Posts Tagged ‘writing’

Living An Adventure Adjacent Life

February 23rd, 2011

I’ve never been a thrill-seeker by nature. While many people would consider this trip an amazing adventure just by its nature, it doesn’t always feel that way to me. Sometimes it just feels like living my life in a bunch of different places.

The real core of this trip for me is exploration. Of new people, new places and new experiences. And more importantly, exploring me and my reactions to those things.

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While it feels like I haven’t gone out of my way to seek out new experiences, some of the best times have been doing things I never expected I would do: ziplining for 3 hours through the jungle, spending an hour with live tigers, riding and caring for elephants for a day, letting fish nibble my feet, visiting catacombs beneath Paris.

Yet I have a lingering feeling that I don’t push myself enough and I’m not sure why. It doesn’t seem to be fear – at least not in any typical sense of the word. When I do push out of my comfort zone, there’s no trepidation, no nervousness. On the contrary, sometimes I feel like I’m too lackadaisical about what I’m doing, with minimal preparation or concern for my safety. A solo hike through the jungles of Malaysia isn’t like a walk through Griffith Park.

Maybe the real issue is one of perspective.

I’m doing things every day that aren’t experiences I’d have in the US, but I tend to let them wash over me and I don’t process them as being adventurous. I’ve allowed myself to be complacent with the world around me and don’t even bother to write a word about many of the things I’m doing.

Perhaps that’s where I need to start – re-kindle my sense of wonder and push to record more detail about the fascinating places I’m seeing.

Well, that, and try zorbing in New Zealand next month.

New Travel Goal #1: A Novel Approach

January 25th, 2011

So, as I continue to plot out what my next steps are, in traveling and in life, I’ve decided that I need to step back a bit to a goal I laid out at the start of this trip.

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Creator, Seeker and Sidekick

I’ve always wanted to write a novel. As a voracious reader, books have been a huge part of my life. From the time I first learned to set crayon to paper, I put together my own stories in comic book form. They were cross-overs to beat all cross-overs, with everyone from Scooby-Doo to Richie Rich to Spider-Man all in the same action-packed tale.

Prologue

Things went well in Europe. I laid out concepts, characters and plot for a story that I felt would be funny, exciting and an enjoyable roller coaster ride. Part thriller and part satire, it had all the components I would love in a novel but blended in a way that is a rarity in the local bookstore.

I filled notebooks with ideas, thoughts, outlines and even snippets of dialogue.

Then it stalled out. Lots of excuses, but I was just enjoying living and not writing. As much as I enjoyed the early stages of mapping out the novel, it’s still more work than sipping un cafe on the Champs D’Elysees.

Plot Point 1: The Antagonist

In reflecting on the past year, letting this goal sputter to a stop is one of my biggest regrets, so it’s time to kick it back into gear.

Hitting a storytelling wall was, in part, due to some challenges I’ve always faced as a writer. It’s high time I tackle them head on. My primary flaws are all inter-related: being a perfectionist, overthinking things and critiquing my work too harshly before it’s even close to finished.

In other words, I find delay tactics so I don’t have to keep moving forward into the unknown.

First, I’m a perpetual re-writer. Over and over, I’ll edit myself. I could be writing a 400 page novel, but I struggle with getting past the first 20 pages because I can’t leave them alone. Keeping a blog has helped to move me past that, yet with blog posts I still tend to go in and change words after it’s gone live. Sometimes it’s to correct sloppy punctuation, other times I think of a better word choice.

I don’t believe in magic.

Second, I don’t believe in magic. Everything I write needs to make some sort of logical sense. Characters need to act like I believe they should act, when in real life people NEVER act that predictably. Anything that happens needs rationale, explanation and basis in reality – all positive attributes right up until they stifle my creativity.

In the past, I’ve outlined stories dealing with evolution, theology, time travel and more. Even though each of them was intended to be light-hearted and humorous, I got stalled out when I forced myself to research the topics to death. In trying to understand how time travel might work, I was reading books on quantum physics, for god’s sake. Then, while I’m doing that, the movie Hot Tub Time Machine comes out. So, let’s see. There’s this hot tub. And you get into it and all of sudden you’re in the 1980s. WTF?

Sometimes you have to just let a plot device happen and not worry too much about the technical details. It’s fiction, after all.

I lose sight of the goal and focus on the minutiae.

Stories get trapped in my head because I lose sight of the goal and focus on the minutiae.

Plot Point 2: The new plan

  1. Dust off the notebooks. While I have some downtime in Kuala Lumpur, it’s time to dive back into those notes and transcribe them into the computer. If nothing else, letting them sit for a few months should allow me to separate the wheat from the chaff.
  1. Set aside writing time specifically for the novel. It’s far too easy to find other things to do, if you only write when “when there’s time to spare.” Traveling can certainly be taxing, but this goal deserves its own dedicated effort.
  2. Develop a new timeline with firmer goal dates. My original completion date was April 1, 2011. That’s a bit aggressive now, but I do want it done by summer. Let’s call it July 1st, shall we? I’ll set additional milestone dates by the end of the week.

That’s where I’m headed. Finding a balance between traveling, blogging and crafting a piece of fiction will doubtless be a challenge, but that’s the kind of obstacle I’m used to overcoming.

Finale

Is coming in about 5 months

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10 Travel Blogs to Make You Laugh

November 23rd, 2010

Yeah, yeah, yeah. There are a lot of great travel blogs out there. I could do a list of the “top 59 blogs to feature on your own blog to drive more traffic to your site.” But to Hell with that. As is extremely apparent to the 5 people who read this blog, I’m not one to worry too much about site traffic.

But I do like to be entertained, so I’m sharing this little list of sites that keep me laughing in the hopes that you will enjoy them and be inspired to write something clever in the comments below. Or at least tell me about something funny you read once, fer Chrissakes.

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1) Unbrave Girl

What it’s about:

After leaving Buffalo to teach English in Japan for a few years, Sally is now pushing further into Asia. Slowly. After a few adventures and odd jobs, including boat building in Malaysia, she’s settled into Chiang Mai, Thailand with 312 other travel blogging expats. Yes, Sally, you’re crazy. But yes, it’s a good crazy.

Why it’s on the list:

Every post Sally writes makes me laugh. And the bonus is they’re all the length of novellas, so you get more bang for your click-through. Whether it’s her battles with bugs and cats in Thailand or her frequent admission to spending most of her globe-trotting time on the couch eating cookies, she’s my kind of traveler.

The Must Read post:

unbrave girl at the movies: a belated review of eat, pray, love

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2) Bacon Is Magic

What it’s about:

Someone needs to do a 21st century version of the Grease song and call it “Corporate World Drop-out” because there are a lot of people who can identify with Ayngelina’s departure from the world of advertising to travel South America. She is able to keep up with writing a post nearly every day as she goes from country to country in Central and South America. A couple of key features are the “Have you met… x?” – profiles of people she meets on the road and the photos of her traveling companion Mr. Bacon.

Why it’s on the list:

Ayngelina isn’t necessarily writing comedy on a regular basis, but she does have a great wit, she’s one of the nicest bloggers I know and the site’s name alone makes me laugh, even months after I first heard it. Her “12 Things I Hate About Travel” was funny while being a wonderfully cathartic vent, getting an eye-popping 65 comments from people who could identify with having a bad day on the road

Must Read Post:

Have You Met Whatsherface?

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3) The Jetpacker

What it’s about:

Much less of a personal blog than the rest, Bret and Jackie share offbeat travel news, funny lists and unusual things to do while traveling. They also do have the requisite blog entries that provide a wonderfully lighthearted look at their own travels.

Why it’s on the list:

A great daily round-up of what’s going on in the world, with a news of the weird vibe. It’s an entertaining  place to visit for a few laughs and to learn about odd attractions around the world that you won’t generally find in Lonely Planet. This is the blog I’d like to run, if I had the time. And ambition.

Must Read Post:

69 TOWNS AND CITIES WITH FUNNY DIRTY NAMES

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4) The Solitary Panda

What it’s about:

After losing her job in the US last year, Janet hopped off to a volunteer experience in India, then made her way to the Philippines to live with her parents in her childhood home. Her blog chronicles some amazing experiences and things she’s done along the way, always with a refreshing openness and sense of humor.

Why it’s on the list:

Janet never ceases to inspire me. There are a lot of people who claim to “tell it like it is” but I have never in my life read posts from someone who absolutely refuses to filter what’s on her mind, whether it’s masturbation or shaving her head. Her search for direction and adventure has led her to the Philippines where she’s done things most people would never even think of doing – like staying in a Buddhist monastery for four months and then a month later walking 400 miles along Palawan island.

Must Read Post:

I’m All Holy And Shit

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5) The Aussie Nomad

What it’s about:

En route between a little town in Australia and a new job in London, Chris took an extended diversion to travel Europe. In addition to some of the well-known icons, he has also spent a fair amount of time in less-traveled corridors of Eastern Europe, providing information and tales from little known places, always with an Aussie’s wit and penchant for a pint.

Why it’s on the list:

One common thread I’ve found amongst the humorous travel blogs is that they have a palpable love for their lives, which is why the energy and lighthearted mood come through so well. Well, Chris has more personality than the average 10 blogs put together. Somehow, with his “Vegemite Challenge” he has conned a number of people into trying to eat the foul Aussie creation. And sending him videos of it. I think the videos qualify as “torture porn” like Saw 8, but that’s just me.

Must Read Post:

The Vegemite Challenge

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6) Fevered Mutterings

What it’s about:

This is the personal blog of Mike Sowden, who’s left the world of archaeology to become a freelance writer. While Mike writes extensively for travel sites and about places he’s been, his personal blog isn’t exclusively a travel blog, unless you want to invoke a cliché and say that life itself is a journey. But I would never be so lame as to say that.

Why it’s on the list:

In addition to a stunningly wicked sense of humor, Mike is an exceptional writer. He also has a bit broader series of posts than just travel destinations, as he regularly writes about writing, reading and even a bit of science fiction. With how dear all those things are to me, how could I resist reading a site that mocks them?

Must Read Post:

50 Amazingly Achievable Things To Do Before You Die

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7) A Chick With Baggage

What it’s about:

After leaving a computer nerd career to start a perpetual trek around the globe in January of 2010, Abbey stopped a few months later because she fell in love. Not with a man, although those have certainly come into play. Abbey found a home and a job in a tiny town in the south of Spain that felt so right that she halted her world tour for a while. Great stories and great information from someone who’s even raunchier than I am.

Why it’s on the list:

Abbey was once given some blogging advice that her site name might be misinterpreted negatively. When she replied “yeah, that’s the point” I knew I had found a winner. She was a bit too happy living in Spain for so long, so I’m hoping that being back in the US for a while will bring the mean and nasty side back. She also has a fondness for signing off emails by saying “penis” instead of “Best Regards” so how can you not love that?

Must Read Post:

The Biggest Tomato Fight IN. THE. WORLD.

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8 ) Johnny Vagabond

What it’s about:

One of the few independent world travel bloggers who’s in my age range, Wes Nations shows off gorgeous photography and an outstanding ability to tell a tale everywhere he goes. In his hands, the most random encounter turns into a fascinating and laugh-out-loud anecdote. He’s left on a one year (or more) trip on the slow road, making his plans up as he goes, but always taking time to see the less traveled destinations and meet the locals.

Why it’s on the list:

A great wit, but more importantly, Wes has an uncanny ability to step into the most bizarre, off-the-wall situations imaginable. From con men to crazies, he doesn’t shy away from encounters even when any sane person would. Instead, he dives in further and has been mostly unscathed for it. As in the post noted below, he’s also a bit of an “over-sharer” which is always great comedy.

Must Read Post:

Three Mistakes on a Hot Day in Bangkok

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9) Candice Does The World

What it’s about:

Candice. The World. Candice’s writing background ranges from children’s books to technical manuals for deep sea equipment, and she’s also an associate editor at Matador Network, one of the best known travel resources on the web. In her blog, Candice chronicles her life in Newfoundland Canada and travels as often as she can, tracking down nightclubs and trouble like a shark tracks a wounded seal.

Why it’s on the list:

It’s her role as a trouble-magnet that makes Candice a joy to read. When she’s off on road trips with friends, it’s like Lucy and Ethel Go To Cabo. When all the buzz was about Chatroulette a few months ago, Candice braved the perils most people feared and wrote about the experience. In excruciating and disturbing detail.

Must Read Post:

P-Mates, for the Girl Who Has Always Wanted to Pee Her Name in the Snow

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And there you have it. My favorite travel blogs when I need a dose of humor. If any of you comment that I only listed 9 blogs, you’re missing the obvious one. And screw you for that.

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Changes: I Fought The Blog and the Blog Won

July 16th, 2010
Have desk, will write
Image by Bright Meadow via Flickr

Here’s the final part of the changes I’m making to make for a better journey as I near the mid-point of month 1.

Blogging & writing – for the first week or so, I didn’t.

Lesson #1: Make time.

Reasons, excuses, whatever. For the first week, most of my writing was signing my name to dinner checks. Now that the trip is underway, I’ll be writing more.

Lesson #2: Not every post has to be epic.

Part of what scares me away from writing is that I always feel like each post should be a grand observation on the universe, humanity and my place within it. Just to clarify, that’s a crock of shit. Expect to see many more posts of me and my random thoughts, which is how my brain works best.

Lesson #3: This is a personal blog, not a travel blog.

I certainly have travel stories and advice I can and will share occasionally, but this isn’t going to be the place where people pop in to find out the 10 best restaurants in Lille. Because really, when you’re eating pain du chocolat two meals a day, where you’re eating it isn’t all that important.

Lesson #4: Now that the adrenaline has subsided a bit, it’s time to get working.

I think I was entitled to treat the first 10 days more like a vacation than travel with intent. Now that I’ve settled in to my lifestyle a bit, it’s time to get cracking on some of the goals I laid out.

That’s about it for now – more regular posts are on their way!

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Travel Is Not My New Job

May 16th, 2010

Since I started telling more people about my trip this week, I’ve been getting quite a bit of advice about how to make money on the road.

What are you going to do while you travel?”

Is there something wrong with being lazy? Most of us never truly get the opportunity to do absolutely nothing. Sure, we may take a day off to eat chimichangas and watch football, but that’s not what I’m talking about.

Image credit: The Wandering Angel via Flickr under Creative Commons

The concept of a career break is foreign to most people in the corporate world, so in an effort to process what I’m doing, many well-meaning friends are trying to turn the trip into a job for me. » Read more: Travel Is Not My New Job

Twenty Questions

May 4th, 2010

Exactly what the Hell do I think I’m doing?

This morning, as I was preparing to break the news of my departure to my boss, I read a very thought-provoking post by Graham Phoenix about not wasting your time with your round the world trip.

Image credit: laurakgibbs - creatve commons

» Read more: Twenty Questions

Where You At? April Updates…

April 21st, 2010

I’m a total slacker. I’ve missed posting twice this week. I made a vow to write two posts per week and I’ve now missed that.

What can I say? I’m not offering up some lame excuses – I just suck. Life is getting in the way at the moment – between work getting busier, my trip to see my family and continuing to prep for my RTW, I’ve been a bit overwhelmed. So, rather than killing myself and writing some posts that are half-assed, I’m just going to give a quick update on what’s going on. I’ll be back with posts on schedule starting this weekend. » Read more: Where You At? April Updates…

Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah

April 11th, 2010

In a few days, I’ll be traveling to Wisconsin to tell my family about my plans to travel the world. I may be 45, but I’m still going into the trip with a fair amount of trepidation. Since they’re not big travelers, I’m anticipating some interesting discussions.

To facilitate the announcement, I agonized over a nice letter that summarizes my plans and thoughts. Eventually I came up with this:

Dear family,

I’m leaving my job and everything I own to travel the world.

Hugs and kisses, Joel

image credit: Foxtongue via Flickr

I’m hoping that really kind of says it all and we’ll just go back to playing cards with the dulcet tones of Shep Smith and Fox News in the background.

In case it’s not enough, I’ve put together a little list of the questions I figure might come up. » Read more: Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah

7 Ways My Trip Already Kicks Ass

March 23rd, 2010

The clock is ticking away the weeks before I take off for parts both known and unknown. Well, it’s not actually ticking but it’s humming a pretty sweet tune. While preparing, I wrote out how I would measure successes and failures on my trip. After all, I may be leaving to travel but that doesn’t mean I can just slack off and drink mai tais all day.

I must have been sucked through some weird dimensional time warp at some point because when I looked at that list yesterday, I realized that my trip was already a success.

Isn't it nicer when the road to success is downhill?

Here are some of the ways my travel plans are awesome RIGHT NOW: » Read more: 7 Ways My Trip Already Kicks Ass

12 Things I’m Looking Forward to While Traveling RTW

February 25th, 2010

A few of the things I’m most looking forward to when I leave the office to join the world.

Hopping on the bike without a destination or a schedule, just exploring.

Writing regularly and writing actual fiction, rather than the fiction of business proposals and expense reports. » Read more: 12 Things I’m Looking Forward to While Traveling RTW