This was written by a man who's spent 40 years in the wilderness, both in the Yukon and Scotland:

 

“I’ve spent the majority of my life living outside the conventions of mainstream society, and I’ll tell you what I think is weird, and it ain’t the hermit. It’s how entire generations of people have been conned into believing that there is only one way to live, and that’s on-grid, in deepening debt, working on products you’ll probably never use, to line the pockets of people you’ll never meet, just so you might be able to get enough money together to buy a load of crap you don’t need, or, if you’re lucky, have a holiday that takes you to a place, like where I live, for a week of the happiness I feel every day.”

This hits particularly home with me 

Funny, ain’t it? Uncle Sam can sure pressure you into it 

10 minutes ago, Jar11591 said:

This hits particularly home with me 

 

I once interviewed a world-class adventurer. He'd just circumnavigated Ellesmere Island, surpassed in size by only Baffin Island. He waxed about how a house is the end of dreams. The mortgage, taxes, insurance, and upkeep keep one in a cubicle. He had a cabin, but he built it and it had no septic nor running water. 

 

As far as the rest of what he wrote, the Finns are the world's happiest people and they often say, "I have enough." 

40 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

 

I once interviewed a world-class adventurer. He'd just circumnavigated Ellesmere Island, surpassed in size by only Baffin Island. He waxed about how a house is the end of dreams. The mortgage, taxes, insurance, and upkeep keep one in a cubicle. He had a cabin, but he built it and it had no septic nor running water. 

 

As far as the rest of what he wrote, the Finns are the world's happiest people and they often say, "I have enough." 

 

It's education time. 10 largest islands in the world. 

1 Greenland 2,130,800 square miles

2 New Guinea

3 Borneo

4 Madagascar

*5 Baffin Island 507,451 square miles

6 Sumatra

7 Honshu

8 Victoria

9 Great Britain

*10 Ellesmere 75,767 square miles

 

Disclosure the only reason I know this was because I was helping my wife with last weekends cross word puzzle. The clue was a type of monkey found on the fifth largest island. The clue was incorrect. They meant to say the 4th largest island Magagascar home of the Lemurs. I knew the clue was off because the 5th largest island is Baffin which is located in northern Canada part of the Arctic region & too cold for monkeys but good climate for polar bears. 

1 hour ago, ol'crickety said:

He'd just circumnavigated Ellesmere Island, surpassed in size by only Baffin Island.

 

Yeah, @Dwight Hottle, I know there are bigger islands than Baffin. When I said #2, I was thinking of Canada's northern islands. 

1 hour ago, Dwight Hottle said:

1 Greenland 2,130,800 square miles

 

I only recently found out that the Dutch own Greenland.  Most of my life I just thought it was part of Canada.

 

I also thought Australia was the biggest "island."  Apparently since its a continent, they don't consider it an island (huh?), so Greenland takes the prize.

@gimruis Yes I thought the same thing about Australia being an island but it is classified as a continent. 

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

I only recently found out that the Dutch own Greenland. 

I got taught that back in grade school - what are they teaching kids now-a-days?

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

also thought Australia was the biggest "island."

Always been a continent - Greenland has always been the biggest island...another thing learned 50+ years ago - reference 'teaching' above.

13 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Always been a continent - Greenland has always been the biggest island

 

Obviously I knew Australia was a continent.  But I also thought it was an island, the biggest.  Apparently since its a continent it can't be an island.  🤓

The Danes own Greenland. 

 

Australia is both an island and a continent. Geoscience Australia explains, "Being surrounded by ocean, Australia is often referred to as an island continent. "

Excellent thread @ol'crickety!

 

Reminds me of this quote / story:

 

"Vonnegut turned to Heller and asked, “How does it make you feel that our host only yesterday may have made more money than your novel, Catch-22, earned in its entire history?” Heller replied, “Yeah, but I have something he doesn't have. I have enough.”

1 minute ago, DaubsNU1 said:

Excellent thread @ol'crickety!

 

Reminds me of this quote / story:

 

"Vonnegut turned to Heller and asked, “How does it make you feel that our host only yesterday may have made more money than your novel, Catch-22, earned in its entire history?” Heller replied, “Yeah, but I have something he doesn't have. I have enough.”

 

I did not know this anecdote and I LOVE it. Thank you. 

17 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

"Being surrounded by ocean, Australia is often referred to as an island continent. "

Technically Antartica would be as well....and Africa if you consider the Suez Canal as 'splitting' it from Eurasia.

It's a bit presumptuous to pass judgement on what gives others joy, materialism aside. I've benefitted plenty from working for the man. The man has also benefitted from my occasional dismemberment of the metaphoric man. 

7 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

If you’re lucky, have a holiday that takes you to a place, like where I live, for a week of the happiness I feel every day.”

Ha Ha , the wife and I will be in Maine for 2 weeks in July, Bar Harbor......we shall see 😀

18 hours ago, Bird said:

Ha Ha , the wife and I will be in Maine for 2 weeks in July, Bar Harbor......we shall see 😀

I remember summer vacation in Kennebunkport...that was fun.

 

When I live in MA, we'd cycle through Cape Cod, Lake Winnipesaukee and Kennebunkport for our summer vacations...so once every 3 years we'd hit each.

Winni is awesome 🤩 

When I was in my 20s, all I wanted was a cabin in the woods , with “ a woman and the kids and the dogs and me” 

I got the woman, kids , and dogs, but the woods have receded like my hairline. 😂.

 At least I get to live on a lake…

Do you fish a continent different than an island?  

8 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Do you fish a continent different than an island?  

 

A continent requires longer casts.