Evan's Sabbatical Archives - Page 3 of 4

And the winner is….

Posted on March 3, 2009 by Evan in Evan's Sabbatical

Our sweet wheels have carried us southward without a proper name, so the time has come to award a winner for the “car naming contest.” The award goes to Jeff and Juli Labhart (and baby Kiren too) for their given name of “Hoon-Mobile” which we have taken the liberty and shortened to “The Hoon”. For those who don’t speak NewZenglish Jeff and Juli have provided a definition below…

Hoon is a derogatory term used in Australia and New Zealand to refer to a person who engages in loutish, anti-social behaviour. In particular, it is used to refer to one who drives in a manner which is anti-social by the standards of contemporary society, that is, fast, noisily or dangerously. Hoon activities can include speeding, street racing, burnouts, doughnuts or screeching tyres.[1] Those commonly identified as being involved in “hooning” or street racing are young, predominantly male drivers in the age range of 16 and 25 years.

Our congratulations goes out to the Labharts for their knowledge of “kiwi-isms”,sense of humor and just darn good naming ability. We will do our best to make sure our ride lives up to it’s name without getting ourselves locked up down here in NZ. Labharts, we will be sending your award along soon. Thanks to all who participated!

Moore’s “Bowerman and the Men of Oregon”

Posted on March 2, 2009 by Evan in Book Reviews, Evan's Sabbatical

I ran my first and thus far my only marathon here in Portland back in October. Tina and I trained and ran the entire marathon together (BTW, we managed to run the entire course).

Much of the credit for our successful completion of the marathon goes to Tina’s friend and palates teacher Susan Schmidt. Susan is a super-fit marathoner herself and passed along a ton of great knowledge during our training months. We wouldn’t have done as well as we did without her assistance and motivation.

Before departing for our 6-month trip Susan also passed along the book “Bowerman and the Men of Oregon” by Kenny Moore to read while traveling. The book is a biography of the legendary University of Oregon track coach Bill Bowerman. I am super thankful that Susan gave me this gem because it’s a book I probably wouldn’t pick out for myself but after reading it am very happy that I did.

Prior to reading the book I only knew a little about Bill Bowerman. During our training for the marathon Tina and I did a lot of running at the Nike campus which is only a mile from our house. If you didn’t know, the Nike headquarters is on “One Bowerman Drive” in Beaverton, OR. I knew he had coached Nike founder Phil Knight (after reading the book I now know that Bowerman was a co-founder as well) at University of Oregon but knew little about his life or his legacy.

The author of the book, Kenny Moore, was coached by Bowerman at University of Oregon and became close with him and his family. As a result, he offers a truly unique perspective into the life and times of the University of Oregon legend.

What impresses me first about Bowerman was his conviction to his principles. The book quotes Phil Knight as commenting about Bowerman in saying, “he was always wrong on his facts and right on his principles.” There are numerous stories throughout the book about Bowerman going to bat for his athletes which he coached. He knew what was right and wrong and grew frustrated when faced with others who didn’t share in his opinion.

In another example Moore explains Bowerman’s technique for testing a person’s character- “Assigning mundane, even menial tasks was a test that Bill often applied. Failing it might not cause Bill to disappear a team member, but it would lead to a kind of probation.”

The second aspect of Bowerman that impresses me was his ability to put things in perspective. Everything he did was a small piece of something bigger that would ultimately become his legacy. Moore explains, “Bill Bowerman was designed…to process. The defining aspect of his life was preparation, not completion. The house was always unfinished, the big meets were always grounding for bigger, the best shoes could always be made better.”

In another part of the book Moore writes about Bowerman after contemplating a decision that kept U of O from defeating an opponent in a track meet, “Bowerman would nod and acknowledge such natural regrets, but didn’t seem to share them. He occasionally pointed out that victory is sweet, but you wake up the next morning and it has flown. Similarly, defeat dissolved. Occasionally his view was so long that it seemed a kind of enlightened disinterest.”

Beyond Bowerman’s personal characteristics it was also interesting to learn about the many other areas in which he impacted Oregon, Nike, and the US as a whole.

What was interesting to read while in New Zealand was the impact that this country had on Bowerman and on the US as a whole. In 1962 Bowerman brought a group of his Oregon men to race against a group of NZ runners led by their coach Arthur Lydiard. Upon showing up to NZ Arthur dragged Bill out on a jog everyday for the entire 6 weeks that he was there. Arthur had started jogging groups in Auckland as a way for people to get exercise.

Upon his return Bowerman has lost 10 pounds and 3 inches off his waistline. He was so impressed with the NZ joggers that he began recreational running clubs in Eugene in 1962. This is thought to be the birth of recreational running in the United States. To quote Bowerman on the subject of exercise, “To procrastinators who complain that they cannot afford the fifteen or twenty minutes a day, I echo the words of Arthur Lydiard: You cannot afford not to take the time.'”

Prior to reading this book I always thought that Phil Knight was the sole founder and inventor behind Nike shoes. However, it was actually Bill Bowerman while at the University of Oregon who first designed and invented the shoes that Phil Knight would make billions$ on. Not to worry, Bowerman also made a pretty penny off of Nike stock and served on the board of directors for 25 years.

All in all, the book was a great read and would be enjoyed by any Oregonian with a passion for sports. I would highly recommend it.

Here are a few other quotes from the book.

-The author Kelly Moore remembers, “There are few things that can compare to being young and healthy and a part of a team that you want to be on, and doing well, as well as you could, and being proud.”

-A motto taken on by Bowerman and his friends as they aged and began to lose their memories, “Hey, Alzheimer’s isn’t so bad. You meet new friends everyday.”

-Bowerman on his philosophy of training, “That’s all training is. Stress. Recover. Improve. You’d think any damn fool could do it…”

Postcard home (written in New Zenglish)

Posted on February 25, 2009 by Evan in Evan's Sabbatical

Today the weather is mostly fine here in N-ZED. We walked out of the bach and down the road to find some good nosh. As we head north the beach is scattered with heeps of kiwis kicking back with their chilly bins and a cold glass of Sav and we think… “Sweet as“. We stop in to a cafe for a long black for takeaway. The waitress begins to chat us up and finds out we are on a six month holiday and says “Good on ya.” We head to the postie to mail some cards to our mums. On the way we witness a fender bender and the two drivers get into a barney in the middle of the road. One of the drivers is in quite in a tissy, as his Mercedes is quite flash. We leave the mess behind and head to the store to get some fresh fruit and veg, we hear that the rock melon and capsicum are in season so we decide to pick up some. We can’t forget the mince meat for our homemade pies. The woman next to is buying nappies, of which will soon become rubbish in the landfill and what a bummer that is on this beautiful island. Cheers mate, we will be home soon.

Time flies when you’re having fun!

Posted on February 23, 2009 by Evan in Evan's Sabbatical

First off, our apologies for not updating the blog as frequently as you may have become accustomed to during the European leg of our trip. Internet access is not as prolific here in NZ. Furthermore, for the most part the weather has been fantastic (75-85 degrees F) so we’ve been out exploring the natural beauty of this country.

It’s raining today so we thought this was a good opportunity to update the blog with some highlights of the past couple weeks.

The Hill’s in town-
We had a great time with Kevin & Meghan Hill over the past couple days. I played college baseball with Kevin. Him and his wife, Meghan, are on the tail end of a 5-week vacation which had them in Australia the past 4 weeks (in some places they missed the tragic Victorian wild fires by hours). Before heading back the States they spent a couple nights with us here in Red Beach. We had an excellent visit which included some memorable meals, swimming in “the cove”, and of course the retelling of college baseball stories which our wives are probably tired of hearing but somehow never get old for us (if you’ve never heard the infamous “Home of the Warriors” story remind me to tell you next time we have a chance).

Prior to the Hills arriving Tina and I spent 5 days exploring the Northland & Bay of Islands. Here are some highlights:

Matakana Farmers’ Market-
We departed on our 5-day mini-tour early on the Saturday before last and drove North on HWY 1 via Orewa to Matakana. The Saturday morning farmers’ market in Matakana had been recommended to us by a few different people as being one of the best in the region (“so get there early”). We were not disappointed. Upon arriving we grabbed some tasty pastries & coffee and had ourselves a look around. The booths at the market were bursting with locally sourced produce & gourmet confections. Although the poring rain made being outside somewhat unpleasant it also curtailed the crowds which made the experience all the more enjoyable.

We hung around long enough to purchase a couple items and hear a local dixieland jazz quartet play a few bars. One of the items we purchased was a bottle of apple-feijoa juice which was sweet, tangy, and tart. After talking with the proprietor we learned that the feijoa is a fruit mostly found in the Southern Hemisphere and is grown heavily in NZ. Yum….

Russell & The Bay of Islands-
Saturday afternoon after a brief stop for lunch in Whagarei we arrived in Opua where we caught a short ferry to Russell. The weather on our drive north from Matakana had been much like a typical spring day in Oregon with rains showers and bright sunshine alternating with what seemed like every mile. But as we loaded the ferry boat bright warm sun-rays shown down and we were able to shed our layers for the trip across the bay.

In the early 19th century Russell became the first European settlement in NZ. Today, the charming small town features water-front cafe’s, art galleries, and gourmet food grocers not unlike what you might find in the San Juan Islands. Unfortunately, the sunny weather didn’t last long so Tina and I got in the car and drove South to find a camping-spot and hopefully escape the wetness.

Our hope was to find a quiet scenic campsite where we could enjoy the evening and celebrate St. Valentines Day. We ended up about 30 km south and west of Russell at the scenic reserve at Whangaruru North Head. Although the setting was nice we were met with grey clouds that would open up shortly after we got done cooking our dinner. The wind and rain didn’t cease until the next morning which kept us inside the shelter of our car and tent. We did our best to make the most out of the occasion by playing tic-tac-toe on our fogged in windshield. There is no question that this will be a memorable Valentines Day for us.

Cape Reinga & Tapotupotu Bay-
After a night in Kerikeri we drove north to the tip of NZ at Cape Reinga on Tuesday morning. We were blessed to have sunny weather which created beautiful scenery. Cape Reinga marks the very northern tip of NZ and is also where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. The estuary where the two bodies of water collide is marked by white caps and apparently violent surf on days when the weather is stormy. We liked this area so much that we decided to stay the night nearby.

After spending time at the Cape we drove east and south to Tapotupotu Bay. Descending down the windy gravel road into the bay we were presented with the beautiful setting that we’d call home for the next 24 hours. It was here that we made up for the in-climate weather we experienced on Valentines Day. The sun was bright, the temperature perfect, and the water was warm for swimming. That afternoon we took in some beach time before enjoying some dinner at our beach front location.

On Tuesday morning we got up early to watch the sunrise and go for a long hike along the coastline. We hiked northwest to Sandy Beach and back and were rewarded with incredible coastal views. By the time we got back mid-morning we had worked up a sweat and went for another swim in the bay to cool down. Very nice!

Hokianga Harbor & The Waipoua Kauri Forest-
After three nights of camping we decided to book a room and spend the night in a bed. We had been recommended the Copthorne Hotel and Resort at the Southwestern edge of Hokianga Harbor in a small town called Omapere and so booked a room and drove south. The patio of our room was situated with a beautiful view west where we could watch the Tasman Sea roll into the harbor. After a relaxing cocktail hour overlooking the water the fatigue of our early morning hike set in. We ended up ordering room service and falling asleep watching The illusionist with Ed Norton.

About 40 km south of Omapere lies the Waipoua Kauri Forest. This area is what’s left of the dense kauri forests that used to cover this region (logging and “gum-digging” have decimated much of the natural land). Wednesday evening we took a night walking tour with a local Maori guide into the forest to learn more about the natural habitat and the kauri trees which make this area famous. This will definitely be a highlight that Tina and I will remember for a long time. Our tour-guide Bill led us on an amazing 3-hour walk through the forest in which we learned about how the local animal and plant life helped his ancestors sustain a living over the preceding centuries.

In addition, he also took us to see some of the most amazing trees I’ve ever seen. Kauri trees have thrived in this area for thousands of years and as Bill explained provided not only practical value to the life of his Maori ancestors but also Spiritual significance as well. After seeing these trees in person it is no wonder why. They certainly have a powerful aura about them.

Although there are many gigantic 500+ year kauri trees scattered through out this forest that are magnificent to look at, none are more amazing than the Te Matua Ngahere (Father of the forest) and Tane Mahuta (Lord of the forest). Bill explained that each of these trees hold special spiritual significance in his culture and therefore he performed special prayers announcing our arrival before confronting the trees. As the darkness of the night set in and the silence of the forest surrounded us hearing his prayer made me feel like I was present during the times his ancestors occupied this land. It was a very powerful experience!

The first of the trees that we visited was Te Matua Ngahere. It stands 30 meters high and has a girth of 16 meters. The trunk is estimated to hold 208 cubic meters of kauri wood. The most amazing stat about this tree is that experts believe it is approximately 4,000 years old!!!! Take a moment to think about this. Can you think of anything else on this earth that is a living organism that is 4,000 years old? This tree is powerful, beautiful, and certainly a sight to see. It is also worth noting that Lord of the Rings film director Peter Jackson studied this tree in creating the tree character fangorn for his film.

The second tree we visited was the Tane Mahuta and is thought to be 2,000 years old (about the same age as Jesus). It stands about 170 feet high, has a girth of 13 meters, and is estimated to have 240 cubic meters of wood in it’s trunk (although it’s trunk is not as wide as Te Matua Ngahere it is much taller). This is the largest known living kauri tree and is also a beautiful sight to see. Upon leaving this tree and the Waipoua Kauri Forest Bill called upon us to pay our respects to these trees and to nature. He reminded us that nature provides life and to respect our natural surroundings as his culture has done for centuries. Since I come from a society where we often separate our existence from that of nature I was very thankful for the reminder.

That night we camped at the southern end of the Waipoua Kauri Forest near Donnelley’s Crossing. When we finally laid down in our tent and looked up to the sky we were given an awesome display of stars. Neither Tina and I are knowledgeable astronomers but looking up at the constellations visible in the southern hemisphere was none the less a special experience following our night tour.

What’s next?-
We will depart our bach in Red Beach which we’ve occupied since February 1st this Saturday and begin our journey South. For the next 6 weeks we plan to spend much of our time exploring the beauty of the South Island. We hope to do a few backpacking trips and have plenty of hikes. As a reminder, our car-naming contest is coming to an end soon. Get your entries in no later than Sunday!.

Click this link to view more photos from our NZ adventures.

WE’VE GOT WHEELS…NOW WE NEED YOUR HELP.

Posted on February 19, 2009 by Evan in Evan's Sabbatical

In order to get ourselves around the islands for the next few months Evan and I decided to purchase a car. Given that buying cars is one of our LEAST favorite activities in the states, we knew that buying a car here would also prove to be a challenge. We spent a couple of Saturday’s visiting the local car markets where cars are sold off by backpackers and locals trying to make a quick buck or get rid of their wheels before hitting the road back to their homelands.

One Sunday Evan and I ventured out to the largest car market in Auckland with hopes that we would have to look no further. We spent much of the morning wandering around looking at cars and test driving several. We were unable to find anything that suited our needs at the price we could afford. As we made our last round to see if we had missed any bargains we came across a nice looking Subaru. Evan struck up a conversation with the couple who owned the car. As we got further into the conversation with them we discovered they were from the States, Minnesota of all places. (In my opinion some of the best people I know come from Minnesota, there must be something in the water there.) As I talked further with Amy I discovered she and Adam were from northern Minnesota, (hmmmmmm my dear friend Molly is from northern Minnesota). I inquired further about where and Amy said, “Well have you heard of Grand Rapids?” Well of course, I had heard of GR. My friend Molly grew up there, and Evan and I have spent a memorable weekend there for M+A’s wedding a few summers ago. Now, by this time I am beginning to think that the whole experience of meeting Amy and Adam was beginning to feel a bit serendipitous and it proved to be even more so. Amy of course knew of Molly’s family and it turns out use to cut their hair when they were younger. So, in turn we have some new wheels to get us around the islands, met some new friends who we shared a beer and a meal with and understand even more so how incredibly small the world can be.

Our “new to us” wheels are in fact quite unique given the way in which we serendipitously acquired them, but also some of the features of the new ride are quite unique as well (more on that to come below). This set of circumstances has led us to decide that we can not go on driving our new ride without a proper car name. So, we are hopping that you might be able to help us come up with a name, and because I am married to a man who always loves a little friendly competition we have decided to make a contest out of it. Why not right? So here’s the deal, the individual who comes up with the best name will be rewarded with something “kiwi-esque” sent from the islands direct to you, should YOU come up with the winning name. You can leave your entry in the comments section below. All entries must be submitted by March 1st. (We can’t keep driving without and un-named car!!!)

A couple of things you should know about our new ride. It’s a 1993 Subaru Legacy Turbo GT. Yes, we have TURBO. In fact, upon driving into our quiet little bach neighborhood after a hike up north one day, our neighbor commented on our new wheels and said “Wow, I thought you guys might be “Boy Racers” . In addition, it has a funny little light beam antena on the front left bumper that goes up and down with the click of a button. Beyond that, the steering wheel is something straight out of a race car. The factory stick-shift has been replaced with a red hot handle that rattles when we approach anything over 50km/h. There is a faint stench of mildew (probably given all the traveling fools who have owned the car before us.) It has 4, yes FOUR bumper-stickers all reading “Treble Cone”, slightly overkill don’t you think? (we have found out it’s a ski resort on the south island, apparently one of the owners of this car was in love with this place either that or was in marketing.) It’s dark grey in color with dark grey interior. We have included a few photos to give you a better idea, should these descriptions not be sufficient enough.

We hope these details will inspire to you to come up with something brilliant, and if you do, as they say down here….”GOOD ON YA!”

Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged”

Posted on February 9, 2009 by Evan in Book Reviews, Evan's Sabbatical

I began reading Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand, on the flight from Portland to Los Angeles on the outset of my 6-month sabbatical with my wife. I completed the 1,074 page novel on the flight to New Zealand at the conclusion of our European-leg of our trip. WHAT A GREAT BOOK! My only regret is that I didn’t read it sooner. I was originally given this boheamouth of a book by a close friend after graduating from college but was always to intimated to start it. I think this book makes an excellent gift to any college graduate!

The story follows the trials and tribulations of the US economy during a fictional period in which an overwhelming wave of socialist/ communist ideology comes to fruition. As new economic policies are implemented the story follows the impact they have on “industrialists” who share a common conviction of free enterprise. Through the dialogues Rand is able to articulate her own conviction for the tenants of “objectivism“, which is a philosophy she is credited for pioneering (or at least giving a title).

There are two epic dialogues in the book that do well in summarizing Rand’s philosophy in my opinion. If you do nothing else, find the book and read these two sections:

-The first occurs on pages 382-386 where the character Francisco d’Aconia, an industrialist, speaks to a group of “socialist” thinkers at a cocktail party. Here is an excerpt:
    “Money is your means of survival. The verdict you pronounce upon the source of your livelihood is the verdict you pronounce upon your life. If the source is corrupt, you have damned your existence. Did you get your money by fraud?…If so, then your money will not give you a moment’s or penny’s worth of joy. Then all the things you buy will become, not a tribute to you, but a reproach; not an achievement, but a reminder of shame.”

– “They say it’s hard for man to agree. You’d be surprised how easy it is- when both parties hold as their mutual absolute that neither exists for the sake of the other and that reason is their only means of trade.”

– “Did it occur to you, Miss Taggart…that there is no conflicts of interests among men, neither in business nor in trade nor in the most personal desires- if they omit the irrational from the view of the possible and destruction from their view of practical? There is no conflict, and no call for sacrifice, and no man is a threat to the aims of another- if men understand that reality is an absolute not to be faked, that lies do not work, that the unearned cannot be had, that the undeserved cannot be given, that the destruction of a value which is, will not bring value to that which isn’t.”

-The second occurs near the end of the book (pages 927-984) and for me is the pinacle of the story. It is a speech given by John Galt to the nation given as a radio address. Here is an excerpt:
    “Do not say that you’re afraid to trust your mind because you know so little… Live and act within the limit of your knowledge and keep expanding it to the limit of your life… Accept the fact that you are not omniscient, but playing a zombie will not give you omniscience- that your mind is fallible- that an error made on your own is safer than ten truths accepted on faith, because the first leaves you the means to correct it, but the second destroys your capacity to distinguish truth from error.”

and

    “Happiness is the successful state of life, pain is the agent of death. Happiness is that state of consciousness which proceeds from the achievements of one’s values.”

Here are some other notable excerpts:

-Dagny Taggert asks Francisco, “…what’s the most deprived human being?” His reply: “The man without purpose.”

-Francisco speaking to Mr. Reardon (two industrialists) on the subject of gaining trust-
    “…I don’t like people who speak or think in terms of gaining anybody’s confidence. If one’s actions are honest, one does not need the predated confidence of others, only their rational perception. The person who craves a moral blank check of that kind, has dishonest intentions, whether he admits it to himself or not.”

-Dr. Stadler speaking to Dagny on 1st sight of the motor reminents-
    “…do you know the hallmark of the second-rater? It’s resentment of another man’s achievement. Those touchy mediocrities who sit trembling lest someone’s work prove greater then their own. They have no inkling of the loneliness that comes when you reach the top. The loneliness for an equal- for a mind to respect and achievement to admire. They bare their teeth at you from out of their rat holes, thinking that you take pleasure in letting your brilliance dim them- while you’d give a year of your life to see a flicker of talent anywhere among them. They envy achievement, and their dream of greatness is a world where all men have become their acknowledged inferiors. They don’t know that their dream is infallible proof of mediocrity, because that sort of world is what the man of achievement would not be able to bear. They have no way of knowing what he feels when surrounded by inferiors- hatred? No, not hatred, but boredom, of what account are praise and adulation from men who’m you don’t respect?…”

-Dagny Taggert’s principle-
    “Place nothing above the verdict of your own mind.”

-Dagny observing the luxury of simplicity she experienced in Mulligan’s home:
    “There was an art of luxury about the room, but it was the luxury of expert simplicity; she noted the costly furniture, carefully chosen for comfort… There were no superflous objects, but she noticed a small canvas by a great master of the Renaissance worth a fortune, she noticed an oriental rug of a texture and color that belonged under glass in a museum. This was Mulligan’s concept of wealth, she thought- the wealth of selection, not of accumulation.”

New Zealand

Posted on February 3, 2009 by Evan in Evan's Sabbatical

Tina and I are settled into our “batch” and enjoying the laid back lifestyle here in New Zealand! In case you’re curious to know where we are exactly we are staying in a small home (about 500 sq. ft) in Red Beach, which is a small coastal town about 30 minutes drive from Auckland (you can click this link to view on a map).

Our batch is about a 5 minute walk to the beach. The deck of our batch has a beautiful view of the ocean so when it’s not windy this is where we spend our time.

The Northland is fantastic. Yesterday we went for a long hike at the Tawharanui regional park which is a huge nature perserve with remote beaches.

On the drive back we stopped in a charming little town and had lunch. We haven’t been able to upload any photos yet but when we do we’ll post them here.

Professional lesson from Anders!

Posted on January 30, 2009 by Evan in Evan's Sabbatical

I know I’m not supposed to be thinking about my professional life while I’m on this 6-month sabbatical but I couldn’t help it. I got a great lesson from Anders Brantberg while we were staying with him in Southern Sweden and I wanted to record it.

In Tina’s previous post she mentioned that we had the pleasure of staying with Anders & Mia Brantberg in their hometown of Fasterbo, Sweden. We had a great time and are very thankful for their generous hospitality.

One of the afternoons we were there Anders took us into Malmo for a tour of his company Norfoods. Anders is the CEO of Norfoods which is a leading Nordic food importer & distributor with revenues of over $100 million.

Over the time Anders has owned the company they have achieved consistent growth by building strong lasting relationships with their clients.

They’ve achieved these relationships by providing expertise to their clients and not by becoming the “lowest-cost” provider (although their prices are competitive). As Anders explained competition over the past decade has forced many of his clients to cut their research and development departments. These R & D departments were responsible for developing new flavors and recipies for their food products.

Norfoods saw this as an opportunity. They hired many of these R & D experts and made them account managers. By doing so, Norfoods has positioned themselves as a food provider that is not only able to provide products at a competitive price, but is also to provide value in the form of R & D expertise.

In accomplishing this Anders believes he has been able to strengthen his relationships with his clients which will help him achieve growth in the future.

The lesson? For me, the lesson here for businesses is to look at that marketplace in which they serve and try to find problems that are common amongst the participants. In Anders case he was able to identify that his clients were having to cut back on R & D.

Then, look for ways to help the marketplace solve this problem in addition to providing the basic service or product that you already provide. This will create a “value-added proposition” that strengthen your relationship with your clients. Thanks Anders!

Drunk on Swede “creative-aid”

Posted on January 21, 2009 by Evan in Evan's Sabbatical

Written by my wife Tina (who is a graphic designer/ artist):

I have been thirsty for visual inspiration and have been provided the opportunity to drink the creative juice everyday of our adventure thus far. And boy, does it taste good. Thank goodness Evan has been generous in every situation to allow me the window seats in planes, trains and automobiles and is constantly waiting for me to catch up as I try to freeze frame the goodness with my pocket camera. I think Evan’s been drinking the “creative-aid” too. Just yesterday as the sun was setting I was commenting how nice the light was and before I knew it he had bundled up and headed out the door to “freeze frame” it himself. He returned with several very nice shots with unique angles and perfect light. So, I guess we are both drunk on all the amazing things we have seen.

We have spent the last few days with our family friends Anders and Mia Brantberg in Falsterbo, Sweden (nearly on the tip of southern Sweden). The connection with the Brantberg family goes back to the early 1970’s when Anders ventured to Pocatello, Idaho for an student-exchange and ended up living with my mothers family. Thirty years later, his son Mikael came to live with my family when I was a senior in high school and the relationship between families has remained strong despite the distance in geography ever since. Anders and Mia wined and dined us and took us on adventures along the southern coast of Sweden.They were generous hosts and we feel fortunate to have been able to spend a few days with them.

About a year ago, my friend Molly J. introduced an artist/architect to me by the name of Joseph Frank. What I knew of him was his beautiful fabrics and his Swedish roots. Serendipitously, Joseph Frank was actually from Austria (which I did not know in addition I spent my semester abroad in Austria in college so I have a special connection to that place and it’s artists) and spent much of his time after the 30’s in Falsterbo, Sweden where he also built several homes. Mia is also very found of Joseph Frank and had the most wonderful collection of his pieces from furniture to fabric. Their home was eye candy for someone like myself not only with all the wonderful Frank pieces but lovely design and use of space and color. (MJ you would have loved it.) I began dreaming of a home someday similar to what I had seen. The Scandinavian design sense has made an impression on me for sure. I will be taking a bit of it home with me.

Danish realtors change pricing model

Posted on January 20, 2009 by Evan in Evan's Sabbatical, For Professionals, Housing & Real Estate

While reading the Copenhagen Post on Monday morning I came across this article which explains how Danish real estate agents are changing their pricing models to reflect the current state of the market.

Like the US housing market Denmark has also entered a period of slower sales. As a result, some real estate professionals are abandoning the traditional model of commission-only compensation where they are paid only when the home sells. Instead, they are implementing a fee structure where they pass along marketing expenses to home-owners while the home is on the market.

Kind of interesting.

Search

Category: Evan’s Sabbatical