Happy New Year
Happy New Year! It has been a long time and my lack of new content has not been out of pure neglect……..well, not entirely. There was a succession of things that created such a LONNNNNG lapse. I cannot reveal everything in one little post so I will give you the highlights or a teaser as we like to refer to it in blog land.
Why have I been gone so long?
There are so many reasons so let’s break this down shall we.
Number 1: The blog crashed on me. I have several blog posts that have been written for quite some time. I intended to finish up our 2nd cross country trip but alas, the blog was not cooperating. There was a plug in that wreaked utter chaos with me and my tech savvy husband. I am pretty tech illiterate and trying to get his assistance is like getting your hubby, who paints houses for a living, to…..well, uh…..you know……paint your house! In fairness, he is not a blog savvy soul either. But finally, after much nagging and persistence, I am back for the moment. I would like to employ someone to assist me but blogging is something that has only cost me, never produced a dime of profit.
Number 2: Speaking of profit, a cross country trip in a big beast is not a cheap pursuit. I have tested out several ways to remain on the road as long as possible and bring in some income. This blog and my book RV Wannabe to name a few. Neither of which were able to keep me afloat. So one of my goals upon returning from our 2nd cross country trek was to bring in some income. I succeeded at my goal, in a big way. I landed two jobs, both part-time. One I knew was going to be temporary and I’m no longer doing it.
The second I was hoping was going to allow me to be location independent. And it does, in a way. But not in an RV with 50 clients lined up 2 weeks in advance AND you need a good internet signal to support the service you’re providing. Having RV’ed for quite some time, I know how unpredictable internet signals can be. There are times when you simply cannot get one and others when it’s too weak to be worth anything. And that’s fine if you’re on your own time, managing your own business. But it’s not fine if you’re providing a service as a contractor through a company (VIPKID) and you can’t provide what they need. That also doesn’t factor into the need to have an unlimited wireless data plan to essentially video conference for several hours a day. Top that off with the fact that if I have IT issue after IT issue, my contract will be terminated. Soooo, this location independent gig is really not conducive to moving around frequently in an RV. I can travel as long as I know I’ll have a good, strong internet signal or I can tap into wired internet.
Recap: My blog crashed on me and it took me a long time to get it back up and running. The jobs I landed sucked up a lot of my time. And let’s not forget that I have 3 children whom I homeschool that are around me 24/7. There is no, ‘they’re at school all day time’ to recharge or get much done. And that led me to a big decision that happened in June of last year. The reveal will be coming.
What’s next? Is the ‘Crazy Travel Adventure’ over?
Yes and no. I know, I know, don’t you hate it when people say that. Just get to the nitty gritty. Well, that’s for another post. I am a nomad through and through. It’s not something I can just discard in the trash and forget about. It is part of who I am. The day I stop traveling will be the day I’m too sick to or the day I die. Both of which I hope don’t happen anytime soon. So no, my travel adventure is not over. But it currently has morphed and will take on a different form.
One thing I will be pursuing this year is my next book. While my first one didn’t bring in much, it is my passion. I have a lot of content on blogs that I can mold into something productive. My vision is eventually four more books where I will bring you to China, across the bottom half of the USA, then the top half and into Canada. I am currently planning and plotting (and saving of course) for an extended trip to an international destination. That is a mystery for another reveal as plans become clearer. I am also looking into other income revenues that are not as time intensive that can produce some income and be truly location independent.
So what does that mean for RV Lost Yet?
This year you will see the completion of the last journey. We will leave Canada, head into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and back to Virginia again. While it’s old news, it’s still relevant for future pursuits and memories I’d like to pass on to my children. I will also bring you on a few other short trips we’ve taken since then and get you all caught up. It will be a great year. I’m so happy to be back!
{Hugs} from the crew!
