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Finding Peace in a Time of Turmoil
 Over the past few months, our assumptions about what keeps our economy ticking have come under renewed scrutiny as the stock market, gas prices, and businesses and institutions -- large and small -- rise and fall with unprecedented volatility.
The words not so big really point toward an enormous rebalancing that's been needed for some time, but which was incomprehensible until now, when everything we've assumed to be permanent and certain has suddenly been called into question. Read more |
| Now in Stores: The Not So Big House 10th Anniversary Edition
 It's hard to believe that it's been ten years since The Not So Big House first came out. My life has changed dramatically in the intervening years, but the excitement of receiving my first copy of the book still stands out in my mind as though it happened yesterday. I was so thrilled when The Taunton Press asked me to write some new material for the 10th Anniversary edition.
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Not So Big Remodeling: Tailoring Your Home for the Way You Really Live
 Due out in March of 2009, Not So Big Remodeling is a book that readers have been requesting for a long time--ever since the release of my first book back in 1998, in fact. Countless people have asked me things like, "We love your books, but do we have to start over and build new, or can we make our existing house not so big?" and "Can we implement any of the not so big concepts if we only have a small amount of money to spend?" The answer is an unequivocal "Yes." With a little guidance, it's possible to stay put and to remodel your existing house in a not so big way, incrementally, as time and money allow.
Read more and see images from the book |
| Register Now for 2009 Not So Big Life Workshops
 Many Not So Big Life readers have written to ask if there will be other workshops like the one I gave this summer at Omega Institute. I'm glad to report that indeed there will be more, and registration is now open for two more workshops, one at Duke Integrative Medicine and the other at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. These workshops offer a wonderful opportunity to take your understanding of not so big living to the next level.
Duke workshop, Durham, NC -- March 6-8, 2009For more information and to register click here Kripalu workshop, Lenox, MA -- May 29-31, 2009For more information and to register click here For those who can't make it to either but would like to expose themselves to some of the same material, click here to read the blog post I wrote shortly after the Not So Big Life workshop at Omega Institute. |
The Year End Review: A Tool for Finding Your Own Not So Big Life
All of us have dreams for ourselves and our lives, but sadly most of us don't live them because we never take the time to listen to what our hearts long to do. That's why I wrote The Not So Big Life -- to help people develop this skill of inner listening, and in so doing to find the true meaningfulness they long for.
There's a key tool in this process that I want to give you a taste of here. Read more |
| Audio and Video Clips Worth Checking Out
There are several fantastic audio and video clips online that are worth watching.
Click here to view Netscape's Propeller Sustainability Series, "Shelter: Part 1," featuring Sarah, by Alexia Prichard.
 Alexia Prichard has also created two beautiful videos of Sarah talking about the key concepts in The Not So Big Life. Click here to watch "The Not So Big Story, Part 1." Click here for Part 2.
 Sarah appears in several of Ilyce Glink's Expert Real Estate Tips videos, including "Sustainable Architecture" and "How to Find an Architect." Click here to go to the site, then scroll down and enter "Sarah Susanka" into the search bar.  For those who missed Sarah's online presentation with Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, "Coming Home to Who You Really Are," sponsored by Second Journey and their partners, the recording is now available for listening. To access it, click here.
Click here to go to the Media Center for more audio and video clips. |
| Request for Your Feedback
This is our second minizine -- a new term I coined in our first issue to describe this not so big e-mailed magazine. The last issue, which we keep archived at the bottom of the Books and Articles page of the Not So Big House website, was well received by most. However, several readers noted that the minizine was long, and with our not so big font, eyeglasses and a lot of scrolling were required to see the whole issue.
So in this minizine we've tried a different format. You'll notice that longer articles are begun on the main page, but offer you the option to "Read more" on a separate page containing the full text. You can now forward particular articles to friends without having to send the entire minizine. We've also used a larger font, so you don't have to squint anymore. There are pros and cons to this approach obviously, and we'd love your feedback.
If you'd like to see more specifically what feedback we're looking for, go to the first issue of the minizine and scroll down to the request for feedback.
Thank you in advance to all who take the time to respond in any form. I know it takes time, but we really do put it to good use. |
| What's Next?
 The coming year promises to be an exciting one here at Susanka Studios. To accompany the release of Not So Big Remodeling we'll be making some upgrades to The Not So Big House website. I'm planning to start a regular podcasting and webcasting feature that we'll be announcing with a Newsflash some time in the next couple of months. I'm also planning a TV series -- something I've been toying with for some time -- which is beginning to take shape. The first set of programs will focus, we hope, on the spatial genius of Frank Lloyd Wright. It turns out that the language developed to explain not so big principles is also ideal to help demystify the work of Mr. Wright. There's more to come on that front when we have a few more pieces of the puzzle pinned down. I'll be continuing to write blog posts and participate on the forums from time to time on The Not So Big Life website. There's some incredible conversation and inquiry taking place there. If you are interested in looking at some of this past year's posts, click here, or to view the entire index of the community forums activity, click here. I'd love to hear from you on the Not So Big Life forum or on the Community Bulletin Board at the Not So Big House site. Through your willingness to share your experiences for not so big living in these web-based forums, more and more people are grasping what not so big is really about, both at home and in everyday life.
Happy Holidays to all, and thank you for reading.
Sarah
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Not So Big
Holiday Gift Ideas
Inspire someone with the DVD that brings the core principles of The Not So Big House to life with spectacular footage from homes around the country.
Not so big die hard fans and newbies alike will love this updated version, with a new "green" chapter, new cover and new introduction.
A guide to what underlies style, this illustrated dictionary of the architectural concepts that make up a not so big house is a great gift for anyone looking to build or remodel.
The Not So Big Life
For those who are seeking more meaning and fulfillment in their lives, this is the perfect gift.
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The Not So Big House Home Professionals Directory
If you are a homeowner looking for a professional to help you design, build or remodel your home, you can search the Not So Big House directory of home professionals who embrace the philosophy of designing and building Not So Big.
If you are a professional involved in home design and improvement, you can register to be listed in the directory. At $25 or $50 a year, it's worth every penny. |
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Sarah's Websites
The Not So Big House site is full of useful information for people wanting to know how to build a house that favors quality or quantity.
The Not So Big Life site is what Sarah describes as the second half of the book, providing a community through which to engage your own not so big life.
The portal to all of Sarah's websites, Susanka.com also has some great resources for architects. |
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Share the News
Do you know someone who might enjoy reading the Not So Big Minizine? You can use the button below to send it to them.
If you would like to continue to receive Sarah's newsletters and minizines, go to either The Not So Big House or The Not So Big Life and sign up for the email list there. If you are on either list, you will automatically be added to the Minizine email list.
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