The Complete Idiot's Guide to Simple Living

Years ago, in an Ocean State Job Lot, I found some hilarious "Complete Idiot's Guide" books for sale at $2 a pop. I bought a few of them for my brother, because they seemed so off-the-wall that I couldn't resist - with titles like "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Alien Abduction," who could?

When I got them home, I realized that they are really in-depth books; whatever the subject, they tackle it thoroughly, and seriously. While most of the titles found their way to their intended recipient, I hung onto "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Simple Living" - and boy, am I glad I did.

This book started us on our current path - the vegetable CSA, anti-stuff, homeschooling, guitar-playing, bathroom-remodeling, blogging path. The trajectory of our lives was totally changed, because of a "Complete Idiot's Guide" book. Can you believe it?

I'm re-reading it (packed away for so long in our basement, I'd forgotten I had it), and felt like sharing a few favorite quotes. So, here goes:

"Education is not the filling of a bucket but the starting of a fire." - William Butler Yeats

"I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." - Mark Twain

And finally, from the author Georgene Lockwood: "Simpler living demands that we do many things for ourselves. It's a constant learning process that we can share with our kids and our communities."

I think my family was destined to homeschool from when I first picked this book up, as a gag gift for a relative. It's almost enough to make you believe in Chaos Theory!