When I got laid off from my job this past December, a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. I had no money, no job, and nothing to tie me down. As soon as the New Year turned, something inside me turned as well. I told my brother I wanted to drive through all fifty states and film a documentary of the stories and voices from the economy collapse. Two weeks later, my brother quit his job, and we embarked on this journey called “The Recess Ends”

We’ve interviewed and captured hundreds of hours of footage. Many of the stories presented themselves as stand alone, individual pieces. The following clip below is titled: Signature On A Small Town.

Signature On A Small Town from B-Rilla on Vimeo.

Traveling and music always seem to flow together.

This is Matthew Alch. His songs embody the spirit of the traveler, the vagabond, the wandering nomad.

I hope this clip keeps the endless search going, wherever you are.

Photo: Ben Brown

When I returned from a long travel break, my initial enthusiasm to get back to work faded around the time I landed myself a shiny new job. It was much more prestigious and better-paid than the one I had given up to go traveling, but once the novelty of it all – wearing a suit! Drinking vending machine coffee! Free email without a two-drink minimum! – wore off, I found myself unable to get motivated.

This is not an uncommon reaction. Many people can’t take reentry into a work routine and end up leaving the country again within a few months. But if this isn’t a desirable or viable option, don’t despair. Your travels have not rendered you terminally unable to hold down a job. Here a few steps to help get your head back into your work:

Swear yourself off travel for a year.

Don’t plan another sabbatical. Don’t even plan a two-week vacation. A long weekend here, a week’s trip within your home country there, is fine, but nothing more ambitious than that. It’s important to get focused, and stay focused, on where your home is.

Make a five year plan.

Don’t worry if this does not center wholly, or even mainly, around work. It’s fine if it involves more travel or another sabbatical. But it will show you where your current job fits in with your wider plans and, hopefully, make it seem worthwhile.

Ensure you have a life outside of work.

Photo: chatirygirl

If friends have moved on while you were away and your social world is no longer what it was, work can take on a disproportionate significance in your life. Get out there and meet like-minded people, just as you did when traveling, and you’ll soon end up feeling refreshed and looking at your job with new eyes – even if it’s just as a way to pay the bills.

Keep the souvenirs at home.

Resist the temptation to decorate your office with that Thai wooden fish mobile or use a shot of yourself scuba diving as your screen saver. It will not – and believe me I know, because I tried – motivate you, inspire you, or help you concentrate.

It will merely distract and depress you, and will serve as a talking point to every visitor to your desk – which will result in you spending every coffee break chatting about what you could be doing if you hadn’t come back home and got a job.

Who’s the new guy?

After you’ve settled into your new job, or settled back into your old one, take some time to assess what skills or qualities you now have, which you didn’t before your travels. Then work out how you can employ them in this post to ensure you do an even better job than you would have before. It will make you see travel less as something you do instead of, or as an escape from work, and will help you start to knit the two aspects of your life together.

Community Connection

For more on long term travel and how it can affect your career, check out How to Make Travel Look Good on a Resume.

For those interested in making a career out of travel, please visit MatadorU.

Photo: dno1967

For vehicles less than 25 years old, registered and insured for the full-year preceding the trade-in, and never get you laid, the CARS Allowance Rebate System program will hand qualified applicants a few grand on top of their vehicle’s current trade-in value to buy or lease a brand new ride.

This means consumers may receive up to a $4,500 discount for their trade-in vehicle when purchasing or leasing a new vehicle. Almost 30,000 different vehicle models qualify for the program so this might be just the right discount for you to take advantage of if you’re in the market for a new vehicle. Check the website for more details and the most up-to-date information.

Then again, as Julie Schwietert examined the other day: who does Cash For Clunkers really benefit?

Feature Photo: Threaded Thoughts

When I got laid off from my job this past December, a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. I had no money, no job, and nothing to tie me down. As soon as the New Year turned, something inside me turned as well. I told my brother I wanted to drive through all fifty states and film a documentary of the stories and voices from the economy collapse. Two weeks later, my brother quit his job, and we embarked on this journey called “The Recess Ends”

We’ve interviewed and captured hundreds of hours of footage. Many of the stories presented themselves as stand alone, individual pieces. The following clip below is titled: It’s Not A Party In New Orleans

It’s Not A Party In New Orleans from B-Rilla on Vimeo.

It’s difficult to comprehend and understand the full situation of New Orleans.

Old, young, rich, and poor, celebrated Mardi Gras to the fullest. It’s the symbol of life for the city of New Orleans and it’s people. It is a celebration of life and being part of an amazing community.

Much of the city is still abandoned and left to rot. However, the people there are more alive than ever. It’s about what they have, not what they don’t have.

Welcome To Our Home Photo: Lee Carson

Being a great host can be inexpensive and easy, provided you take a few minutes to plan in advance. And since long-distance friendships depend on those rare few days together, isn’t it worth it?

1. Have a spare key made.

This is a no-brainer, but something I avoided for a while out of pure laziness. You’ll end up with the worst meet-up arrangements to pass off the key, resulting in a frustrating week for you and a bunch of grumpy guests. Avoid the headache: get a cheap keychain and a spare key and let your guests wander as they please.

2. Make a map.

Label it with your house and fun things to do nearby. If you live in a large city, you may be able to grab a free subway map. If not, print out a zoomed out Google Map, as well as one that’s focused in on your neighborhood. Use highlighters and pens to mark different routes, points of interest, and the best sights or areas to explore while you’re at work. If my guest is arriving from abroad, I usually tape a couple of quarters onto the map in case he/she needs to call me from a pay phone.

3. Keep a pitcher of cold water in the fridge.

The first thing I want after a long voyage is about 10 glasses of water. The dry air in the plane, the expensive water bottles you have to throw out along the way… a tall glass of cool water is an insanely simple (and yet not obvious!) luxury your guests will appreciate. For a classier version, add lemon or lime slices.

4. Bake something a few hours before they arrive.

Banana Bread Photo: dichohecho

Banana bread is the easiest. I always keep a few too-ripe bananas on hand (let them sit on your counter until they turn black, then throw them into the freezer) so I can make banana bread on the fly.

It’s super-easy to bake, makes your apartment smell incredible, and is a great snack for anyone who just flew in. You can also opt to save it for breakfast (served with a steaming cup of coffee!) for your weary travelers the next morning.

5. Grab a couple of favorites.

Does your guest love dark beer? “Sex and the City” episodes? A specific candy bar? Picking up a few of their favorite items goes miles towards making someone feel comfortable and at home.

6. Keep a bowl of fruit handy.

I only get to see my friends who live abroad every few years. There are hours (and hours and hours) of catching up, which is always more fun with some finger food. I try to have a bowl of clementines or grapes handy to break out once the chatting has gone on a few hours. You’ll need something to sustain yourself while re-living all those ex-boyfriends!

7. Point out a local cafe.

When I travel, I like to imagine what my life would be like if I lived in my visiting city. Where would I meet friends for dinner? Where would I grab a drink? Curl up with a good book? Point out a couple of local hangouts for your guests in case they want to do the same.

Cafe Connection Photo: wacky

8. Keep old magazines.

This is the best way to recycle your old magazines. Offering your guests a few old copies of The New Yorker or Glamour or Time for their trip home can prevent them from spending cash on expensive magazines at the airport, cash that could be better spent saving for their next trip!

Community Connection:

Thinking about inviting friends from afar? Would You Let A Stranger Sleep on Your Couch?
Crashing at a friends? Couch Surfing

Feature photo & photo above: modenadude

After a recent appointment with my midwife, I stopped by a neighborhood bookstore to browse baby books. Though it’s currently in a box in my mother’s garage, I cherish my baby book, with its pages of my mom’s neat script documenting our family history and the months leading up to my adoption.

As a writer, it’s important to me that my husband and I do the same for our daughter.

I expected to find a handful of baby books, but times have changed since I toddled around in cloth diapers. Today, there are baby books for moms and dads, grandmothers and grandfathers, adoptive parents, and blended families. There are baby books organized around religious or ethnic identities, scrapbook kits, and books in multiple languages.

I bought my book (and one for my mother, Granny-to-be). Though I’ve been filling it out dutifully, I’ve come up with four other projects to welcome our baby to the world– ideas that any parent can appropriate and modify for their own family.

1. Make a time capsule.

Though many modern baby books include lots of room for photos, clippings, and other flat, paper-based ephemera, you may have objects you’d like to include that won’t fit between the pages of a baby book. A time capsule is one way to store those three-dimensional objects that have become important props in your family’s story.

Photo: MQuimayousie

Choose an appropriate container for these special items and start filling it. You can even start early in your pregnancy, collecting objects throughout the nine months you’re waiting to meet your baby.

You don’t actually have to bury the time capsule– just find some way to seal it and decide when you’ll be sharing it with your child.

What do you put in it? That depends on you, but some ideas might include your favorite music, a newspaper from the day of your child’s birth, your favorite piece of maternity wear, or a book you enjoyed reading during pregnancy.

You may also want to invite friends and family members to contribute to the time capsule.

2. Make a video of your partner.

My husband was born and raised in Cuba and came to the U.S. as a refugee on a boat. His entire family remains in Cuba. He fought in the war in Angola, he co-owned a hair salon (?!) in Boston, he had some sort of stake in a night club where Celia Cruz once performed… you get the idea: the guy has lots of interesting stories.

They’re stories that I could retell our daughter, but I’d rather she hear them from him. To get them on video and keep them as one record of our family story is a project I’m working on.

If you’re a single mom expecting a child, forget the partner bit. Make a video of your parents, grandparents, or other relatives. Ask questions for which you’ve always wanted to know the answers.

And no matter what your circumstances, make sure you shoot some footage of the places that are important to you, too.

Not too handy with the video camera? Matador contributing editor Josh Johnson offers plenty of tips to get you started.

3. Sign up for Upromise.

I promised myself I’d get rid of paper and electronic clutter by cutting out programs and memberships, but Upromise seems too good to pass up.

Upromise is a program that lets you sock away money for your baby’s future college tuition with minimal effort. By installing a Upromise toolbar on your computer, Upromise lets you know when you’re visiting a website or making a purchase from a retailer that participates in their service. When that’s the case, you’ll get 1-25% of the purchase cost diverted into an electronic savings account.

If you’re already buying airplane tickets from Expedia or making other online purchases, then you’re likely to be able to save up a bit without much extra effort. You can also invite friends and family to install the Upromise toolbar and designate their purchase percentages to be directed to your baby’s account.

The cost of college isn’t going to get any cheaper, folks. Every little bit might help.

4. Have an alternative shower.

Someone needs a bib. It’s just not you. Photo: madenadude

Say you’re on your second (or third, or…) baby. You’ve got plenty of clothes, bottles, toys, and baby gear from your first child and the thought of a shower just makes you crazy: Where will you put all these new gifts and will you even use them?

There are lots of parents and babies who could use that stuff, though. Some of them are far, far away and some of them are in your own community.

Let your friends know that you’d welcome a shower, on the condition that all gifts be bought for a baby in greater need than your own. The celebration for your baby will be all the sweeter knowing that you’ve made a difference in someone else’s life.

Let the hostess of the shower know where you’d like to donate the gifts so guests can select presents appropriately. Some recipient ideas include domestic violence shelters, local social service organizations, or international NGOs, such as Matador member Misty Tosh’s 4th World Love.

Community Connection:

Share your family ideas with us in the comments below!

Photo: jburwen

With the crappy economy circumscribing our day-to-day lives, the concentration of job seekers rises higher and higher with each passing month. Many of us are on the rarely-rewarding, often-frustrating job hunt that ultimately leaves us feeling like we are participating in one giant, perpetual and perpetually-draining job interview.

And damn if we don’t want to get off this ride.

Matador feels your pain. We really do. And we want to help. So to start off our Tips for Your Every Day series, I am sharing what hopefully will help catapult job seekers out of the interview spectrum and straight into the rapture of being gainfully employed.

Tip: Say my name.

Our brain activity heightens when we hear our own names. We like it and we perk up. Saying your interviewer’s name occasionally throughout the interview will not only actively engage him or her in your responses, but also foster positive feelings between the two of you.

Tip: Tell a story.

Put yourself in the shiny, employed shoes of the interviewer. Chances are, you’re not the only person they’re interviewing (shocking, I know). A good story that not only entertains, but also showcases your talents will be way more memorable than those standard, fill-in-the-blank answers everybody else is giving.

Photo by slushpup

Tip: Stay within a 20 second – 2 minute time frame.

Interviewees have been statistically more successful in landing jobs when they kept their answers within this time frame during their interview. Practice with your friends, family, or household plants to make sure your answers are not only complete, but also at least 20 seconds in length. Do not exceed the two minute time limit.

Tip: Finish your response with, “I’d love to discuss this further.”

This is for those that are finding it difficult to contain all their sophistication and glory in a mere two minutes. If your interviewer is practically begging you for more, please, do indulge their curiosity, but again, respect the two minute mark. And don’t extend an interview answer more than once. Remember, you want to leave them wanting more, you saucy thing.

Feature Photo by Brymo

Community Connection:

Loving your job will go a long way in loving your life, find out how- One Week Job: New Web Show About Finding Your Passion
Love to travel? Make traveling your career- 10 Travel Jobs Within Your Reach
An excellent resource for finding travel jobs is the website Transitions Abroad.

Photo: mangpages

Last year I packed my job as a web designer to over 20 countries and worked the same job I did when I was at home. Let’s flash back- I had just graduated college in America and had started a job as a web designer for a car company. After a few months, it dawned on me that there was no reason for me to come into the office every day and I approached my boss about alternatives to the normal plan.

I still wanted to work for them, and I had built up a lot of employer confidence, so I simply asked: “Do I need to be here every day?” The transition to location independence started with me coming in three days a week, spending my free time taking road trips down to Baja California or fishing in the Oregon Mountains. As long as I stayed in a hotel with wireless internet or stopped by at a café long enough to do some work, everything was fine.

The arrangement quickly progressed to one and two day work weeks and then eventually my current situation: weekly output goals with free structure in terms of hours and days per week.

Interested in starting your mobile office? Here are 10 tips to succeed in going remote.

1. Start slow.

Don’t approach your current boss with plans of a permanent relocation to the Philippines without testing the waters first. I still try to come back to town once every four to six months just to let my office know I’m still a real person.

Photo: CarbonNYC

2. Calculate cost savings: It’s good for everyone.

Having one less body in the office cuts insurance and utility costs. People tend to work a lot smarter when they don’t have to do something that looks like work for eight hours a day.

You will need to sell your proposal well if you want to enjoy life out of the office. Less cost, less drain on resources, and an increase in output: you working remotely is good for your employer!

3. Plan ahead.

The downside to working while traveling is that you’re always working. If you have a deadline to make or a project that needs to be finished, it won’t get pushed back so you can visit the Louvre or have one more night out in Prague. Plan work schedules ahead of time to avoid complications and ensure consistent productivity.

4. Stay disciplined.

Many people lose their jobs while abroad because they can’t handle all the freedom. Take away the cubicle walls and replace them with the beaches of Biarritz or seaside walks in Cinque Terre and it’s a little harder to get work done. Treat it like a carrot in front of your nose. It’s all there for you to play with- but not ‘til you get your work done.

5. Deal with the stress.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve almost had nervous breakdowns based on spotty, unreliable internet while abroad. Know the situation beforehand and plan ahead. Things are going to get stressful at first, but try to slow down. Breathe and relax. At least you’re not in the office, right?

6. Increase output.

With the only real exception being commission based sales, almost everyone could work harder than they do. As soon as you get your boss to give you a chance at outer office freedom, show him that without the daily distractions of your usual work environment you’re able to get a lot more done.

Try not to cite how much you hate the place as a reason for the increase in productivity. Better scapegoats are escaping the commute, a quieter work environment, and increased happiness due to more time with the family.

7. Communicate.

No job in the world is going to let you work remotely unless you take the time to let your employer know what it is you’re working on, when you’re going to be available, and what your future plans are. Working remotely forces you to communicate clearly and effectively in a solely technological environment. If you can’t do that, you’ll be back in the office in no time.

8. Develop alternative sources of income.

Leaving the office and going mobile is great until your boss decides you’re having too much fun and decides to end your extended vacation. Work isn’t always going to be there.

Develop a savings account you can lean on when you need to but also work on generating recurring passive income. Start a blog, sell your photography, write for travel online magazines.

9. Sell your skills.

If you have a skilled trade like web design, graphic design, copy writing, or patent law, you can spend time abroad searching for work as well. Find interesting side projects for companies in your new country of residence and use these as an opportunity to learn about local culture and business practices.

Meet local people you probably wouldn’t meet in a bar. If things work out, you may find yourself another mobile job you can bring with you- or at least a good reference!

10. Enjoy your free time.

Photo: nattu

All too often I remember spending so much time working and stressing about deadlines that I forgot about why I was doing this whole thing in the first place. Do your work quickly and efficiently early in the morning and then GET OUT.

Go explore wherever it is you happen to be. Go to a museum, read a book in the park, go to the beach, do whatever it is you want to do- nothing is there to hold you back anymore.

Community Connection:

How to Make Travel Look Good on a Resume
How To Find An Internet Cafe Anywhere In The World

Photo: Tattered Cover – Photo By: cpchen

Powell’s City of Books, Portland, OR:

Aptly named, the original location in downtown Portland claims to be the largest new and used independent bookstore in the world. It occupies a full city block and has seven branches around Portland. The color-coded rooms make finding a book a bit easier, but it can also be worthwhile to simply get lost in Powell’s maze.

Photo: Powell City of Books, Photo: Gracewandere

City Lights Books, San Francisco:

Co-founded by Beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, who became famous following for publishing Allen Ginsberg’s Howl and Other Poems, City Lights hasn’t outlived its counterculture, leftist heyday. It still attracts a colorful cross section of San Francisco residents and passing Beat wannabes.

Liberal propaganda sometimes hangs in the second floor windows, and, of course, City Lights has an impressive collection of Beat literature beyond just the Kerouac classics.

Faulkner House Books, New Orleans:

Squeezed into the French Quarter’s Pirate Alley, this small new and used bookstore operates out of part of the home William Faulkner rented rooms from when he wrote his first novel. Shelves of books reach to the high ceiling. The rest of the building is a private home, and be sure to walk gingerly—the old, cramped house feels fragile.

Elliott Bay Book Co., Seattle:

He warm glow of the exposed brick walls can easily envelop you for hours on a rainy morning in Seattle. Set in historic Pioneer Square among small shops, art galleries, and restaurants, the bookstore hosts an average of ten author readings weekly and has an extensive regional collection.

Photo: Tattered Cover Bookstore, Photo: Cpchen

Tattered Cover, Denver:

the dark wood shelves, exposed beams and overstuffed chairs of the original downtown location are a nice escape from the bustle of 16th Street’s rather tacky outdoor mall. One of the largest independent bookstores in the country, it also has an extensive magazine and newspaper collection.

BookPeople, Austin:

Everything is bigger in Texas, and BookPeople is the state’s largest. The independent bookstore in downtown is a local favorite. Lots of staff recommendation tags hang from the shelves—the most entertaining I’ve ever read in a bookstore.

Strand Books, Manhattan:

Home to “18 miles of books,” Strand is competing with Powell’s for the title of world’s largest collection of used books. It’s the city’s largest collection of rare books and has an entire floor of art titles. Strand also sells tote bags in over 30 designs, if you’re into that kind of thing.

Politics and Prose, Washington, D.C.:

Known by many because its readings are broadcast on C-SPAN, Politics and Prose has more than just political works. The store’s large selection also includes a respectable children’s section. Upcoming author events include Howard Dean and Senator Barbara Boxer.

Do you have a favorite independent bookstore? Share it with us in the comments section below.

Community Connection:

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