there’s also the intersections of CS and rural – there’s all sorts of little projects and things to fiddle with in the self-hosting communities across the Fediverse – rather than focusing on one big project, a lot of times it tends to be a more organic process of growing several small projects – a website run off solar power, cover your back 40 with wifi mesh, discover the smolnet

That's my fantasy. Have drawn up plans. Would love to live on plot of wooded land with artists, techies, eccentrics. Privacy respected, no one forced to do anything. But community bulletin board, hey I need this, can offer this in exchange.

There's a website where, if you already have land, can order tiny home kit for 10 to 20k.

Or, can order pre-assembled tiny home, hitch it to truck, more freedom of movement.

My fantasy. Plot of land, nature. Garden, grow some of my own food. Solar power, sustainable. Local community I can visit to trade food, services. I scour the woods looking for materials, bring them to my self built cabin, and make cat furniture out of found wood. Creative cat furniture, wall habitats, can sell for $700 or more

Do you have children?

Sounds like you are going through burn out.

Use your vacation time and reset - travel, catch up with friends, go camping, visit family, talk with a therapist. Do whatever it is that makes you happy or to find happiness.

Once you reset, then make a decision whether you want to uproot your life to the Styx and pivot to something else.

I also had a career in tech. I'm a woman. I've been stepped on, harassed, disrespected. I'm just a country girl who tried to fit in the big city. And I did for awhile. But then all the layoffs, and the last company I was at just keeled over from insufficient funding, while the ceos had a ton of money and we had all these luncheons and outside training weekends. So wasteful. Disillusioned, I didn't want to go back.

I also wanted a farm. If you're young and strong still, do it. I'm 60 now. We were unable to obtain that farm. I guess it was meant to be. I still hope for a super mini something - some chickens and a coupla goats or a mini cow or something. You get tired after 60 and try to downsize and reduce what you do to just what's important.

Regarding no electricity etc - be realistic and balanced. Don't make it hard on yourself. Go get your farm in the country, but do yourself and family a favor and have a proper bathroom, running water and electricity with internet. Nobody really likes pooping in those compost toilets or having to hand pump a well for water or garden 😀 and while you may think it's okay if you're strong and young believe me in 20 years which goes by fast you'll be wanting decent plumbing and electric and will likely be grateful for some internet.

it at least sounds like a dream

Luke smith is that you?

No, you should not. Read about Ted Kaczynski. We're naturally social creatures. Isolation is very very bad for our mental health. If you're feeling misanthropic now, it will get worse when you're not around people.

It might be good for you to take a sabbatical and hike one of the triple crown trails. But the important part is to not isolate yourself completely.