Does calling someone an unhoused person instead of homeless make a difference to that person? Given this latest naming sophistry that has been popularized by people online, the media, advocacy groups and government you might think calling people “unhoused” changes the reality for homeless people. It wouldn’t change a thing for me. When I lived…
Category: On The Road
Microaggressions, Microplastics And Misfocus
It is easy to get distracted by the little things – especially when we’re busy, when we don’t have bigger problems or when we don’t take take the time to think and be intentional with our actions. I learned how to focus on the most important thing first as newly promoted sales manager for a…
The Price Of Freedom
I am reading Tyll, a novel by Daniel Kehlmann. It’s the story about a young boy who becomes a traveling entertainer and jester during the 16th century (medieval times) in Germany during the 30 Years War. Tyll, a Miller’s son, runs away to join a Traveling Entertainer after his father is executed for witchcraft instead…
Unrelatable
Both of my regular pools have been closed for maintenance for over a month so I’ve had to commute longer distances to other pools. (I know, cry me a river. We should all have such problems.) Since I’m in the car for over an hour a day, I’ve been desperate to find more podcasts to…
Let The Threads Pull It In
I was 50 years old when I was taught how to properly drive a screw into a piece of wood. At the time, I was working with my neighbor and his friend, who generously offered to help me rig out my trailer with solar panels, wiring, switches and gauges. Being the least skilled person on…
Dirty Laundry
When I went on the road, one of the things I gave up was having a washer and dryer. I figured I would visit laundromats every few weeks and in between could hand wash my clothes if necessary. I had gotten gotten rid of a lifetime’s worth of heavy, bulky cotton clothing and replaced it…
Wide Open Spaces
I was dog sitting again for neighbor this week so I got to hang out in his house which is an “identical twin” to my house – except it’s across the street and it’s full of stuff that I don’t have. Like before, as soon as I opened his front door I felt claustrophobic. It…
Healing In Nature
When I went on the road to live in the wilderness, I thought that being alone in nature would heal me. I thought I would find bliss, peace and comfort after my wife’s death had destroyed my identity (husband, caretaker) and my world. I was grieving and I was broken. I didn’t know what else…
In The Dark
It’s always dark when I walk Wiggles in the morning before sunrise. I enjoy these walks. I see bunnies and deer munching on my neighbor’s lawns. There are only one or two cars on the road. I wave to my 4:30AM girlfriend. Even though it is dark outside, it’s not truly dark. There are streetlights,…
One Phone Call A Week
When I was working in sales management, I would receive hundreds of emails a week and was on the phone for 4-8 hours a day. When I wasn’t on the phone, I was in meetings or talking to someone. It was both invigorating and exhausting. I needed the weekends to unwind. I’d workout, take long…