Chris Guillebeau's Blog, page 81
October 10, 2014
Giveaway: Townshend’s Tea Sampler
Every Friday is giveaway day. Comment to win!
This weekend’s prize is a four-tea sampler from Townshend Tea Company here in Portland.
This unconventional business started as a college project at the University of Oregon and now boasts five locations. They’ve also branched out to specialize in sustainable production of kombucha.
What you need to know:
You’ll receive tins filled with their most popular flavors: Crème de la Earl Grey, Alberta Street Chai, Silver Tip Jasmine, and After Dark.
Warning:...
6 Discoveries From Near and Far: Volume XIV
I. Around the World
Things I found on long walks in foreign cities, or perhaps when someone posted them on Twitter.
How Publishing Made Me Miserable and What I Did About It — “What I realized was my idea of a ‘big break’ probably wasn’t very realistic”
13 Questers Share How They Overcame Fear — AONC reader Varonica interviewed 13 people from the new book. Here are their surprising answers
An Animated Tribute to Jackson Pollock — In its 1940s New York City setting, painting-swiping protagonist Jac...
How Much Does It Cost to Visit Every Country in the World?
On location in Bhutan, one of my favorite countries in Asia.
I’ve mentioned a few times that going to every country in the world wasn’t as expensive as most people initially think. But how much did it really cost?
The short answer is that I’m not 100% sure of the precise figure. I didn’t tally up every expense associated with ten-and-a-half years of travel, and I didn’t save all the receipts. Much of the travel (perhaps one-third) was done in cooperation with other work and commitments. The who...
October 9, 2014
Cooking a Meal from Every Country: Sasha Martin’s Quest for Food & Peace
This is a quest case study. ( Read others or nominate yourself . )
If you read this blog, you probably know all about my quest to visit every country in the world. Here’s something similar, but with a fun twist. Sasha Martin also went to every country, but in a very different way.
Introduce yourself!
I’m Sasha Martin and I eat the world for a living. That sounds a little far-fetched, I know—but it’s true. I spent nearly four years (from February 2010 until November 2013) cooking a meal from every co...
October 8, 2014
Can You Get a Business Credit Card Without Having a Business?
Link: Chase Ink Plus
The short answer is yes, probably—and there’s nothing deceitful about it.
In the wake of the huge new bonus for the Chase Ink Plus card, a bunch of folks have been asking me if they can get a business credit card without having a business.
For the most part, the distinction between “business” and “personal” cards doesn’t matter much. If you don’t have a tax ID number you can apply for a business card using your social security number, just as you would for a personal card...
October 7, 2014
Reflections from the Road: 18 Cities Down, 22 More to Go
“Have you seen this book yet? I actually wrote most of it myself.”
Over the weekend I headed home for a brief pause in my adventures to 40 cities to meet with readers as part of our fall book tour. It’s been exhausting (per usual) and also very fun (per usual).
A few nights beforehand I was in Orange County (here’s an attendee review), and the local group that hosted me produced the event as a fireside chat in a wonderful outdoor space.
Awaiting the arrival of the critical beer and wine cart.
A f...
“I am constantly trying new things”: On the Road with Gary Arndt
This is a traveler case study. ( Read others or nominate yourself . )
When I first began galavanting around to every country in the world, there was one guy who quickly became my go-to expert on the South Pacific. Gary Arndt knew every island, even the tiny ones that weren’t technically countries. He and I have both been traveling ever since.
Introduce yourself!
My name is Gary Arndt. Originally from Wisconsin, I maintain my midwestern pride by being a part owner of the Green Bay Packers (I own o...
Free Manifesto (and Now a Free Webinar) on the Art of Revolution in Entrepreneurship
Last week I mentioned Jonathan’s new manifesto, a free, no-fluff guide offered in the lead-up to his wildly popular RevolutionU course.
If you missed it, you’re not too late. He’s also hosting a free webinar (with live Q&A) later in the week. Everyone who downloads the manifesto is automatically invited to this free, action-packed webinar.
I’ve seen what Jonathan has in the works and I know it’s pretty special. I’m not sure if my tour schedule will allow me to participate in the webinar, but...
October 6, 2014
6 Discoveries from Near and Far: Volume XIII
I. Around the World
Things I found on long walks in foreign cities, or perhaps when someone posted them on Twitter.
A Case Study of Small Business Shipping — If you’re ever frustrated by the hassles of shipping a physical product, here’s how Elise Blaha Cripe does it
Be a Quester — Join this special “challenge community” and launch your own mini quest
What Writers Can Learn from “Goodnight Moon” — Writing lessons from an author of children’s books
Scared to Commit — “I did a crazy thing this week....
Lessons from the Journey: Being Aware of Our Mortality Can Help Us Focus
From my own 193-country journey to the stories of many other people who were kindly willing to share, The Happiness of Pursuit attempts to extract and convey the lessons of modern-day quests. This series explores some of these lessons.
Lesson: Every day matters. The awareness of our mortality can help us focus.
We all have a limited amount of time on earth. Those who live in active awareness of this reality are more likely to identify goals and make progress toward them. Or to put it another wa...
