Taking a break from blogging was a good idea. I was tired of writing about everything from my own perspective, and I needed the space to find a new writing focus. In the meantime, I met up with some new traveler groups and found lots of new traveling friends. I realized that it is the people I meet along the way that make the nomadic lifestyle so wonderful. Sure, seeing the scenery is a huge motivator, but, as time goes on, it is my fellow travelers who make this journey rich and fulfilling. Hence, my new blog focus: the people I meet! Their stories. Their travels. Their perspectives. The things I learn from them about life, traveling, and our larger culture.

I was going to start a whole new blog with a new web address, but then I realized how much time and energy it would take to start from scratch again. I have been blogging on this platform using this template for 8 years!  I decided to make life easy and stay put! Also, I left all my old content. I took down the old menu, but every post from day one is still here and can be found via the search box or the archives.

I have also been painting during my writing break, and I plan to include some of my work with each blog! I started out painting with acrylics, but it is awkward in a small RV space. When I don’t have running water, cleaning brushes is a nightmare. So I donated all of my acrylics to a friend and decided to try digital painting. For Christmas, I bought myself a Wacom tablet, which is connected to my computer and overrides the mouse. It has a pen that I use to draw and paint in the software (Krita, a robust and free program). Voila! I paint often, and I am slaying the software learning curve. I am doing mostly colorful, abstract paintings. I have even done some paintings that I like enough to give to friends, and a modern style abstract painting that I did is the current background that you see on my site. I plan to share many more, but please keep in mind that I am only a beginner to the wonderful world of painting.

Now I am also taking another online writing class. A wonderful friend that I have known since high school gave me a writing class for Christmas. It is a video class (Masterclass) led by none other than nonfiction writer David Sedaris. So, my creative energy level is high and I have lots of people stories to tell! Stay tuned and thanks for reading.

Self Portrait ( before white hair), Jan 2020