you.
• I have taken back a significant portion of my time, my energy just by reducing my exposure to other people's fantasies in the never-ending media broadcasts (remember when TV went off around 1 AM?): movies, news, TV programming, radio, all the blaring advertisements that don't help me, and frivolous web sites. I am thinking my own thoughts more often and I own up to my own thinking. Some of that thinking makes it to this blog.
• Frugal villagers provide incredible camaraderie. We tend to be genuinely happy, down to earth folks that cross all racial, socio-economic differences especially since we are not competing against each other. (I personally meet at least 2 a week when I am out and about and strike up very interesting conversations.) I enjoy hearing their helpful voices through their articles and blogs.
  
• Freedom!