Happy Holidays! I hope all of you get a nice recharge from the daily grind before we enter the new year. I was certainly in need of some humor recently too. Thankfully I've found it --

Check out this political cartoonist and animator - Mark Fiore.
The animation on the recent news re: Senator Trent Lott is great!

I seldom by books at the bookstore - I usually order them online after reading other reader reviews. But, I couldn't wait to start laughing when I bought The Onion: Dispatches from the Tenth Circle. It's a strange title, but don't let that put you off. The Onion is "newspaper" that writes with a comical and satirical twist on news events as well as history. Check em' out. I was laughing so hard that a few people at a local Mexican restaurant were wondering what they were missing too.

Cheers!

A lot has happened in the last week!

I was so excited the other night that I could barely sleep. What caused this? I received approval to travel as a Servas traveler. What is Servas? Servas is an organization founded in 1949 to promote peace and inter-cultural understanding. This is done through a network of hosts in nearly every country in the world who volunteer to host travellers for a minimum of 2 days. The amount of advance notice to each host varies from a couple of days to a few weeks. I received country books with host names / descriptions and contact information for the USA (3 regions), Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Paraguay.

There are over 13,000 hosts all over the world. There is no obligation to become a host, or to give money in return for hospitality. There is a modest $65 US annual fee (May vary by country), as well as a small deposit for the country books, which you get back when you return them after your travels. Yes, staying at people's homes for no charge can help reduce travel costs but, if you aren't interested in meeting people and sharing than it won't be worth it. If you are travelling to learn about the people, this is about as good as it gets, short of living in the target country longer term. Application details are on the website. It is pretty straightforward.

I'll post photos of my host families as permitted in the future.



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On another note -- I've managed to finalize my "Technology Plan." This effort of mine has been about deciding what technology to bring to support my objectives. You can read about it in the Join the Circus section --> Equipment. I have to eat my words earlier when I said I wouldn't bring a computer with me on my international travels (I've always planned to bring my notebook with me as I drive around the US and Canada). Two things changed my mind -

1) The new and innovative Tablet PCs being pushed by Microsoft and partners such as Toshiba, Acer, and Fujitsu. I think Microsoft finally got this pen computing effort right after many failed efforts by themselves and others. I was wowed when I demoed them at local computer stores. These products are just starting to ship. Even as a long time person critical of numerous Microsoft business practices and lack of authentic product innovations (The earlier Pen for Windows efforts being a good case in point ironically -- read Startup by Jerry Kaplan), I applaud them on being persistent in this area. I think this form factor for notebooks and usability shift is the future. Perfect timing for me! Thanks Bill!

2) After analyzing the weight and logistics of the equipment I need to support my travels (MP3 digital audio/music player, digital photo storage, paper notebooks) I realized the benefits of the tablet PC will allow me to do so much more with only a small incremental addition in weight and volume. In addition to saving a lot of re-typing in the future. However, the research I've conducted on how to live without a computer has not gone to waste. There may yet be periods of time when I don't have a notebook for logistical reasons (Like if I need high speed Internet access) or if the tablet gets stolen.

Microsoft Windows XP Tablet Link
PC Magazine Review of Tablet PCs
Pen Computing Magazine Article on Tablet PCs

...and if you've been reading my articles on this website, you probably thought I was an anti-tech crusader (No television for 6 years, wary of cameras, anti-car and...I haven't had a mobile phone for the past 1.5 years). You couldn't be further from the truth. :) Although I am anti-excessive use and dependence on technology. More on this thought later though (I must sound like a broken record when I say this!)

My last two topics have to do with buying and selling...

While I am "crashing" in a sleeping bag right now, it isn't the kind you hike into the mountains with. Nor would it withstand the cooler temperatures I'm expecting to be camping under without some extra blankets. I couldn't pass up a good deal on a Sierra Designs sleeping bag at REI that I had been eyeing recently. I bought a down sleeping bag that is rated to 15 deg F. I only tell you about this because it relates to one of the most important themes on my travels - Production Lines. This theme is about learning first hand how the things we use and consume are created first hand and the impact they have on people and the environment. A look behind the facade of the marketing engines driving the consumer society. Many of the troubling issues facing our world stem from this facade.

So....about the sleeping bag. The question I asked myself was whether I should buy a sleeping bag made of bird feathers or a synthetic version. And I don't ask this just from a sleeping bag performance standpoint. You know the answer - I bought the one with the feathers. Why? That answer and thought process will come in the future. For now I'll provide a couple of web links about the topic.

Farm Sanctuary: Down with Down article
Australia - New South Wales Agriculture Dept - Geese Raising
People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) (I didn't find an article specifically about down feathers, but the subject matter is related)

Polarguard - Insulation used by many sleeping bag manufacturers, I'm curious to learn about how this is made
Dupont Performance Insulations - Another popular type of insulation

As for selling, I sold my patio set and office desk (That I've had for more than 7 years) the other day among other items I'm "shedding". I didn't feel much loss over the patio set (A couple years old), but the desk had more "shock of losing it" value, like my mattress that I sold recently too. Things have a funny way of growing on you when you become dependent on them everyday. But, here is the kicker, the feeling of liberation I have now is so much better!

One last thing - if you are ever in the Orange County, California area I highly recommend a visit to The Cottage Restaurant in Laguna Beach. I've driven by this restaurant the past few years and I always thought it was some upscale expensive place. Boy - am I wrong!
After I read about $5 breakfast specials on their website I realized it wasn't anything like I thought it was. The atmosphere is great (An old home), the food is quite tasty, and
the few photos of what the area looked like a mere 50-90 years ago - the oldest picture is from 1910 - will make you wonder about the pace and extent of development that has taken place since then. It's hidden behind a large tree so if you aren't looking for it you might never see it.

I'm looking forward to Typhoid and Yellow Fever immunizations tomorrow!

I surprised myself by being somewhat efficient today even though my shoulders are sore from two immunization injections yesterday (Tetanus and Diphteria, and Hepatitis B #2). Check out the What's New page to see what I've been working on. On another note, today was almost the end of me. :) I walked about 1/3 of a mile to grab lunch at a food court near my apartment. As I looked to cross a 7 lane local "street", essentially a highway with traffic lights (Does anyone find that odd? California is strange indeed), I was nearly run over by a driver who sped around to take a right turn probably at 25-30+ MPH. He had a red light, but that didn't slow him down one bit. This is one of the major reasons I dislike living where I do, in the LA/Orange County region, because it is so car dependent / oriented in design and attitude.

This could be said about most American cities. Although, Southern California is definitely on the extreme end for an urban area. It didn't bother me as much at first when I moved here, but as I've traveled, read, and realized how cities don't have to be so car dependent, and the ill effects of building cities this way, the positive thoughts I had about this area initially have been nearly erased. Life can be so much richer! Our country is putting in so much energy and money to stop "terrorism," yet one of the root causes - dependency on oil and cars is barely mentioned by our leaders in WA DC. Who are they afraid to challenge? I'll be writing about this more.

Soon, I will post an article about just how safe the world is, not dangerous as our leaders keep repeating. I mention this because one of the most dangerous activities going on today is - driving - accepted so blindingly by the public as necessary for every activity out of the home that most don't give it a second thought. I used to drive 17 miles each way to work. That's dangerous, and that is low for Californians. People show concern when I tell them about some of the places I'm going to. I just tell them that if you look at the statistics, it is a lot safer than driving "long" distances to work everyday! And I'm just talking about direct physical harm.

Below is a book I read last year that excellently summarizes what cars have done to America in the last 50 years.

I'm in the home stretch. The final stages before "liftoff." All things will pass they say. My stress level is going down. I think the kitchen must be the toughest room to pack for most. I noticed that when I was packing the kitchen it coincided with the peak level of my stress. So many little items. I've cleaned out the cupboards and packed all the dishes. Besides, packing up the kitchen disrupts your whole eating routine. Now, I'm grabbing items out of plastic storage containers - ones that I will put in the back of my truck for the journey ahead. I'm getting adjusted. In the past two days I've also sold my trusty queen bed of 5 1/2 years - very comfortable I might add, and my dining room table and chairs. The latter I wasn't even planning to sell because I wanted to keep a few pieces of furniture with history. But, a nice Indian couple who bought my coffee table, also decided they liked my dining room table. I think the set will find a good home, better than sitting in my storage untouched for a couple of years.

I hesitated at first but then a few thoughts went through my mind - the limited space I have left in storage, and to be selective about what you buy and become attached to. I've become even more aware than I was before about all the material things that surround us. After all, you can't take anything with you when you check out from society (Although many Egyptian and Chinese emprerors would probably disagree!). Every item you own - useful or not - requires your time, energy to care and clean for it, resources from the earth, and space to store / display it.

I'm sleeping on the floor now in my sleeping bag on my Therm-A-Rest inflatable mattress. Last night went pretty well - slept soundly. I figure I'm going to have to "toughen" up for the road. I might as well start while I'm in the cushy confines of my apartment. ...I still have my office desk but when that goes, I'll only have one table left to eat and work on, and I'm not selling that one!