Hi. My name is Joe and I’m a transplant to rural Maine, where my wife and I live in an off grid (solar powered) home. I designed it, and it sits in a big blueberry field, surrounded by woods. As we continue to build things, grow things, and figure things out I try to chronicle my part of it, on this site. I’d put my picture on here, but apparently people do all sorts of bad things now on the internet, so here’s a picture of my dog. He’s awesome and most folks would say he’s much more handsome than me.

I still work (remotely, and not as hard as I probably should if I really want to retire in the next few years) as a management consultant, in a small company I founded almost 15 years ago, after spending far too much time in the corporate world. Truth be told, I still work mostly because I want to see that our little company is in decent shape as it transitions to being led by people who helped me build it, and I’m still figuring out when I can pull the plug on my career without having to life off Ramen noodles. I’d worry about that a lot less if I thought we had fewer idiots running things in the world, but no point in getting into that here.

Frankly, I now have significant interest in just tinkering with various projects around our 32 acres of fields and woods and enjoying simple pleasures. I still get a little thrill when a client solves a problem, or learns something new, or feels better about where they’re headed with their career or business, but I no longer want to compete at anything more serious than trivia night at the local brew pub. I’d rather spend time with my wife and friends, or move stuff around with my tractor, or listen to a Buddhist teacher’s lecture while sitting in the sauna, or help someone learn about solar energy. It’s a simple life, and I’m just fine with that.

Sometimes people ask about the “Madcodger” thing. The dictionary says a codger is “an elderly man, often one who is eccentric”. I can’t think of any better aspiration. I guess I’m not yet truly elderly, but I’m surely heading that way, and that sure beats the alternative. And what nerdy little kid wasn’t inspired by the idea of being a mad scientist? The way I see it, if people think of you as eccentric but not completely full goose bozo you probably have the balance just about right. Words to live by, people.