Things change.  That’s just a fact. You get an idea that you think is fixed and reality steps in and changes it.  Sometimes more than once.

Like, for instance, I got a bee in my bonnet about consumption and became acutely aware of how much I (we) consume in my regular life and got all fired up about needing to live low on the hog, which, let’s be honest, I do already compared to many people.  (note: I’m only talking about my peer group, not most people in the world, which for sure, I live higher on the hog than. )

In my fanaticism,  I started going down the “how low can I go” path.  And realized, well, not that far.

My life is not set-up to live low on the hog.  I have running water.  I drive a car.  I buy food from the store which involves packaging and too many plastic bags to count (Yes, I bring my own bags.  I live in Berkeley. But I still use the little plastic produce bags.  I’ll think more about that.  Or not.)  My house has heat.  I have a washer dryer.  I use electricity.  The list goes on.

Corey says, “It’s our infrastructure.  It’s set up for us to use resources.”  She’s right on that.

Then Marc came back from Nicaragua and showed me photos of how people he stayed with live out in the country; in corrugated metal shacks with cement block stoves that they build fires in and cook over so that the all the walls and all surfaces get covered in dark smoky resin.

No running water. No electricity. No gas range. No Natural Grocery store around the corner (Hmm, maybe no corners) The floors are dirt and everyone lives together in one or two rooms, including small animals.

I’ve been in places like this traveling before but this time, it struck me.  Hmmm…do I really WANT to live low on the hog?  Most people do because they don’t have a choice.  Would I choose to live a lifestyle like that?

Well… I do love camping…

But honestly?  Maybe temporarily.  And only because it’s temporary.

So perhaps the lifestyle I’m talking about is what this guy I met at a Techliminal work group called “middle of the hog.”

For the moment, that will work.