Ben · Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina

Technology should serve you, not own you.

I run a computer repair shop in Waynesville, NC, build my own tools, and I'm working out how to live free in a world that keeps asking for more of you.

The Private Citizen Project See what I'm building

Old engraving of a traveler pushing through the edge of the sky to see what lies beyond it — The Flammarion engraving, 1888

No trackers
No cookies
Facts get sources
Opinions get labeled
Keep your own copies
Start with one swap

Right now

What I'm doing this month.

Updated November 7, 2026

Writing The Private Citizen GuideTesting each step on my own setup before it goes in.
Running Waynesville Computer ServicesOne-person computer repair, by appointment.
Building a Plan BSo the shop can keep working with no internet, on paper and on my own computers.
Getting a skating channel goingScenic lines and downhill runs around the NC mountains.

The Private Citizen Project

Set up your life so no single company, app or ID can lock you out.

And find the people to build what comes next with. It starts with five minutes and climbs from there.

5 minutes
Quick wins
Lock down your main email, save your recovery codes and turn off the worst of the tracking.
A weekend
The Lockout Plan
Backups, a second email, papers on an encrypted drive, some cash, and what to do first if you're locked out.
All-in
Leave the defaults
Move off Windows, encrypt your drive, and set up a more private phone, an offline library and local AI.
Together
Build
Find people nearby, share skills and stay connected without depending on big platforms.

Start with 5-minute wins About the project

Things I run

A shop, a few products and a lot of experiments.

My businessOpen

Waynesville Computer Services

One-person computer repair for Waynesville and Haywood County, NC. Laptops and desktops running Windows, Mac or Linux. Drop-off only, by appointment.

Visit the shop

ServiceOpen

Custom Dashboard

A private dashboard for your money, with what's coming in, what's going out, receipts and bills on one screen. The Personal plan is $10 a month or $100 a year, with an optional $90 setup.

See how it works

$14 guideOpen