Dear Getting a Life Readers, Friends and Associates:

Once again almost a year has passed since we sent out our last update. Much has happened in our lives and in the world at large and we feel inspired to share some thoughts.

Getting to be Grandparents

On July 15, 2001 our first grandchild, Erik David Berzunza was born into the world in San Diego, CA., the first child of our daughter Kimberly and her husband Felipe. We immediately drove 1400 miles from Seattle to see the new edition of the family. The wonder of a new life coming into the world is a treasure we too often forget. But holding and looking down into the eyes of that little infant gave us new appreciation for the cycle of life and hope for the future. On the other hand, it brings new reality to the concerns we have about the world we are leaving for future generations. It’s no longer an abstract proposition. In anticipation of this event, David built a wooden cradle and Jacque made a beautiful quilt to commemorate Erik’s birth.

Both of us have strong favorable memories of our own grandparents and hope to follow their example as positive role models for Erik and any that follow. The distance between us will make active grand- parenting a challenge but we are thinking of ways to bridge the distance using technology and possibly even spending three or four months a year in San Diego in the future. It would also put us closer to Jacque’s parents who live in Oceanside, CA, only 35 miles north of San Diego. How we would/could do this financially remains to be seen but house-sitting or property care taking are options under consideration. We’ll see.

Bartering our Brains Out

Well, maybe that’s an overstatement, but we have struck some great bartering deals this year.

Jacque just celebrated her 3rd year of yoga practice and is currently in training to become a Bikram’s yoga instructor. As she became friends with the owner and director of the yoga studio she began exchanging yoga classes for once-a-week cleaning of the yoga studio. In early 2000, David built storage bins for the yoga students to put their clothes in during class in exchange for three months worth of yoga classes. That has since evolved into an exchange of yoga classes for maintenance projects around the studio and routine filing. We’ve both become addicted to yoga and try to practice at least three times a week. The bartering deal makes it even easier.

For several years we’ve been scratching our head’s over how to replace the worn-out wall-to-wall carpet in our living and dining room. Last spring David found out about a house in our neighborhood that was being torn down where the owner wanted to salvage the hardwood flooring. We negotiated a deal exchanging a few days of labor for the hardwood floor and now we have a beautiful floor in our in our kitchen, dining and living room! We even have enough left over to almost complete the master bedroom (that Jacque uses as a sewing room/office). Although the project turned out to be fairly labor-intensive we felt good about saving the beautiful hardwood from the landfill and we’re enjoying our new “recycled” floor.

Many cities have organized bartering networks that are worth looking at if you are interested in saving some bucks. Although we’re not part of a formal network, we continue to look for opportunities to get what we want without laying down any cash. We’ve had success bartering for video rentals, occasional use of a pickup truck and even use of our neighbor’s back yard for gardening! We encourage you to consider the barter option for reducing expenses and simplifying your life.

What a Difference a Decade Makes!

A few months ago David was asked to write up a blurb to post on the Website of our Voluntary Simplicity Group. In contemplating that task, he came to realize that it’s now been 10 years since we started the YMOYL program and joined the Voluntary Simplicity group. Here’s a look at:

What a difference a decade makes!

Ten years ago this year (2001) I was stuck on the work-and-spend treadmill in a corporate job that I was increasingly dissatisfied with, but like so many Americans I couldn't see a way out. I had bought into the "more is better" line that mainstream American culture dishes out in mega-doses. I had more stuff and a bigger paycheck than ever but was enjoying it less. I didn't have a clue as to the precarious state our planet is in environmentally or any idea of what the rest of my life should be about. Thank God, two things happened back in 1991 that began to change all that.

First, almost by accident, my wife Jacque Blix and I discovered a program called: Your Money or Your Life: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence and second, we joined a Voluntary Simplicity Study Circle. After listening to the audiotape version of Your Money or Your Life (YMOYL) in the summer of '91 we decided to give the program a try and haltingly began doing the steps. In the VS Study Circle we met a bunch of nice people of all ages and situations that were looking for something more out of life than bigger houses, cars and useless junk. Some were also using the YMOYL program as a way to simplify and figure out what was ENOUGH. Others were long time simple livers who had great ideas on how to save, reuse and reduce our excess material baggage. In 1992 the YMOYL book came out which gave us a new burst of enthusiasm as we started to see the results of the changes we had made. I plugged away at my corporate job but behind the scenes everything was changing until finally I was able to take advantage of an exit package in early 1994. We had saved up a nest egg large enough to declare financial independence. We never looked back.

It's only gotten better since. We've written a book about our transformation, Getting a Life (Penguin, 1999) traveled around the country talking about simplicity, done YMOYL workshops and media interviews, met hundreds of interesting people, become environmental activists, changed to a mostly vegetarian diet, developed an organic garden, begun doing yoga and spent more time with our friends and family. It's hard to believe how we ever lived the way we did back then. Oh, yeah, what a difference a decade makes!

Simple Living with Kids

Ever since Getting a Life first came out we’ve been told that the chapter we wrote about living simply with kids could be and should be a whole book. At one point we actually thought about taking up that challenge. But we discovered that, even though we are parents (of grown children) our experience is dated in the eyes of parents in the midst of raising children right now. Even though we don’t fully agree with this view, we do understand that parenting issues have evolved since the 1970s and 1980s when we were raising our kids. Therefore, we declined to pick up the “whole book” challenge. Fortunately, we discovered another Northwest writer who was willing and has the credibility of having two children in the home right now. Our friend, Marie Sherlock, of Portland, OR, is currently working on a book titled Living Simply with Children: A Voluntary Simplicity Guide for Families. If you’re interested, look for it in late 2002. If you have experiences or ideas related to simple living with children Marie says she would still be interested in hearing from you. She also has a questionnaire that you can fill out. You can reach Marie by phone at 503-283-9371 or by e-mail at mariesherlock@yahoo.com.

YMOYL Step 9 Revisited

At the request of Vicki Robin, David participated on a committee to review YMOYL Step 9 recommendations and strategies given recent changes in the financial marketplace. The result of that work is now posted on the Web at the Simple Living Network www.simpleliving.net (Go to “Feature Articles” of the current Newsletter). The document discusses new options such as Socially Responsible Investments, changes in the availability of Treasury Bonds and includes a grid that matches various investment options to the original YMOYL investment criteria. Check it out!

YMOYL Group Study

Most of you are aware that the New Road Map Foundation developed and published three versions of a Group Study Guide for people who want to get started with the YMOYL program in a supportive group environment. Earlier this year, David was asked to mentor a newly forming group here in Seattle. The group got going in April and went through the 8-week program in May and June. This was the first time that David was involved with the Group Study format and, hey, it works! This group of diverse folks really got rolling with the program and has decided to continue meeting once a month for moral support and to keep up their momentum.

David’s experience as a mentor for this group was so positive that he has volunteered to offer his services to other YMOYL Study Groups in the area. Those of you who are experienced YMOYLer’s may want to consider the mentoring idea in your area. Bound copies of the Study Guides are available through the Simple Living Network for $5 each or they can also be downloaded online.

Cultural Creatives

Many of you are probably familiar with Paul Ray’s book about Cultural Creatives. For those of you who are not, Ray’s research reveals that about 50 million people (about 24% of the population) are interested in and open to alternative ways of thinking and living. About 10% of these are actually living creative, alternative lifestyles. What all these people have in common is that they don’t realize each other exist! To help connect these CCs, a cultural creative network has been established (go to www.ccn.org) for more info). Here in Seattle, Cultural Creative Conversation Café’s are popping up where CC’s can gather, network and discuss common interests and ideas. Since early September David has participated in a local CC café, met some great people and discussed many interesting ideas. Since September 11, Vicki Robin has been leading the drive locally to create conversation cafes around the city to discuss the ramifications of the recent tragic events. If you are interested in knowing more about Cultural Creatives check out the website www.culturalcreatives.org.

The Work that Reconnects

In early 2000, I (David) read the book Coming Back to Life: Practices to Reconnect Our Lives, Our World by environmental and spiritual writer Joanna Macy. I was quite moved by Macy’s ideas and work and discovered that she offers extended workshops that she calls “Intensives,” focusing on the ideas in this book. Last fall, I was encouraged by two friends who had attended previous Intensives to apply for the next one. In late 2000 I was accepted for the 10-day Intensive in late August/early September of this year. The Intensive was held at Pema Osel Ling Tibetan Buddhist retreat center in the Santa Cruz Mountains near San Jose, CA. I joined 27 people from around the world along with Joanna and her husband Fran Macy for an unbelievable experience.

Joanna is a brilliant scholar and teacher who has integrated concern for the ecological degradation of the natural world and Buddhist spiritual practices into a unique blend. The purpose of the Intensive is to temporarily disconnect from the “real” world to allow us to slow down and open to the teachings and practices that will connect us to what she calls “The Great Turning” – that critical mass of people and energy that must come together to save the planet from ecological and human disaster. Joanna uses a combination of small group teachings, guided imagery exercises, periods of silence and reflection, time alone in nature, one-on-one and small group discussions to bring her ideas to life. There is also plenty of time for conversation, relaxation, exercise, meditation and celebration as well. This is very hard to capsulize in words but let me just say, it works! Re-entering the so-called “real” world was a culture shock to which I’m still adjusting almost two months later. I returned re-invigorated in my work promoting simpler lifestyles and doing whatever I can toward making the “Great Turning” happen.

For more information about Joanna’s work, I encourage you to read any of her books and to check out her website at www.joannamacy.net.

New Book Project(s)

We’re not much further along with a new book project than we were a year ago. The Beyond Simplicity idea mentioned in last year’s report still has appeal to David but has not yet evolved into a focused thesis or book proposal. He’s decided to put that idea on the back-burner to simmer while he pursues some other causes including volunteering at a local environmental organization.

Getting a Life Promotion

Getting a Life is still out there and available in paperback at “brick and mortar” bookstores as well as online from the Simple Living Network, Amazon.com and other vendors. At this point, you probably won’t see it prominently displayed and may have to ask for it but if you are looking for a copy you should be able to get one easily in a day or two. We hope you might consider Getting a Life as a gift for any friends or relatives who don’t have either the book or a life yet!

We’ve done a few presentations this year –- at a hospital in Bremerton, WA, at a Unitarian Book Study group and most recently at our local library branch. Our message was well received at all these events. We were also interviewed on an hour-long radio show over the summer that broadcast in the Boston and Phoenix area. We’ve also had a couple of contacts recently from media people who are working on stories or programs related to simplicity and downshifting. The downturn in the economy and the events of September 11 seem to have sparked a new media interest in these topics.9/11/01

Like everyone else, we were shocked by the tragic events of September 11 and ever since have been trying to understand how and why they occurred. David’s recent experience at the Joanna Macy Intensive helped him stay grounded through all this and many of the Intensive participants have kept in touch via e-mail and phone and have passed on thoughts from various wisdom traditions that have helped greatly. We have very mixed feelings about the actions of our national government in response to these tragic events. We believe that the perpetrators should be found and brought to justice but we find it difficult to justify that the richest and most powerful country in the world is bombing one of the poorest and weakest and are afraid our tactics will backfire and make matters worse in the long run. Our hopes, prayers and thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones here in the USA, in Afghanistan and around the world.The Home Front

Despite a cool damp early summer our garden grew quite well again this year providing fresh vegetables throughout the summer and fall. We had particularly good success with our “Yukon Gold” potatoes that grew to the size of softballs! In addition to regular yoga practice, David continues his regular bicycling for exercise and to run most errands within 10 miles.

Jacque continues her volunteer work with the Master Gardeners program and David continued working most Wednesday’s at Habitat for Humanity. After 6+ years at Habitat, David has decided to “retire” there in favor of volunteer work at an environmental organization beginning in 2002. In addition, David has taken on a once-a-week yard/home care routine at his mother’s house in Tacoma, WA, 50 miles south of Seattle.

One of our ongoing dilemmas is our rapidly increasing Health Care insurance premium that has more than tripled in the last 7 years. We’ve looked at various alternatives but have not found any easy alternatives. We are currently completing a detailed analysis of what our actual costs would have been over the last three years to see if we would save by having a “catastrophic only” policy. This is one nut we have yet to crack.

Reading Recommendations

• Coming Back to Life and Widening Circles by Joanna Macy. (See comments above)
• The Post-Corporate World by David C. Korton. For a look at what the world would be like after the “Great Turning” and how to get there.
• Still Here by Ram Dass. Despite a recent stroke, he is still here and still has some good stuff to say.
• The Simplicity Resource Guide at: www.gallagherpress.com provided by Linda Breen Pierce, author of Choosing Simplicity.
• The Simple Living Network at: www.simpleliving.net. Still our favorite for everything simple.

New Mailing Address

Finally, effective October 1, 2001, we have closed our business mailbox due to lack of activity. If you wish to reach us by US mail please send it to our residential address at: 1745 NW 59th St., Seattle, WA 98107 USA. Our e-mail address remains the same at: gettingalife@seanet.com as does our telephone at: 206-783-2818.

As always, we wish you all the best in these extraordinary times.

Love and Blessings,

David Heitmiller and Jacque Blix

P.S. If you do not wish to receive this newsletter in the future, please let us know and we will remove your name. If you receive this newsletter in paper format it means we don’t have a current e-mail address for you. PLEASE, let us know if you have one or if it has changed so we can save paper, postage and time in the future. Thanks!