I recall the notion of the good job, when people found companies they liked and spent their lives working for people and entities that rewarded them with security, pensions and a sense of safety. That  era is long gone. Jobs are outsourced and jobs are mercurial. Loyalty is considered poor business, and there is, of course, no notion of security and work in America any longer, unless you are entrepeneurial and make millions, and then work hard to make more millions. It is not surprising to me that much of the world hates us.
  This, perhaps, is why the notion of running to a farm is so intriguing to people, in that it evokes a different kind of life one that seems free of the complexities, inhumanity and stress of so much of contemporary American work. Stress is a personal thing, and I can tell you that running off to a farm does not guarantee a placid or anxiety-free existence. It does alter perspective, though, and one does sense that people are thinking about their lives and work in very different ways. That wil make the year interesting, no matter what, and quite possibly dramatically better. Tomorrow, I am going to begin exploring the cost and feasibility of solar power for the farm house, about which I hear much and know little. I will report back.
  A new idea, one gaining traction these days,