"Wait, you watch TV?," you might ask. Well, I don't watch a lot of television. In fact, I try to watch as little as possible, but on the occasions where I do watch TV, I am drawn to these types of shows that showcase the lifestyle that I love and am trying my hardest to live.
Shows like Mountain Men, Alaska: The Last Frontier and even (some) Doomsday Preppers have made it into my schedule... well, not really my schedule, I record them and watch during downtime at night.Mountain Men
I got addicted to Mountain Men last year (it's not a problem if I admit I have a problem, right?) during its premiere season. Living with one foot in the "modern world" and one foot in the word where I wish to live leaves me looking to connect with stories and experiences of others living the self-sufficient lifestyle.
Never heard of Mountain Men? Here is a quote from the History Channel's series:
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live your life off the grid? Have you wished you could shed the complications of modern society and live in the wilderness, using only the things nature has provided? Meet Eustace Conway, Tom Oar and Marty Meierotto of the new History series Mountain Men, three men who have devoted their lives to survival in its simplest form. But how simple is it really?
From the rugged Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to the seven-month-long winters on the Yaak River in Montana to the frigid northern range of Alaska, the country is full of some very unforgiving terrain. Watch as these men face off against mudslides, falling trees, ravaging weather and even hungry animals, to make sure they obtain the food and supplies they will need to make it through the brutal winter months ahead.
The show itself has been on now for two seasons and I think has done a pretty decent job in showcasing how these modern pioneers live. From the isolated Yaak Valley of northwest Montana to the frozen wilds of Alaska’s Great Northern Range to North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, we see the struggles of disappointing trapping seasons, struggles of dealing with the weather, etc., but through it all, the true spirit of these people come out.Being in Nature is more than living there, it's being a part of Nature and finding happiness and satisfaction in a simple (but hard) life well lived.
To quote Nancy Oar, “It feeds our soul,” she said of the scenery.
She said she hopes viewers of “Mountain Men” will come away with a sense that they are in control of their lives. “Maybe people can look at their own lives and find happiness and satisfaction.”
Next season , there will be a new addition, a guy with his son. I think that it will be a really nice addition in that it will show that there are some families that are trying to/living this lifestyle.
Yes, it is a television show. Yes, parts of it are scripted, but all things being equal, it's a great show and I can't wait for next season!
Since you find yourself drawn to these types of shows, have you ever considered participating in one? One that shows the realities of living off-the-grid and opens people's eye to something that can be done by anyone if they decide to do it? I am currently looking to interview people who have chosen an off-the-grid lifestyle for the purposes of developing a more realistic account of life off-the-grid. Please let me know if you might be interested in speaking with me. Thank you! (email me at castingjoy@gmail.com)
ReplyDeleteHello and thank you for your kind offer. Although we enjoy living a homesteading lifestyle as well as viewing the same on TV, we are currently not looking to participate in a reality show.
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