The Eleven

January 2015

Hi there, and happy New Year!

Welcome to The Eleven - a place I share my thinking, and often a call to action - to make the world a better place. Oh - and my FREE classes in on-line marketing (see below). I'm always open to feedback and I'd love to hear your thinking on anything I mention.

A couple of years ago I thought it would make sense to get something going that would connect urban farmers and homeowners in order to encourage more urban farming. Thus, Farm My Yard was born. Or, as my friend, James and Marcia like to call it: Yarm My Fard! As more of us live in cities, I think it makes sense to replace lawns with gardens for so many reasons - easier access to organic/healthy food; cost savings when you grow your own; less pesticides and herbicides when food is grown rather than grass; less use of lawnmowers and other 2-stroke, gas-guzzling engines; less noise - and, new connections and community built through neighbors meeting one another. So far, it seems that some people have taken the idea and run with it and I hear from folks on the Farm My Yard email list (feel free to click update below to join the list, or just let me know if you'd like to be on it) that it's working for them.

The latest news I'm most excited to share is that Kevin Fitzpatrick of Due West Press finished the Farm My Yard t-shirt design and t-shirts are ready for purchase. T-shirts are $20 + $5 for shipping. Shipping price goes down if you order more shirts... Any profits from the shirts will go to directly to Kevin and his wife, Gwen's, new community-supported Due West Press Screen Print Studio. Kevin is taking care of printing and fulfillment of your order. He's also a crazy incredible designer - so, if you're looking for a new design for one of your own projects, contact him.

Currently, Kevin and Gwen have an Indiegogo campaign running through January 22nd - so if you've got extra cash and would like to help a great cause (and/or get a t-shirt of your own designed) - please donate.

One other recent highlight from my life is that I got to end 2014 with a few friends at a beach house in Manzanita, Oregon. Pictures here. I feel so lucky for this opportunity. The woman who owns the house, Kim, offered it to me in exchange for a website that I'll build for her 3 houses in Manzanita. The time at the beach was super relaxing and the weather was great. I love the ocean. I used to visit my grandparents, Pop-Pop and Gay-Gay at their place in Margate, New Jersey during the summers and I think that spoiled me for life. My hope now is to spend more time at the coast. Since I can do much of my on-line marketing assistance from anywhere, I'm going to try that theory out this year as much as I can.

If you have a cabin or beach house with internet that you're up for lending/renting, please let me know!

I've decided to make this year a little different from last year. I intend to get serious about dropping the extra pounds I'm carrying around. If you see me, don't feed the bears (chocolate, cakes, etc :). I also am excited to work smarter, not harder. I've been digging Tim Ferris's podcasts, lately, and I'm learning all sorts of great stuff about how to live a better life. Another great new inspiring find is Mr. Money Mustache. Early Retirement through Badassery. I highly recommend his infrequent newsletter and checking out his blog.

Speaking of blogs, I have one, too. If you're not familiar, here's a link to it. Check in from time to time - I have some greatest hits on there (how not to lose your hearing; how to make parties go better for everyone (especially the host); getting better at taking feedback, etc.

I hope your new year is getting off to a great start. I've been sick since NYE, but I'm finally coming out of it, and I'm somewhat thankful for the slow start. It's given me some more time to ponder and reflect, and I'm glad I'm now entering 2015 feeling a bit more prepared.

Have a great 11th of January, please!

Organically,

Albert Kaufman

Albertideation &

Farm My Yard

Portlandia, Oreganic!

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