I’m Alison Wiley here in Portland, Oregon, writing since 2007 about how to be rich in what matters.
I’ve been dollar-poor at times, like, the 80’s and 90’s. That’s when I was in college and grad school, then an alcohol/drug counselor, and then a self-employed artist for a decade.
These days I’m not dollar-poor at all. I own two homes with my husband. We carry no consumer debt. I love not worrying about money, and I love helping other people to land in that place, too, via my posts on how to live happily below our means.
But whatever my money ups and downs, I’ve always focused on being rich in what matters. Loving relationships. Health and vitality. Work I believe in. Good books, community, creativity. Connection to nature and God. Service to others. We’re the same people, dollar-rich or dollar-poor, needing the same things to be happy.
Being rich in what matters means we don’t need to buy and consume our way into happiness. It means treading lightly on our gorgeous, fragile planet. because it’s clear that our climate is changing, due to the furious rate we’re burning fossil fuels.
I do plenty of stumbling. I make some poor choices, and I write about them, and learn from them. I pay attention to readers’ comments, and reply to them. I like to laugh at myself. We can all become richer and more joyful, together.
You won’t find any ads at Diamond-Cut Life. You won’t find any trash-talking. I dive below the roiling ocean of bitter bipartisan politics. This is the diamond-cut life: chiseling our focus down to true riches, and what unites us.
My paid work is for the state of Oregon, being of service to the transit agencies in the largely rural, stunningly beautiful, southwestern corner of the state. Most days I like my work very much.
My wonderful husband, Thor Hinckley, built the nation’s leading renewable energy program at Portland General Electric. We don’t have children (we met too late) but we love children. We’re on the southeast flank of Mount Tabor here in Portland, in the house with the solar panels on the roof and the poetry post in the garden, next to the bicycle/pedestrian path. Please say hello if you’re in the neighborhood, or say hello in a comment.
September 4, 2014
I came across your website while researching the topic of exchanging work for rent, which I am considering for a fixer-upper house I am buying as an investment. I appreciate your positive approach to the topic. I’m looking forward to reading more of your ideas.
September 7, 2014
Good to hear from you, Nancy. My post on working for rent has been my most-read piece over the years. I’ve thought about writing a follow-up piece with more how-to information, and making a pdf of the combined material that people can then download. Your interest is nudging me further in that direction. Thanks!
July 6, 2014
Superb blog! Do you have any suggestions for aspiring writers?
I’m planning to start my own blog soon but I’m a little lost on everything.
Would you suggest starting with a free platform like WordPress or go
for a paid option? There are so many options out there that
I’m completely overwhelmed .. Any suggestions? Thanks!
July 6, 2014
Paige, Good for you for planning to start your own blog. I’ve been using WordPress since late 2007, and yes, I recommend it.
I just emailed you with my phone number. I’d be happy to give you some personalized encouragement on your writing, if you’re interested. I think you have something important to offer the world. We all do — I’m just especially partial to writing :). Please come visit again.
June 24, 2014
Thanks for sharing your info. I truly appreciate your efforts and
I will be waiting for your further write ups thank you once
again.
March 13, 2014
Hello Friend,
I have looked at your site diamondcutlife.org and I really impressed with the entire structure. I loved the way you maintained the posts in the blog. Presently I am searching for the possibilities of having shared my content in this kind of blogs (as guest blog posts). Mostly I write about academic related topics to help students. I would like to get my article with a link to my website is posted in your blog.
Please let me know your attitude on my request.
Thank You,
James Finnan
March 14, 2014
James, Thanks for your interest. I do publish some guest posts, if they are on the general topic of being rich in what matters. What I need is to see some writing samples. Yesterday I sent you my email address for that purpose. Thanks again. Best wishes.
November 10, 2013
I was looking for a quote about “treating people like objects and objects like people” and stumbled on your page. I thank you. I thank you.
rB
November 10, 2013
Rabbi Brian,
I am honored. I am honored.
My husband and I just visited your lively website. Fun to learn that you’re a fellow Portlander! We left a comment inviting you (and your family, if you have a family) to our Christmas party next month.
Blessings on your good work. Hope you come and visit again.
July 25, 2013
Hi Alison,
I’m a fellow Portlander in St. Johns.
I tried to send a letter to Robert Leo Heilman c/o Sasquatch Books which doesn’t appear to exist any more. Do you know how I can reach him?
Blessings, ^^
July 25, 2013
Peter, I just chatted with Bob to confirm his current contact info, and then emailed it to you.
He also reports that he is the only Robert Heilman in the phone book — he lives in Myrtle Creek, Oregon.
And he has a website now for his excellent writing: http://robertheilman.wordpress.com/
June 4, 2012
its a good day to die was’t just a war cry,,,it was customarily used by people of the tribe when they became a hindrance on the clan and they wished to be so no longer…i believe the saying actually went something like . . “the grass grows to the sky on the prarrie. . today is a good day to die” they would then wander off to their final rest.
June 4, 2012
Russ, That’s poignant, and I appreciate your giving the fuller picture on ‘today is a good day to die’.
Just a few hours ago, my carpool partner and I were talking about the new assumption of some that
people can and should be able to live to 100 and more with modern medicine. But I question that assumption,
because it can be a terrible drain on the earth’s (or a tribe’s) resources to live that long. And, that’s what you just
said this saying is really saying. Hm, this may be a topic for a new blog post at some point . . . . thanks for sharing.
December 1, 2011
Hi Alison!
I’m very interested in seeing if I could potentially contribute a guest post to you! I’d love to send you some links to previously published pieces or some ideas for potential articles to see if you might be interested!
If that sounds like something you might want to talk about, please let me know!
-Jocelyn
December 3, 2011
Jocelyn,
I’ve published many guest posts, and am definitely interested in one from you. Please send a link. I’ll also email you now. Thanks!
July 21, 2011
Alison-GREAT meeting you at the Tabor concert yesterday, and then discovering your blog today.
YOU don’t need this Eco Challenge (Oct 1-15) by the NW Earth Institute, but this is for the readers like me who still have a ways to go to lessen our carbon footprint:
https://app.e2ma.net/app/view:CampaignPublic/id:29217.7137420910/rid:2bb21de42c05ba65d70bf46f0d4de90f
July 30, 2011
Alissa, Great meting you, too. Thanks for the tip on the Eco Challenge the first half of October.
June 6, 2011
Alison — We are now blog-sisters! I just launched my new blog, Good Journeys, today. Feel free to check it out at goodjourneys.wordpress.com/
March 16, 2011
Hello,
I am trying to earn some publicity for the Nature Conservancy’s mission to plant 1 billion trees. I would like to discuss advertising options with you. If you wouldn’t mind emailing me back that would be great.
Thanks,
Carly
April 8, 2010
Sub: Blog Partnership Request!
Hello Alison Wiley,
My name is Eashwar and I work for ExpedientInfoMedia.com, a blog Network with 24+ growing blogs.
I have enjoyed reading your blog http://www.diamondcutlife.org and thought of dropping in a word.
I have initiated an idea to create a blog roll in our blog http://www.thenewecologist.com. As both the blogs deal similar topics, it would greatly benefit the visitors; if we could link to each other.
All you need to do is, add our blog to your blog roll and we will do the same.
Do let me know if you have any other ideas to cross-promote our blog’s content; like guest posting, feature promotions etc.
I look forward to working with you for a mutual partnership.
Regards,
Eashwar.K
Channel Editor, Expedient Info Media
http://www.expedientinfomedia.com
January 21, 2010
Hi Will,
I’m open. Would you like to write a guest post?
Thanks for stopping by.
January 21, 2010
Hi Alison,
My name is Will and I’m in Portland running Growandmake.com. Wanted to reach out and see if there are any ways we could collaborate?
Great blog.
January 13, 2010
Hi,
I wondered if you would be interested in exchanging links with The Green Providers Directory.
We are a not-for-profit, green directory founded on ethical principles, providing links to renewable energy suppliers, organic health and beauty products, fair trade clothing, gifts and household goods and services. We also provide news and updates on the environment, recycling, energy efficiency and related topics.
We are listed in The Guardian and Channel 4’s environmental sections and on green.tv, a United Nations Environmental Programme, and we are members of Ethical Junction.
Please let me know if this would be of interest.
Kind regards,
Dr Gary Robertshaw
The Green Providers Directory
http://www.search-for-me.co.uk
Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/greenproviders
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Green-Providers-Directory/140642334915
December 19, 2009
Hello Megan,
I’m happy you’ve landed at Diamond-Cut Life and that you feel inspired by it. Please keep commenting; I love it when other people have things to say besides me. Big hug!
December 19, 2009
Hey Alison! I just wanted to say that I was searching for some good healthy dinner recipes and I stumbled upon your website. I am very excited about it, and it has inspired me already to make a greater effort to be more conscious of both my own well-being and the condition of this world we share. I am eager to learn more from you! Thanks so much.
December 14, 2009
Alex, I just emailed you. I noticed that Nissan EV recently started following me on Twitter. Thanks in advance for your invitation.
December 14, 2009
MM,
I appreciate your comment. In fact, I devoted a post to it here: http://www.diamondcutlife.org/a-conservative-reader-speaks-up/
Please keep visiting and commenting; I value your thoughts. While I am liberal on some political issues, my core message is definitely nonpartisan, and thank you for your encouragement, i.e. that I am helping to bridge the divide.
December 14, 2009
Hello Alison! I want to invite you to an event Nissan is hosting in Portland on Thursday, please email me.
December 9, 2009
Great blog. I really appreciate the tone you take in your writing. I’m a conservative who can’t stand the fact that responsible and sustainable living has become a Democrat vs. Republican issue.
I like to learn about the issues you address, but I’m put off by the smug and condescending tone in so many blogs and news sites (GRIST! - sorry, I see you read them). Anyway, I plan to check back here periodically.
This sort of writing and perspective is what our country needs to bridge the political divides that environmental issues often create.
Keep it up!
October 18, 2009
Hello dear heart,
I have some book reviews for you- email me & I’ll run the titles by you & see what you think. I miss you!
September 1, 2009
Hi alison,
Your website came up as you had moved from Desert to forest. I would like to change deserts to forests:
While we should of course live with a small footprint, as I try to do we should also reach deep inside and change the World as you have done already with your carpooling etc.
http://saharaforest.ning.com/
I am currently gathering people together to embark on the project. Each increase in awareness will change how people think. The Sahara is about the size of the US and growing each Day.
I invite you to join Today, and everyone who reads this, just make the effort and join the project. The more input there is the quicker it will succeed. Don’t underestimate yourself.
May 13, 2009
Hi Alison, your site looks great! You were my best reader at frankwork, my discontinued blog, but I wanted to let you know about my latest project — The Solar Job Guide (www.solarjobguide.com) . . . send me your email and I’ll send you a link for a free copy. (And of course would love a plug if you deem it worthwhile!) I hope you’re well and appreciate your thoughtful and humanistic posts!
April 21, 2009
Hi Alison - Cathy sent me the link to your website, so I thought I’d drop you a note. After nearly a year of being unemployed, I’m now in my second week at my new “dream job” working as a planning coordinator for the Oregon Zoo. Not only do I get to bike to work, but I get to work with an organization that does environmental education and is concerned with helping to preserve endangered species. Briefly, to begin with I am involved with the building of the new Animal Hospital with (hopefully) an as yet undetermined LEED certification and helping the Zoo to establish a new plan district using environmentally sustainable standards. I hope to do this in such a way that this “Eco District” can be a transferable model for others trying to incorporate the same principles in any future development. That’s enough for now - it would be good to spend some time really catching up with one another.
Cheers, Doug S.
February 2, 2009
Hi Robert,
Here is where it was reported in the Portland Tribune: http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=121745437044578500
February 2, 2009
Hello Alilson Wiley,
Your comment about gas price is very interesting. I would like to know the exact reference you made about David Kavanaugh that «VMT (vehicle miles traveled) has five times more to do with whether people are fully employed, than it does with the price of gas».
Thank you very lmuch.
Meric beaucoup.
Robert, from Montréal, Québec.
January 29, 2009
Awesome website. And I see you made the Reddit front page. Keep up the great work.
You’re correct in noting that Adams is getting a raw deal. It appears he is being railroaded. I thought Portland might be above that sort of thing. =(
From a fellow Portlander!
January 5, 2009
Hi, Allison,
You played trumpet as I recall.
I, alas, was a lowly clarinet player who was not really interested in music but electronics. Class of ’77.
Send me an Email sometime. I am alive and well in Cave Creek, Arizona.
Jeff
December 23, 2008
Hi Allison,
Great site, I got to it via GetRichSlowly, have a look at my new site (http://www.scordo.com/blog/blog) and let me know what you think! I focus on frugal living, how to, and leading a practical life!
Cheers,
Vince Scordo
November 30, 2008
Please contact me at the above email so we can discuss propelling your cause to the next level.
Thank you
Melissa
[email protected]
http://www.thethirstymoose.com
August 20, 2008
Dear Alison,
Thanks for standing up for sustainability and the environment. Keep up the good work! I know that traffic is really important to any media property and I am contacting you to help you in this regard. I believe our sites have a common goal, that is, to promote and educate people on environmentalism and sustainability. We at PosiPeople believe the content on your blog would be interesting and useful to our users, and in return, you may find topics which are of interest to you. Therefore, we urge you to visit our site and see for yourself what PosiPeople is all about. All you have to do is register for a free account, submit your posts to our newly launched forum, and watch traffic to your blog grow.
In case you’re wondering, PosiPeople is a community-driven forum that highlights any web content that makes or is about positive impact on society and the environment. PosiPeople allows anyone to submit, vote, and comment on any content on the web that is about positive impact on society and the environment. Some examples of the content that PosiPeople highlights is organic food, renewable energy, recycling, hybrid/electric cars, climate change, and green issues. Anyone can register for a free PosiPeople account.
PosiPeople works as follows:
1. Any member of the community submits a link to content that is about positive social or environmental impact.
2. The community then votes for the content they like best.
3. Content that receives the most votes in a certain period of time is published to the main page of the site.
Additional PosiPeople features allow users to connect with other users by interacting with them through comments, viewing their profile page, sending them a message, or adding them as a friend (a.k.a. a PosiPal).
We would appreciate if you take a peek at our site at http://www.posipeople.com, and review it in a blog entry. You can also visit the official PosiPeople blog at http://blog.posipeople.com. as well as read a press release about our recent public launch of PosiPeople.
Thank you for your time, and we look forward to seeing you join us!
Sincerely,
Danwen Chen
Marketing Associate
PosiMedia Corporation
web: http://www.PosiPeople.com
email: [email protected]
July 15, 2008
alison
i used to live in corvallis and eugene, time when Mt St Helens blew. graduate work at OSU. Now in Taiwan, Japan, Alaska. From Boston 1949.
did i ever tell you about polar cities? it’s my take on the glo war future, but with a positive happy ending maybe in 3500……but yes, we are in big trouble now, and we need NEW thinking and I love your idea of getting rid of all our so called entitlements to travel, consumption etc….we don;’t need half those things, most of them we dont need…..sigh
danny, homeless, retirement fund less, own nothing, no car, coasting to the finish line…. and working on polar cities, aka LOVELOCK RETREATS ideas…
northwardho.blogspot.com
what do you think of polar cities idea? just to get people THINKING!
June 13, 2008
The new site looks great! Nice job.
May 12, 2008
Alison,
Hi, I came across you blog while searching Grist. I am a journalism student at Ohio University beginning a project to study the advantages and disadvantages of online environmental reporting. Would you have time or be interested by helping with an interview?
Thanks, Joe Lowe
March 20, 2008
Hi Alison,
Here’s a juicy little graphic that was posted on our bulletin board
http://learningfundamentals.com.au/resources/combating-global-warming-mind-map/
- Dave
March 18, 2008
Hi Alison,
My wife Kim and I also thoroughly enjoyed the Crater Lake Trip. I do hope that you can pass along your contact information - it would be great to stay in touch about the Bicycle related transportation we discussed. Take good care, and say hello to Thor for us.
Brian and Kim Davies