Dave & Sara's Year End Review 2009

Happy Holidays and Peace in 2010

We started off 2009 with a visit from Siri (Sara's sister). We had a fancy-dress dinner party on New Year's Eve with friends.






And to really give Siri the north woods experience, we went snow shoeing on New Year's Day. Thank you Lynn and Mark for inviting us and supplying all the equipment. What a great day.

Dave and I made our first annual trip down south to visit our friends Kris and Carolyn in January (of course we only went to Rochester, MN but it was warmer than Duluth). And then in February they came up to visit for Lynn's cabin party. Really great times with these folks.

May was a busy month for us. I took another 4 day intensive training with Susi Hately Aldous in therapeutic yoga. We also hosted Susi at our house for the time of the training.

We also attended the Cirque de la Symphonie - a combo act which included the DSSO and Cirque du Soleil type performance artists including aerial flyers, acrobats, contortionists, dancers, jugglers, balancers, and strongmen. It was soooo cool and kinda yucky at the same time. The strong men and the contortionist make me cringe a little, worrying about what they are doing to their bodies. But it was super fun to watch.

Finally, we filmed Deborah, the author of our newest book, The Yamas & Niyamas, for a bunch of short YouTube instructional videos.

In July we had a family gathering here in Duluth. Siri, Deborah, Noah, Laurel, Stephen and Golda all stayed with us. We were very lucky with the weather. It was sunny and warmish the whole time they were here (I say lucky because the rest of the summer was fairly cool and rainy). Joan and Robin also visited at this same time and stayed out at my mom's. We all had a wonderful visit. Lots of catching up to be done. I detailed this gathering in the post "Family Reunion."

In August Dave went on his annual pilgrimage to GenCon, the world's biggest gaming convention, with his friends Tom and Jerry. They met some other friends there and Dave was also able to make some connections with some of the fellows he worked with at Wizards of the Coast when he was designing on-line content for Axis & Allies. Maybe some work will come out of it and maybe it won't but either way, he had fun and he also won a prize for best unit history in the Flames of War tournament.

In September, my Aunt Sally and Uncle Joe visited for a few days. They stayed with  my mom for a day or two and then with us for a day before heading back to MO.

At the end of September, Petra had to have surgery on her rear, left knee. She had a dislocated kneecap due to the wearing down of the groove in her tibia that should have held her knee cap in place. Instead it had slipped over to the inner leg.  Her whole left hind quarter got shaved bare and her stitches were metal staples. Plus she has pins in her leg and since her leg is so tiny the pins stick up - they tent up her skin. Not nice. She had Franken-leg. Poor little thing. The pet PT came once a week for at least a month, maybe 6 weeks, then we tapered off to every other week and now we are at once a month. Petra is healing well, her fur is growing back and she has been using her leg.

Petra had a little set back yesterday - she tweaked her leg some how - but we think she will be as good as new in no time because she had been using her leg consistently; walking and running. It's been pretty hard to see our little dog go through such a trauma as this major leg surgery but we think she will be better for having had it.


In October we hosted Oktoberfest. We had a beer tasting (thank you Kris for bring all the beer) and ate homemade pretzels (YUM) to start, then ate the amazing meal Dave had prepared and finished up with Black Forest Cake and some after-dinner liqueurs: Kirsch and Barenjager.  Please click here to read the blog post and to see the pictures of the evening.

In November we attended our 4th annual Cultural Night at UWS. Our friend Mark (of Lynn and Mark)  is the foreign exchange student recruiter for UWS. He invited us to attend a few years ago and ever since, we are sold. It's basically a student run, variety show which also includes a multi-cultural dinner at the cafeteria. There's always a few good dishes and lots of beautiful outfits.

We went to the Bentleyville Tour of Lights last night. We wanted to see the display before we got socked in with snow. This morning we woke up to about 6 minches of snow, blizzard conditions, and another foot on the way. Next week we will head out to CA for (Dave's step-dad) Bud and Jenifer's wedding on New Year's Eve.

Happy holidays and may you find peace in the new year.

Sara, Dave & Petra

October Fest 2009

Lebensmittel Extravaganz 2009



Once again Dave has outdone himself creating a German gastronomic get-together. He used Google translator to help with the menu:




We invited a couple of friends - from left to right: Mark, Lynn, Kris, Carolyn, Sara, Dave and Petra on Dave's lap.


Following in our tradition from last year, Kris brought the beer for our beer-tasting. Last year he thought we were having a huge party and brought about 40 different beers (there were only 5 of us). And this year he knew the party would be small (just 6) but he and Carolyn still generously brought about 40 beers. Ok - maybe not quite 40.

Anyway, we decided to be a little more scientific this year. We made up some charts so we could record what we liked and didn't like about each beer, giving them a 1-5 rating on color, smell, taste, aftertaste, and we added the rule that anyone could add 5 discretionary points based on things like good memory, likes the label, etc.

Once again the "Samiclaus" won (top, center), followed by "Tripel Karmeliet" in 2nd and "Leffe Blonde" in 3rd. The 2nd row descends from right to left, best to worst. We did end up pouring out 2 of the beers - "Left Hand" (#8) and "Rok Porter" (dead last). Petra was very interested in our beer slop bucket but she is not allowed to drink - after all, she's only 10.

This year the home-made pretzels were delicious. (They were wonderful last year too.) They were chewy, hot, salted just right, and necessary to soak up the flavor of one beer before moving on to the next selection for tasting.

Although the pretzels were a big hit, another menu item really made a splash - the German Composed Salad. It was so weird and yet so tasty, no one really knew what to make of it. Ingredients included arugla, new boiled potatoes, blanched green beans, salmon, some fancy Danish cheese with blue mold, cherry tomatoes, and a mustard vinaigrette over everything. 2 very sour tiny pickles were on the side. It was the craziest salad I've ever had. Super filling too. And oddly tasty.

Our table was beautifully set, but once we started on the main meal I forgot all about taking pictures and just ate a ton instead. In addition to the beer tasting and pretzels, we had 5 courses: Composed Salad, Pancake Soup, Pork Roast with a Current Glaze, Carrots and Potato Dumplings, Black Forrest Cake for dessert, and finally, some coffee or Cherry Kirsch after dinner.
Thank you to Dave for a lovely meal and thank you to our guests for such enjoyable company.

Prost!

U-bear

His motto: “Don’t forget to take a risk today!” I’m not sure how to describe Hubert Kriegel. He is to me- simply amazing. In everyway he is the epitome of a Savvy Nomad.

Hubert (he says read as U-bear) has been on a quest to ride around the world on a motorcycle and is on his 5th year. The fact that he has a sidecar just makes it all the more interesting to me. But besides that he has the wonderful capacity to befriend, it seems, everyone he meets. Look at his blog; his adventures are stunning. Just click on a photo essay and travel with him for a bit. Take yourself away from whatever bothers you and go with Hubert. When you come back think about it. Think about how you can take a risk today, how you can change your life to be more open and full of adventure.

I applaud Hubert for is plucky style, his unabashed openness, and his willingness to share his adventure with the world. I know it’s a lot of work to take pictures, video and write blog updates while traveling – it is easier to keep it all to yourself – but Hubert works hard to show us this wonderful planet and it’s intriguing cultures. Thank you Hubert!

Kettle Corn

Here's a funny way to make a living: Be a Kettle Corn vendor. There's a fellow who has posted on Yoga Journal's community blog who is a kettle corn business owner. He and his partner live on the east coast and travel around to different events making and selling kettle corn. He has a book out on the ins and outs of the business and claims you can make a good living doing this. He says, "The video link below is an example of an average 6 hour day at one of our busiest locations. We sell kettle corn for $4 and $6 a bag. (Most of our regulars buy at least 2 bags.)"

To watch a video of a day in the life of working a kettle corn stand click here.

For more information visit them at Wicked Delicious.

Boondoggle to South Pole Station

Blast from the Past

Here's an old email I found from my second trip to McMurdo Station, Antarctica. I won a trip to the South Pole and wrote home about it here:

From: DUKESA.MCMURDO@mcmurdo.gov (DUKE, SARA)
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 1997 17:43 NZD
Subject: my trip to the south pole

hello all - just wanted to let you know how i am doing, my latest adventures, and such things. not that i get very many adventures. mostly it's just day to day living. but, on saturday i was lucky enough to win a "sleigh ride" to the pole (south pole station).

50 people won the lottery to the pole trip. our flight time was 10:15 am. everyone showed up at the mcc (movement control center) at 8:00 am for our transportation to the runway. it takes about an hour to an hour and a half to get there. it was a beautiful day. while we waited for the flight we stood around outside talking and taking pictures. after waiting an hour we found out that our flight was to be delayed another hour. we had to get back on the bus and drive to willy field where the other airstrip is.

as we drove along there was a sudden stir at the front of the bus. everyone was leaping up and rushing to the right side of the bus. emperors! emperors! there were three emperor penguins hanging out on the ice shelf. they were at least 5 miles from open water. it's pretty rare to see penguins that far away from the water. their feathers are so sleek and distinguished. and they are huge - about three feet tall. i guess there was a reason our flight was delayed.

the flight to the pole was fairly uneventful. mostly everyone stayed in their seats reading or sleeping. we landed at the pole after a three hour flight. we got off the plane to relatively warm temperatures; -19 with a -40 wind chill factor. quite warm really.

pole is flat! white as far as the eye can see. no mountains, no ocean, nothing but the dome and the out-buildings (it has been likened to north dakota - perhaps a little more progressive.)

we all rushed (or tried to rush - the altitude is about 10,000 ft and we were all panting for breath) over to the geographic south pole marker for our hero and heroine shots. then on to the ceremonial pole for more photos.

the two poles are in different places because the ice sheet on which the south pole station is built moves 20 to 30 feet a year. so, the geographic marker has to be moved each year as well. but the ceremonial marker where each nation has a flag continues to move with the south pole station.

next stop - the dome. the dome covers the work centers and the community living area. we hung out in the galley for about 15 minutes and visited with friends we hadn't seen since the beginning of the year when the "polees" (what we call the people who work at pole) were in mcmurdo on their way to pole. all too soon the flight crew rounded us up to head back to mcmurdo.

once we were up in the air we were all invited to come up to the cockpit for good look around. the first time i went up we were flying over a huge crevasse field. the pilots brought the plane down to about 500 feet. i could see the gaping blue cracks in the ice. it was obvious that crossing the continent via land would be treacherous. deadly yet beautiful.

on my next trip to the cockpit a woman on my flight was learning how to fly the plane. no wonder i was getting motion sickness. it helped to be up front. so, while leisle was learning how to fly i was learning how to navigate. i sat up front for about 1/2 an hour while we flew over the trans-antarctic mountain range. i could see glaciers flowing around the mountains, carving them out over millions of years. the sun was glinting off distant glaciers giving a golden glow to the west.

as we flew closer to mcmurdo, mount erebus became ever larger. we circled around the volcano for a close up view then zoomed the ice edge. the annual sea ice was breaking off in huge geometric shapes and seals were resting on the icebergs. as we flew in, a report came from the pilot, "there is a pod of whales off the right side of the plane. now there are two jumping off the left side at about 10 o'clock. there's whales all around! pretty much anywhere you look you will see whales!"

we all rushed to the windows. orcha's and minky's were diving all around us. the water was so clear that even when the orcha's were under water i could see their black backs and white bellies. it was so exciting!

what a satisfying boondoggle. emporers, south pole, the trans-antarctics, glaciers, mount erebus, the ice edge and to top it all off, whales. sometimes i feel so incredibly lucky. it's trips like this that make me realize why i come down here. it certainly isn't for the job. working is supply is nothing to brag about. but the opportunity to see things that i would otherwise never see is something that i cannot pass up. i hope the pictures turn out.

For more information on Antarctica visit Cool Antarctica's website, USAP (U.S. Antarctic Program), British Antarctic Survey, or just do a Google search.

Instructables

Sometimes you might find yourself in a crisis. Years ago while Sara and I were at the Denver Fire Academy taking a fire fighting course for Palmer Station the instructor said to us, “The only thing that separates you from someone else in a time of crisis is training.” What he meant was that during times of extreme stress (like a building fire) everyone panics – firemen, non-firefighters, everyone. But if you think about the eventuality of, say a fire, and create a plan for; fighting, fleeing, protection from, then you will be able to set down neural pathways that will help you to make coherent decisions rather than succumbing to panic and shock.

After our training I found myself having a much more aggressive stance toward fire, emergency, accidents etc. Now, when confronted with car accidents, brush fires, or strange columns of smoke I find myself going coolly toward the danger with my senses heightened, looking for the tell-tail signs ready to react to it with my training.

Savvy Nomads are people who are constantly putting themselves into situations which ask them to call up their cool inner confidence. But this isn’t an innate skill. It requires practice, learning and the desire to learn. A Savvy Nomad doesn’t consider this a burden, they are naturally inquisitive and learning how to deal with crisis is for them like drinking water – a necessity.

For all the Savvy Nomads out there who have to continue their education here is a link to a clever site: Instructables and a video on how to make a stove in a pinch with some recyclables and lighter fluid.


Cool Little Miniature Stove! - More DIY How To Projects

Where the Hell is Matt?

One of my very first goals in life – you know early on, when people (adults) ask kids, high schoolers or college aged kids “What are you going to do/be/want to grow up and do?” I always thought, “I want to travel.”

But the catch is that traveling isn’t a job per say. I did apply to be a flight attendant in the early 90’s. Out of a room of over 100 women and maybe 10 men I was selected for a second and third interview, but only two spots were open and I didn’t get one. I thought about being a travel agent – but that didn’t seem right, booking someone else’s travels. Working in Antarctica was a good fit. I traded time on the frozen continent for travel time anywhere and indeed Sara and I had some great travels.

Now days I travel the digital highways of the internet. In 1995 I remember visiting the only website in Peru. There was just 1. Now I doubt you could visit all Peruvian websites in your lifetime.

In my digital travels I found this video:


When I first came across Matt – I initially thought that he was independently wealthy. But it turns out he got a job, a job to travel around the world making silly videos to post on the internet. He was actually paid to do this! His initial video was downloaded over 5 million times. This got the attention of Stride Gum. They wanted to sponsor him to travel around and make more videos – odd I know but the gum people did get you to think about them for a moment and I suppose that’s the point.

Writing about himself Matt says,

“Matt is not rich. Matt also doesn't have some magical secret for traveling cheaply. He does it pretty much the same way everybody else does. Matt thinks Americans need to travel abroad more. Matt was a very poor student and never went to college. When he got older, he was pleased to discover that no one actually cares. Matt doesn't want to imply that college is bad or anything. He's just saying is all. There's other ways to fill your head.”

Ok Matt I’m with you – let’s go out and fill our heads with all the cool interesting things the world has to offer. Check out Matt’s website at: Where the Hell is Matt.

Family Reunion

Full-on Independent Folk

Dave and I just hosted a siblings and parents family reunion on my side of the family. Everyone but my youngest sister, Natalie (Golda's daughter), was able to make it. It's a complicated family. Here's who made it:

• My dad, Stephen
  
• My dad's wife, Golda
• My sister, Siri
• My brother, Noah
• Noah's wife, Laurel
• Siri and Noah's mom, Deborah
• My mom, Shirley
• Long time family friends, Joan
• And Joan's daughter, Robin

That sounds awkward but it was really great. And it made me realize what a long line of independent minded folks I come from. My Grandmother on my mom's side ran her own business in an era when women normally stayed home. She was a seamstress and owned her own fabric store. My mom has lived off the grid in northern Minnesota for the past 27 years while working a variety of jobs that always ran towards uplifting folks who deal with discrimination on a daily basis. My dad is a potter who teaches at a college and has an independent studio and kiln where he does community firings 4 to 6 times per year. Deborah runs her own business buying and selling high-end antiques. And Joan worked as a puppet-maker for years and has recently started making jewelry.

Dave and I run our own business and are both always looking for new ways to make money and keep living this independent lifestyle we have come to enjoy so much. I do not feel like I am some great adventurer - neither does Dave. We are just living our lives the way we want. Sure, being self employed means we don't have health care, but neither of us wants to be tied down by a 9 to 5 job. We've done that and it sucks! No offense meant to those who do work full time for someone else. We work full time too, but we work from home and choose our hours. Every day we walk the dog for a long and leisurely walk down by the lake (Lake Superior), we take breaks when we feel like, and we work our tails off when we need to. (And if we did the math on how much we pay ourselves we would probably make less than minimum wage - luckily neither of us is much good at math.)

I wish everyone who wanted to could work for themselves without fear of losing their health care. Imagine what a happy and productive society we would be if folks could work at what they loved. If we had a national health care system like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, France, etc (you get the picture) I think Americans could regain their entrepreneurial spirit and burst forth in creative endeavors. I'm hoping that in my lifetime I will see such an advance in our society.

What is a Savvy Nomad?

savvy: practical know-how, wise, well informed, perceptive, shrewd

nomad: a wanderer, an unsettled lifestyle, migratory,
a restless mobile society

Are you a savvy nomad? Do you long for adventure? The open road? Are you tired of living in one place? Do you feel stuck to your house, your job, your life? Do you feel like living in one place would probably be as good as living in another? If so, you are probably a nomad at heart.

But how do you travel as a lifestyle or be your own boss? How do you finance your adventures? Will you be satisfied with living simply or do you have to travel in luxury? What does it mean to be a savvy nomad?

That's what we hope to explore in these pages through articles, videos, pictures, and links to information on living an independent lifestyle ~ be a traveler, an adventurer, a writer, a wanderer, an artist, an entrepreneur ~ and do it successfully. In other words, be a savvy nomad.

Who are we? We are Sara and Dave, two restless people, stuck in jobs of our own design. We used to be nomadic. We met in Antarctica when we were both working for the US Antarctic Program. After 4 years of contract work we decided to settle down for a while. We got a house, a dog and regular jobs. A couple years of that routine and we were ready for something new again.

We sold our house for seed money to start our own business - a publishing company (visit us at On-Word Bound Books). Never mind that we had no experience in graphic design or anything else related to publishing. Oddly enough, we have been successful.

We both love to travel. Not the "quick weekend trip" kind of travel. The "sell everything and go" kind of travel. We are tied to our business for now but are looking for ways to challenge ourselves until we can strike out into the world again. We decided to start this website to share our old travel stories, link to other nomads' websites, talk about how to be an entrepreneur and to encourage ourselves to get out on the road again.