Top 7 Log Home Floor Plan Mistakes and How to Avoid them

We've all done it at one time or another. Picked something, a car, a piece of clothing or a meal, that we think we are going to love and find that we don't. We don't want you to make the same mistake with your log home floor plan. Here are the top 10 most common floor plan mistakes people make and how to avoid them.

Thinking every floor plan is right for you

If you take a few moments to scan Houzz, Pinterest or the latest Log Home Magazine you will find dream homes by the hundreds. Even though we would love to live in many of the homes we see it's important to pick the floor plan that works for you and your family. Picture your family living in the home on a day-to-day basis. Is going up three sets of stairs to get to your master bedroom going to be exhausting or will the view be worth it? Or, would you prefer everything is on one level in a rancher style home? Think about how you plan to use the space in your home after you have lived in it for three or six months. This will help you see that a particular floor plan may sound like a great idea now but may only cause you frustrations in the future.

Not having the room sized to fit your furniture

Sometimes space can be limited. If you are building any smaller sized rooms or designing a tight staircase it's important to take in account the type of furniture you have. Sometimes part of the joy of building a new home is all the new furniture you can buy to go along with it and other times you want to keep using what you currently have. For example, if you have a large custom bed, moving it up two flights of stairs may be a bit of a challenge or require some creative thinking. Taking into account any signature or key furniture pieces can help ensure you're not left figuring out how to get something into a room after the fact.

Not having the right floor plan for your new lifestyle

For many homeowners building their dream log home may cause a shift in their lifestyle. They may start to cook outdoors more or want to entertain more. Consider what changes you might need to make to allow yourself to cook more outside or how your home might feel when it's fully occupied with company over. Where would the guest room and bathroom be situated? Is it easy for you to transition between the kitchen and the barbeque area?

Building for now instead of the for future

Have you ever purchased a sports car because you either don't have kids yet or because they just moved out of the house only to realize that a couple years later you're expecting or have grandkids on the way? The same thing happens with a home. It's great to think that right now there might only be two of you living in your home but what about five years from now? Will kids or grandkids be on the way? Having that extra guest room may come in handy and save you from having to give up the man cave or office space instead.

Focusing on the décor instead of the floor plan

Sometimes when you're building your dream home it's nice to tour show homes to get inspiration for new layouts, features and other ideas. It's one of the best ways to help you determine if you really like it or just liked the concept in the magazine. One key mistake many people make is that they don't actually look at the floor plan but instead get caught up in the décor and staging of the home. Don't get caught up in the décor as your furniture will look much different in the space. Instead, focus on the flow of the rooms, how you transition around the home and how much space there is in each room.

Not asking questions about your floor plan

After you have started to get some clear ideas of what you want your log home floor plan to look like, your design team will start drafting up plans. For many people these plans look like they are written in a completely different language. Don't be intimidated by this and feel free to ask what certain things mean. Understanding how doors open, what the clearance is and the room sizes will be important for you to have a house that feels like home.

Not aligning your floor plan to your property

We all like to mix things up in our homes. You may have intended for your office to be in one space and your main living room to be in another only to mix it up in a few years. It's easy for you to mix and match rooms around but you can't change the location. Selecting a floor plan that complements your property will help you ensure that no matter what you change in the future you will always be happy with the view. A couple of things to consider are road and streets that might not be busy now but in 5 or 10 years will development in the area increase the traffic? If you have wide open spaces around you will they potentially turn into subdivisions and change your view? Or does the sun shine right into your home year round, if so this could warm up certain areas of your house making them harder to keep cool. If your bedroom is sun facing and you have hot summers with no air conditioning you will want to find ways to cool the space.

To help you avoid any potential mistakes with your floor plan it's important to ask your designers as many questions as you have, look at tons of ideas and to be open to new layouts and designs. Check out our log home floor plans and log home galleries for some inspiration as well.

from Artisan Custom Log Homes http://ift.tt/29sSb1D

Top 7 Log Home Floor Plan Mistakes and How to Avoid them

We’ve all done it at one time or another. Picked something, a car, a piece of clothing or a meal, that we think we are going to love and find that we don’t. We don’t want you to make the same mistake with your log home floor plan. Here are the top 10 most common floor plan mistakes people make and how to avoid them.

Thinking every floor plan is right for you

If you take a few moments to scan Houzz, Pinterest or the latest Log Home Magazine you will find dream homes by the hundreds. Even though we would love to live in many of the homes we see it’s important to pick the floor plan that works for you and your family. Picture your family living in the home on a day-to-day basis. Is going up three sets of stairs to get to your master bedroom going to be exhausting or will the view be worth it? Or, would you prefer everything is on one level in a rancher style home? Think about how you plan to use the space in your home after you have lived in it for three or six months. This will help you see that a particular floor plan may sound like a great idea now but may only cause you frustrations in the future.

Not having the room sized to fit your furniture

Sometimes space can be limited. If you are building any smaller sized rooms or designing a tight staircase it’s important to take in account the type of furniture you have. Sometimes part of the joy of building a new home is all the new furniture you can buy to go along with it and other times you want to keep using what you currently have. For example, if you have a large custom bed, moving it up two flights of stairs may be a bit of a challenge or require some creative thinking. Taking into account any signature or key furniture pieces can help ensure you’re not left figuring out how to get something into a room after the fact.

Not having the right floor plan for your new lifestyle

For many homeowners building their dream log home may cause a shift in their lifestyle. They may start to cook outdoors more or want to entertain more. Consider what changes you might need to make to allow yourself to cook more outside or how your home might feel when it’s fully occupied with company over. Where would the guest room and bathroom be situated? Is it easy for you to transition between the kitchen and the barbeque area?

Building for now instead of the for future

Have you ever purchased a sports car because you either don’t have kids yet or because they just moved out of the house only to realize that a couple years later you’re expecting or have grandkids on the way? The same thing happens with a home. It’s great to think that right now there might only be two of you living in your home but what about five years from now? Will kids or grandkids be on the way? Having that extra guest room may come in handy and save you from having to give up the man cave or office space instead.

Focusing on the décor instead of the floor plan

Sometimes when you’re building your dream home it’s nice to tour show homes to get inspiration for new layouts, features and other ideas. It’s one of the best ways to help you determine if you really like it or just liked the concept in the magazine. One key mistake many people make is that they don’t actually look at the floor plan but instead get caught up in the décor and staging of the home. Don’t get caught up in the décor as your furniture will look much different in the space. Instead, focus on the flow of the rooms, how you transition around the home and how much space there is in each room.

Not asking questions about your floor plan

After you have started to get some clear ideas of what you want your log home floor plan to look like, your design team will start drafting up plans. For many people these plans look like they are written in a completely different language. Don’t be intimidated by this and feel free to ask what certain things mean. Understanding how doors open, what the clearance is and the room sizes will be important for you to have a house that feels like home.

Not aligning your floor plan to your property

We all like to mix things up in our homes. You may have intended for your office to be in one space and your main living room to be in another only to mix it up in a few years. It’s easy for you to mix and match rooms around but you can’t change the location. Selecting a floor plan that complements your property will help you ensure that no matter what you change in the future you will always be happy with the view. A couple of things to consider are road and streets that might not be busy now but in 5 or 10 years will development in the area increase the traffic? If you have wide open spaces around you will they potentially turn into subdivisions and change your view? Or does the sun shine right into your home year round, if so this could warm up certain areas of your house making them harder to keep cool. If your bedroom is sun facing and you have hot summers with no air conditioning you will want to find ways to cool the space.

To help you avoid any potential mistakes with your floor plan it’s important to ask your designers as many questions as you have, look at tons of ideas and to be open to new layouts and designs. Check out our log home floor plans and log home galleries for some inspiration as well.

from Artisan Custom Log Homes http://ift.tt/29sSb1D

Reader Mail: Answering Your Questions!

It’s been a long, long time since I did a reader Q&A on this site and, after being inspired by a post on Wait but Why?, I decided it was time to do another reader mailbag! So, I sent out a call on my newsletter for questions, and got a few hundred! Some of them were personal questions I answered over email, some require long posts that I’ll write, I saved some for a part 2, and some are here now!

I thought this would be fun and questions range from travel to politics to science to the zany!

So let’s get to it: (Note: some people asked the same questions, so I lumped their names together!!)

“What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?” – Kimberly

I don’t eat ice cream anymore (I know. I’m crazy.) but, when I did, I used to love mint chocolate chip and eat it like it was my job! That stuff is DELICIOUS! Also, Ben and Jerry’s Peanut Butter cup. MMMM. I hear they don’t make that anymore, which is sad.

“How do I get out and travel? I’m a poor college student with loans and slightly crazy parents, and it sort of seems impossible to just get up and go. Where did you find the motivation to travel?” – Chelsea

I would probably get a job overseas as a way to earn money and fund your travels when you are done with college. There are a ton of jobs you can get that will help you pay off school and save for traveling! I wrote this post on Thought Catalog about working overseas that can help. It lists all the jobs you could do as a traveler that can fund your travelers!

And some of these interviews might help too:

• How Emily Taught English to Fund Her RTW Adventure
• How Arielle Found a Job Working on a Yacht
• What’s It Like to Actually Work on a Cruise Ship?
• How Jessica and Her Boyfriend Worked Their Way Around the World

“What are you’re views on ‘Lost?’” – Michael

It was a great show in the beginning but got really bad and convoluted in the end. I mean if the entire show was really about Jacob and the Smoke Guy, why not explain more about them and the history of the island? And, moreover, if Jack and Co.’s time on the island was so important, what was that purgatory they were all in all about in the last season? It made no sense. The show runners left too many loose ends and unexplained plots. I’m sad I wasted all that time watching that story unfold. It just got worse and worse. If I knew it was going to end so poorly, I would have never started in the beginning.

That’s also my feelings on How I Met Your Mother!

“Do you have any experience with Couchsurfing? We are a UK family and we have come up short on couchsurfing offers. Is it because we are a couple traveling with a 10-year-old?” – Dean and Irine

Couchsurfing is a community and you can’t use it as a place to just get a free night to stay. You have to offer something and show interest in getting to know the hosts. And yes, there are a lot of families on Couchsurfing. While the predominate people on the site are solo travelers looking to host only one or two other travelers, I’ve seen and heard from a lot of families who use the website. You can also check out Servas and Hospitality Club, which tend to be more family oriented!

This new blog post on Couchsurfing might help you too!

“Has your circadian rhythm been affected over the years by traveling to so many different places in different time zones?” – Amanda

I’m not a great sleeper to begin with but, after years of traveling, I don’t get really bad jetlag as I try to get on the time zone I am traveling to the day before my flight. If I’m traveling half way around the world, I will shift myself close to that time zone in my sleep pattern (going to be earlier/later) and on the flight usually take a sleeping pill to synch myself up with the destination’s time zone. Sleeping pills help a lot!

“How in the world has our country gotten to the place where Donald Trump is a frontrunner for President!” – Linda and Carrie

Well, here is what I think:

First, the Republican Party has stocked nativism for about twenty years as a way to divert attention away from real pocketbook issues and improving our infrastructure. “You didn’t lose your job because you’re bad at it, you lost it because of immigrants.” or “Obama is coming for you guns!” A great book on the subject is “What’s the matter with Kansas?“

Second, the U.S. in general has done a really poor job of transitioning to the current global economy we have. The irony of all this anti-trade, immigration rhetoric is that it was the United States after World War 2 that championed a more economically-open and connected world. In the end, as other countries rose, we didn’t adjust to that reality or do much about it to keep our edge. Factory jobs went overseas, purchasing power went down, and job skills became obsolete. The U.S. didn’t do much to help to readjust workers to the new system, train them for new jobs, or simply provide for them in way that help them become economically secure….because honestly some jobs are just gone and never coming back. Whereas people had pensions before, now they are left to fend for themselves. How many people are going to hire 65 year old factory workers with high school educations? Hardly any!

Plus, during this time, education and health care costs have risen and we’ve retreated from the world – our education system is cut, we don’t focus on world studies, travel, and most of the news about the world is negative.

All that combined has become a powerful cocktail that allows a Trump to sneak in. It gives the afraid, the racists, the bigots, the nativists a chance to finally come out of the shadows. There is a wide section of the population who feels so left out by the system that they would just burn it down and see what happens. Just look at Brexit. A lot of people felt so left out in the cold they wanted anything because to them nothing could be worse.

And it’s that kind of feeling that let’s a Donald Trump come to power. The system created him by ignoring the basic needs of so many people and trying to divert their attention for so long.

“Any tips for settling back in after being away for 6 months in Asia and coming home and feeling super depressed?” – Rachel

Ahh yes. We’ve all been there. Coming home is often harder than going away. I fully believe in post-trip depression. I’ve written a lot about the subject on my website and you can find the articles here:

• Post-Trip Depression: It’s Often Emotionally Harder to Come Home Than Go Away
• The Culture Shock of Coming Home

“The biggest thing holding me back is the anxiety of what happens when I return to the United States. Do you have any friends in their mid-30’s who have put their successful careers ‘on-hold’?” – Todd

I dealt with this by remembering that I’m are going to work until I die. The old idea of retirement doesn’t hold a candle anymore unless you get really rich! There’s no pensions. Moreover, why save the worst years for doing the best stuff? You can always find some job when you get back and more employers want employees who have lived life and experienced the world. I used to worry about this but the more I see employers looking for experience and the more common a career break becomes, the less I think this matters.

Go have fun. Don’t let some future “what if” keep you from living your dreams. You might find a new passion or career. Gary Vaynerchuk, the media mogul, always says his best motivation is remember he’s going to de. You’re going to die one day too so take all the chances and opportunities you have. Not even is lucky enough to be able to even think about quitting their job. You are. Do it! Go have fun!

“I live in the UK and with the debate currently raging about whether the country should leave the EU or not, my question is this. Would you rather have a head the size of a golf ball or feet the size of canoes –  and what are your reasons?” – Richard

I’m going to go with option C and say neither. I don’t want to shrink my brain and having feet that big would make it really hard to find shoes that fit. Plus, with feet that big, I’d never be able to sit on a plane comfortably!

“I am currently debating whether to travel before I go to university. Do you think it’s worth waiting until I’ve established myself more, or to go now? I’ve never been overseas before, and would be traveling by myself if I were to go.” – India

This is a question I get often by young travelers – do I put off school or wait to travel?  I think education is more important than ever and you should never, ever, ever, stop educating yourself. That being said, with university costing so much money, why waste money and time if you aren’t sure of what you are going to do yet? If you have an idea of what you want to study, have a scholarship, or just want some more time “growing up,” I say go to school. You can always travel later. Don’t waste a chance to get educated. And, if you don’t like it, you can always go back. But if you have no idea what you want, maybe delay a year and go work or travel. Don’t waste money on school when you don’t know what you are there. I wrote about this subject in detail here.

“If you could have one superpower for a day, what would that be and why?” – Franco

I would like the power to teleport anywhere in the world. I’d visit a lot of out of the way places in that short period of time! I suspect this was a pretty obvious answer!

“How do you publish your books? I am thinking of all the practical stuff, when you (almost) have your manuscript for a (travel) book ready.  Do you send the manuscript to a company or how does it work, when you want a book ‘out there?’” – Michael

The book publishing process was a bit different for me. I had a publisher come directly to me with an offer for How to Travel the World on $50 a Day. I didn’t have to pitch it elsewhere. Once we worked out the contract details, I submitted the draft about 6 months later and then it went through two rounds of edits before being sent off to printing.

For my upcoming second book (a travel memoir), the process will be a bit different. Since I don’t already have an offer, I’ll need to write a book proposal outlining what the book is about and my plans to promote it. I’ll submit that to my current publisher as they have the first rights to it and, then based on that, I can either accept or take the offer to other publishers to see what their offer could be. After I accept an offer (if I get one), then the writing process is the same.

“Are you happy? What do you think about happiness?” – Assunta

Happiness is a state of mind. I’m pretty happy with my life. I have no real complaints and have it pretty easy. Is it perfect? No, but what life is ever perfect and what really is perfect anyways? I don’t want perfection. I want every day to be better than the last!

“If you could time travel to any time and place on earth, when & where would you go? And why? Top 3 choices.” – Sarah, Rod, and Laneen

The first one would be 1920s Paris so I could live out all my jazz age dreams with Hemmingway, Fitzgerald, Picasso, and all the other amazing artists of the day.  The second era would be Colonial America because I studied that time period in school and would be really interested to see what was really going through people’s minds about independence then!  Lastly, I would probably time travel to ancient Rome. The Romans were far more technologically advanced than we give them credit for and I would love to explore the ancient streets of Rome.

“I’ve want to travel more but I am afraid to travel alone or only with female friends. I don’t want to be paranoid but you always hear in the news women being raped, backpackers getting beat up, or killed.  Any tips on which destinations are good for backpacking beginners?” – Zoé 

I can only offer limited advice, as I’m not a woman, but fortunately, Kristin Addis writes a regular column here about female travel and even wrote a book called Conquering Mountains, which is about getting over the fears and misconceptions about traveling solo as a woman.

To the larger issue of travelers being in danger, I don’t think travelers are in any greater danger than their home country (unless maybe you live in Iceland or Japan where crime is a rarity). That’s not to say bad stuff doesn’t happen for no reason but it’s not as common as the news makes it out to be and there is usually more to the story.

“Do you subscribe to the idea that we should make decisions based off our emotions? Or, do you think we should ignore our emotions, and be rational? Or is it even possible to do one without the other?” – Adam

Deep. I think it’s complicated and intertwined. You can’t escape your emotions no matter how rational you think your decision is. If people only made decisions based on reason, the world would be a lot different but humans are an emotional and irrational bunch. Our emotions always guide our decisions not matter what. In the end, I think you should do what makes you happy and brings you the most joy in life (as long as you don’t hurt anyone else).

“For a man who has traveled the world, why did you decide to settle in Austin, Texas? If I remember correctly, you are originally an American, so why would you after all that traveling decide to stay in your home country?” – Robert, Lisa and Najwa

I moved to Austin for a couple of reasons: I opened a hostel with a friend and I wanted to get more involved in that; I have a number of business contacts here; I have a number of friends here; and I was looking to get out of NYC for a little and move to a smaller, quieter place where I could work, sleep, and develop more positive habits.

At this point in my life, I’m excited to spend more time at home with friends and family and not looking to restart a new life in another country right now. I just want to relax. I wrote more about my move here.

“I am starting a blog. Since you are one of my favorite bloggers, I want to get your opinion: some people say go niche while others say blog about lifestye.  Do you have an opinion or advice on this topic?” – Barbara 

It depends on what your long term goals are – hobby? Profession? Side income? The more narrow a blog can be, the easier time it will have being heard above the noise. That being said, there are a lot of personality-driven lifestyle blogs. There’s no right or wrong way to blog – you just need to find the style that best suits your needs.

Start a blog and blog about whatever you want and figure it out along the way!

You can read more of my advice in this post.

“My question is regarding how I handle insurance.  I’m confused about how to manage the United States mandatory health insurance laws while I’m attempting to travel long-term.” – Joseph

This is a common question. You need to have US health insurance if you are in the States for 330 days in a calendar year. I don’t know how long your trip is but I would say if you are going for a year or so, not to worry about until you come back.

“What’s your biggest fear right now? How has it changed from before you started blogging full-time?” – Ethan

My biggest fear is of dying in a plane crash. I’m terrified of flying. The idea of falling for 20 seconds scares me to death. Other than that, I’m also afraid of snakes.

“What are some difficulties you have faced or seen related to love and relationships while on the road?” – Nati

Being on the road long-term can make relationships difficult. I know lots of people who find love on the road. You meet people all the time and it’s very easy to fall in love but eventually someone has to go home (unless you are both digital nomads and can travel forever) so someone else has to make the decision to follow or not. That’s not an easy decision to make. It happens though. I just haven’t found it yet.

“I’ll be making a trip to Amsterdam this November. I was wondering if you have any must-see places in Amsterdam and possibly Brussels too.” – Brian 

All my tips for both places can be found in my (free) destination guides. Here‘s the one for Amsterdam and here‘s the one for Brussels.

“How do you deal with language barriers when you don’t have technology and things like Google translate on your phone?” – Laneen and Carrie

Pantomime. Seriously. While basic English is pretty much understood in most places tourists go, when you are really pressed for luck, pantomime. I had a friend cluck like a chicken in Laos and I went “choo choo” in Ukraine to get the taxi to go to the train station. People want to help. You just have to let them. I’m lucky in that I speak English as a first language but even if you don’t remember that most human interaction is nonverbal so work on using gestures and symbols to get your point across!

“Why is it rude in some places to switch the fork + knife between hands after you cut your food?” – Jordan

I have no idea. I didn’t even know this was a thing. If anyone knows, please share in the comments!

****

That’s it for round one! I’ll have the second batch of questions I got in a few weeks! Feel free to leave any in the comments too! Always happy to answer questions!

P.S. – In case you missed it, if you are looking to get into travel video, I just launched a new course with two big travel Youtubers! You can learn how to make amazing videos by clicking here!

The post Reader Mail: Answering Your Questions! appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

from Nomadic Matt's Travel Site http://ift.tt/29uWYit

Reader Mail: Answering Your Questions!

It's been a long, long time since I did a reader Q&A on this site and, after being inspired by a post on Wait but Why?, I decided it was time to do another reader mailbag! So, I sent out a call on my newsletter for questions, and got a few hundred! Some of them were personal questions I answered over email, some require long posts that I'll write, I saved some for a part 2, and some are here now!

I thought this would be fun and questions range from travel to politics to science to the zany!

So let's get to it: (Note: some people asked the same questions, so I lumped their names together!!)

"What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?" – Kimberly

I don't eat ice cream anymore (I know. I'm crazy.) but, when I did, I used to love mint chocolate chip and eat it like it was my job! That stuff is DELICIOUS! Also, Ben and Jerry's Peanut Butter cup. MMMM. I hear they don't make that anymore, which is sad.

"How do I get out and travel? I'm a poor college student with loans and slightly crazy parents, and it sort of seems impossible to just get up and go. Where did you find the motivation to travel?" – Chelsea

I would probably get a job overseas as a way to earn money and fund your travels when you are done with college. There are a ton of jobs you can get that will help you pay off school and save for traveling! I wrote this post on Thought Catalog about working overseas that can help. It lists all the jobs you could do as a traveler that can fund your travelers!

And some of these interviews might help too:

• How Emily Taught English to Fund Her RTW Adventure
• How Arielle Found a Job Working on a Yacht
• What's It Like to Actually Work on a Cruise Ship?
• How Jessica and Her Boyfriend Worked Their Way Around the World

"What are you're views on 'Lost?'" – Michael

It was a great show in the beginning but got really bad and convoluted in the end. I mean if the entire show was really about Jacob and the Smoke Guy, why not explain more about them and the history of the island? And, moreover, if Jack and Co.'s time on the island was so important, what was that purgatory they were all in all about in the last season? It made no sense. The show runners left too many loose ends and unexplained plots. I'm sad I wasted all that time watching that story unfold. It just got worse and worse. If I knew it was going to end so poorly, I would have never started in the beginning.

That's also my feelings on How I Met Your Mother!

"Do you have any experience with Couchsurfing? We are a UK family and we have come up short on couchsurfing offers. Is it because we are a couple traveling with a 10-year-old?" – Dean and Irine

Couchsurfing is a community and you can't use it as a place to just get a free night to stay. You have to offer something and show interest in getting to know the hosts. And yes, there are a lot of families on Couchsurfing. While the predominate people on the site are solo travelers looking to host only one or two other travelers, I've seen and heard from a lot of families who use the website. You can also check out Servas and Hospitality Club, which tend to be more family oriented!

This new blog post on Couchsurfing might help you too!

"Has your circadian rhythm been affected over the years by traveling to so many different places in different time zones?" – Amanda

I'm not a great sleeper to begin with but, after years of traveling, I don't get really bad jetlag as I try to get on the time zone I am traveling to the day before my flight. If I'm traveling half way around the world, I will shift myself close to that time zone in my sleep pattern (going to be earlier/later) and on the flight usually take a sleeping pill to synch myself up with the destination's time zone. Sleeping pills help a lot!

"How in the world has our country gotten to the place where Donald Trump is a frontrunner for President!" – Linda and Carrie

Well, here is what I think:

First, the Republican Party has stocked nativism for about twenty years as a way to divert attention away from real pocketbook issues and improving our infrastructure. "You didn't lose your job because you're bad at it, you lost it because of immigrants." or "Obama is coming for you guns!" A great book on the subject is "What's the matter with Kansas?"

Second, the U.S. in general has done a really poor job of transitioning to the current global economy we have. The irony of all this anti-trade, immigration rhetoric is that it was the United States after World War 2 that championed a more economically-open and connected world. In the end, as other countries rose, we didn't adjust to that reality or do much about it to keep our edge. Factory jobs went overseas, purchasing power went down, and job skills became obsolete. The U.S. didn't do much to help to readjust workers to the new system, train them for new jobs, or simply provide for them in way that help them become economically secure….because honestly some jobs are just gone and never coming back. Whereas people had pensions before, now they are left to fend for themselves. How many people are going to hire 65 year old factory workers with high school educations? Hardly any!

Plus, during this time, education and health care costs have risen and we've retreated from the world – our education system is cut, we don't focus on world studies, travel, and most of the news about the world is negative.

All that combined has become a powerful cocktail that allows a Trump to sneak in. It gives the afraid, the racists, the bigots, the nativists a chance to finally come out of the shadows. There is a wide section of the population who feels so left out by the system that they would just burn it down and see what happens. Just look at Brexit. A lot of people felt so left out in the cold they wanted anything because to them nothing could be worse.

And it's that kind of feeling that let's a Donald Trump come to power. The system created him by ignoring the basic needs of so many people and trying to divert their attention for so long.

"Any tips for settling back in after being away for 6 months in Asia and coming home and feeling super depressed?" – Rachel

Ahh yes. We've all been there. Coming home is often harder than going away. I fully believe in post-trip depression. I've written a lot about the subject on my website and you can find the articles here:

• Post-Trip Depression: It's Often Emotionally Harder to Come Home Than Go Away
• The Culture Shock of Coming Home

"The biggest thing holding me back is the anxiety of what happens when I return to the United States. Do you have any friends in their mid-30's who have put their successful careers 'on-hold'?" – Todd

I dealt with this by remembering that I'm are going to work until I die. The old idea of retirement doesn't hold a candle anymore unless you get really rich! There's no pensions. Moreover, why save the worst years for doing the best stuff? You can always find some job when you get back and more employers want employees who have lived life and experienced the world. I used to worry about this but the more I see employers looking for experience and the more common a career break becomes, the less I think this matters.

Go have fun. Don't let some future "what if" keep you from living your dreams. You might find a new passion or career. Gary Vaynerchuk, the media mogul, always says his best motivation is remember he's going to de. You're going to die one day too so take all the chances and opportunities you have. Not even is lucky enough to be able to even think about quitting their job. You are. Do it! Go have fun!

"I live in the UK and with the debate currently raging about whether the country should leave the EU or not, my question is this. Would you rather have a head the size of a golf ball or feet the size of canoes –  and what are your reasons?" – Richard

I'm going to go with option C and say neither. I don't want to shrink my brain and having feet that big would make it really hard to find shoes that fit. Plus, with feet that big, I'd never be able to sit on a plane comfortably!

"I am currently debating whether to travel before I go to university. Do you think it's worth waiting until I've established myself more, or to go now? I've never been overseas before, and would be traveling by myself if I were to go." – India

This is a question I get often by young travelers – do I put off school or wait to travel?  I think education is more important than ever and you should never, ever, ever, stop educating yourself. That being said, with university costing so much money, why waste money and time if you aren't sure of what you are going to do yet? If you have an idea of what you want to study, have a scholarship, or just want some more time "growing up," I say go to school. You can always travel later. Don't waste a chance to get educated. And, if you don't like it, you can always go back. But if you have no idea what you want, maybe delay a year and go work or travel. Don't waste money on school when you don't know what you are there. I wrote about this subject in detail here.

"If you could have one superpower for a day, what would that be and why?" – Franco

I would like the power to teleport anywhere in the world. I'd visit a lot of out of the way places in that short period of time! I suspect this was a pretty obvious answer!

"How do you publish your books? I am thinking of all the practical stuff, when you (almost) have your manuscript for a (travel) book ready.  Do you send the manuscript to a company or how does it work, when you want a book 'out there?'" – Michael

The book publishing process was a bit different for me. I had a publisher come directly to me with an offer for How to Travel the World on $50 a Day. I didn't have to pitch it elsewhere. Once we worked out the contract details, I submitted the draft about 6 months later and then it went through two rounds of edits before being sent off to printing.

For my upcoming second book (a travel memoir), the process will be a bit different. Since I don't already have an offer, I'll need to write a book proposal outlining what the book is about and my plans to promote it. I'll submit that to my current publisher as they have the first rights to it and, then based on that, I can either accept or take the offer to other publishers to see what their offer could be. After I accept an offer (if I get one), then the writing process is the same.

"Are you happy? What do you think about happiness?" – Assunta

Happiness is a state of mind. I'm pretty happy with my life. I have no real complaints and have it pretty easy. Is it perfect? No, but what life is ever perfect and what really is perfect anyways? I don't want perfection. I want every day to be better than the last!

"If you could time travel to any time and place on earth, when & where would you go? And why? Top 3 choices." – Sarah, Rod, and Laneen

The first one would be 1920s Paris so I could live out all my jazz age dreams with Hemmingway, Fitzgerald, Picasso, and all the other amazing artists of the day.  The second era would be Colonial America because I studied that time period in school and would be really interested to see what was really going through people's minds about independence then!  Lastly, I would probably time travel to ancient Rome. The Romans were far more technologically advanced than we give them credit for and I would love to explore the ancient streets of Rome.

"I've want to travel more but I am afraid to travel alone or only with female friends. I don't want to be paranoid but you always hear in the news women being raped, backpackers getting beat up, or killed.  Any tips on which destinations are good for backpacking beginners?" – Zoé 

I can only offer limited advice, as I'm not a woman, but fortunately, Kristin Addis writes a regular column here about female travel and even wrote a book called Conquering Mountains, which is about getting over the fears and misconceptions about traveling solo as a woman.

To the larger issue of travelers being in danger, I don't think travelers are in any greater danger than their home country (unless maybe you live in Iceland or Japan where crime is a rarity). That's not to say bad stuff doesn't happen for no reason but it's not as common as the news makes it out to be and there is usually more to the story.

"Do you subscribe to the idea that we should make decisions based off our emotions? Or, do you think we should ignore our emotions, and be rational? Or is it even possible to do one without the other?" – Adam

Deep. I think it's complicated and intertwined. You can't escape your emotions no matter how rational you think your decision is. If people only made decisions based on reason, the world would be a lot different but humans are an emotional and irrational bunch. Our emotions always guide our decisions not matter what. In the end, I think you should do what makes you happy and brings you the most joy in life (as long as you don't hurt anyone else).

"For a man who has traveled the world, why did you decide to settle in Austin, Texas? If I remember correctly, you are originally an American, so why would you after all that traveling decide to stay in your home country?" – Robert, Lisa and Najwa

I moved to Austin for a couple of reasons: I opened a hostel with a friend and I wanted to get more involved in that; I have a number of business contacts here; I have a number of friends here; and I was looking to get out of NYC for a little and move to a smaller, quieter place where I could work, sleep, and develop more positive habits.

At this point in my life, I'm excited to spend more time at home with friends and family and not looking to restart a new life in another country right now. I just want to relax. I wrote more about my move here.

"I am starting a blog. Since you are one of my favorite bloggers, I want to get your opinion: some people say go niche while others say blog about lifestye.  Do you have an opinion or advice on this topic?" – Barbara 

It depends on what your long term goals are – hobby? Profession? Side income? The more narrow a blog can be, the easier time it will have being heard above the noise. That being said, there are a lot of personality-driven lifestyle blogs. There's no right or wrong way to blog – you just need to find the style that best suits your needs.

Start a blog and blog about whatever you want and figure it out along the way!

You can read more of my advice in this post.

"My question is regarding how I handle insurance.  I'm confused about how to manage the United States mandatory health insurance laws while I'm attempting to travel long-term." – Joseph

This is a common question. You need to have US health insurance if you are in the States for 330 days in a calendar year. I don't know how long your trip is but I would say if you are going for a year or so, not to worry about until you come back.

"What's your biggest fear right now? How has it changed from before you started blogging full-time?" – Ethan

My biggest fear is of dying in a plane crash. I'm terrified of flying. The idea of falling for 20 seconds scares me to death. Other than that, I'm also afraid of snakes.

"What are some difficulties you have faced or seen related to love and relationships while on the road?" – Nati

Being on the road long-term can make relationships difficult. I know lots of people who find love on the road. You meet people all the time and it's very easy to fall in love but eventually someone has to go home (unless you are both digital nomads and can travel forever) so someone else has to make the decision to follow or not. That's not an easy decision to make. It happens though. I just haven't found it yet.

"I'll be making a trip to Amsterdam this November. I was wondering if you have any must-see places in Amsterdam and possibly Brussels too." – Brian 

All my tips for both places can be found in my (free) destination guides. Here's the one for Amsterdam and here's the one for Brussels.

"How do you deal with language barriers when you don't have technology and things like Google translate on your phone?" – Laneen and Carrie

Pantomime. Seriously. While basic English is pretty much understood in most places tourists go, when you are really pressed for luck, pantomime. I had a friend cluck like a chicken in Laos and I went "choo choo" in Ukraine to get the taxi to go to the train station. People want to help. You just have to let them. I'm lucky in that I speak English as a first language but even if you don't remember that most human interaction is nonverbal so work on using gestures and symbols to get your point across!

"Why is it rude in some places to switch the fork + knife between hands after you cut your food?" – Jordan

I have no idea. I didn't even know this was a thing. If anyone knows, please share in the comments!

****

That's it for round one! I'll have the second batch of questions I got in a few weeks! Feel free to leave any in the comments too! Always happy to answer questions!

P.S. – In case you missed it, if you are looking to get into travel video, I just launched a new course with two big travel Youtubers! You can learn how to make amazing videos by clicking here!

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3 Tips for an Eco-Friendly Home Security System

Technology not only enhances home protection, but can also help you greatly reduce home energy consumption. Here are a few ways to make sure that your home security system is as environmentally friendly as possible.

Image Source: Flickr

Below are 3 tips for an eco-friendly home security system:

Use Outdoor Lighting with Motion Detectors
Many of us tend to leave lights on when we’re away from home, to give the appearance that the house is occupied; this is not only a waste of energy, but also causes electricity bills to rise. Rather than relying on leaving lights on when you’re away, it can be helpful to install flood lights around your home, operated with motion detectors. This way, they will only be on if there is movement around your home, rather than all day or night. Many security systems also offer monitoring systems that not only allow you to monitor your home by video surveillance, but also the lights in your home, by your smart phone or personal computer. These monitoring systems can control a variety of systems in your home such as the HVAC, so that rather than leaving your system running all day, you can turn it on shortly before returning home. This is a great way to keep your home secure without using excess energy. Source: PRWeb

Choose a Security System Provider that Uses Recycled Materials
With the current trend toward eco-friendly products, security companies have released their own line of energy-efficient products. Whether looking for Madison, NH Home Security or a security system for another location, most security companies will provide you with eco-friendly, energy-efficient options. These systems are more cost-effective, for they are built out of either recycled materials or environmentally friendly materials. And, because of their efficiency, they cost far less to use than traditional systems. Source: BullocksBuzz

Use Lighting Efficiently While Away
Using multiple light timers on different on/off cycles can go a long way toward making your home appear occupied. It can also help you save significantly over leaving lights on all the time. You can also make eco-friendly choices in your light bulbs. LED bulbs are far more energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs, using 80% less energy and lasting for years. They’re more expensive up front, but generally pay for themselves after 18 months, and can continue working for up to a decade after that, keeping your energy consumption for lighting down. Source: ProtectYourHome

Contact:
Mr. Locksmith Calgary
555 Maidstone Drive NE
Calgary, Alberta T2A 4B6
Canada
Phone: (403) 800-9185

The post 3 Tips for an Eco-Friendly Home Security System appeared first on Mr Locksmith Calgary.

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3 Tips for an Eco-Friendly Home Security System

Technology not only enhances home protection, but can also help you greatly reduce home energy consumption. Here are a few ways to make sure that your home security system is as environmentally friendly as possible.

Image Source: Flickr

Below are 3 tips for an eco-friendly home security system:

Use Outdoor Lighting with Motion Detectors
Many of us tend to leave lights on when we're away from home, to give the appearance that the house is occupied; this is not only a waste of energy, but also causes electricity bills to rise. Rather than relying on leaving lights on when you're away, it can be helpful to install flood lights around your home, operated with motion detectors. This way, they will only be on if there is movement around your home, rather than all day or night. Many security systems also offer monitoring systems that not only allow you to monitor your home by video surveillance, but also the lights in your home, by your smart phone or personal computer. These monitoring systems can control a variety of systems in your home such as the HVAC, so that rather than leaving your system running all day, you can turn it on shortly before returning home. This is a great way to keep your home secure without using excess energy. Source: PRWeb

Choose a Security System Provider that Uses Recycled Materials
With the current trend toward eco-friendly products, security companies have released their own line of energy-efficient products. Whether looking for Madison, NH Home Security or a security system for another location, most security companies will provide you with eco-friendly, energy-efficient options. These systems are more cost-effective, for they are built out of either recycled materials or environmentally friendly materials. And, because of their efficiency, they cost far less to use than traditional systems. Source: BullocksBuzz

Use Lighting Efficiently While Away
Using multiple light timers on different on/off cycles can go a long way toward making your home appear occupied. It can also help you save significantly over leaving lights on all the time. You can also make eco-friendly choices in your light bulbs. LED bulbs are far more energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs, using 80% less energy and lasting for years. They're more expensive up front, but generally pay for themselves after 18 months, and can continue working for up to a decade after that, keeping your energy consumption for lighting down. Source: ProtectYourHome

Contact:
Mr. Locksmith Calgary
555 Maidstone Drive NE
Calgary, Alberta T2A 4B6
Canada
Phone: (403) 800-9185

The post 3 Tips for an Eco-Friendly Home Security System appeared first on Mr Locksmith Calgary.

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3 Common Electronic Door Locks for Your Home

Having an electronic door lock can be a good way to spare you the hassle of rummaging for keys in your bag or pocket, and it also adds security to your home. Here are 3 of the most common electronic door locks available on the market today.

Image Source: Flickr

Kwikset Kevo
The KwiksetKevo instantly transforms the owner's smartphone into a key. Designed with Bluetooth-connectivity, this smart lock replaces a regular deadbolt on a door. To unlock the door, the user has to touch the Kevo to send an "open" signal. Users acquiring the entry-level version of this smart lock will get two eKeys, two key fobs and two traditional keys. The latter is handy if the Kevo runs out of power. The major feature is the set of eKeys, which are encrypted codes that you can with your smartphone. eKeys offer more peace of mind than traditional keys because they cannot be duplicated. Moreover, eKeys can allow a guest either scheduled or "anytime" access Source: TechTimes

Keyless
For advanced home security and convenience, keyless locks can be used to replace any standard deadbolts on exterior doors. An anti-theft rolling code feature ensures the same code is never used twice, and certain models sound an alarm after the incorrect code is entered more than three consecutive times. Additionally, some systems are compatible with select garage door openers or home security systems. Source: ASecureLife

August Smart Lock
Don't let the name fool you – there are no keys involved. No access codes either, so a thief can't use a key logger to copy your code and then sneak in when you're not home. The August Smart Key lock discretely replaces most single cylinder deadbolts to provide secure access to your home via iOS or Android devices. The August Smart Key lock works independently, via a secure BlueTooth connection or over your home's Wi-Fi. The app sends a reminder if the lock's AA batteries are low so this lock keeps working, even if your power goes out.
Coupling the August Lock with August Connect, a smart device that allows you to access the lock from any Internet-enabled device, provides additional features. Rather than simply referring to a log of activity over the past week, you'll receive real-time notifications of who accessed your lock and when. You'll also be able to lock and unlock the door via any Internet-enabled device and connect your lock with other smart devices in your home. Source: SafeWise

 

Contact:
Mr. Locksmith Calgary
555 Maidstone Drive NE
Calgary, Alberta T2A 4B6
Canada
Phone: (403) 800-9185

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