Gee, the TravelnLass Has Gone Awfully Quiet…
Yes, I’ve been somewhat quiet here lately. Not diligently publishing a new TL post each and every week (as – amazingly – has been my custom for – OMG – more than SEVEN YEARS!)
Sorry ’bout that.
It’s just that perpetually stringing together 1,000+ words every 7 days is h.a.r.d. It’s not something one can do in 30 minutes, or even an afternoon. Indeed, what with the photo editing and organizing my thoughts into some semblance of coherency – most my posts here consume nearly two full days of digital work.
Don’t get me wrong – I mostly enjoy writing these tomes, fiddling with these many pics, and sharing a window into my zany expat/traveln life. Plus TL is truly a treasure for me personally – a lovely diary of my many past travels and incredible moments that would otherwise grow fuzzy in my dodderin’ brain.
And it’s not that I don’t have plenty of travel and expat stories to share. Indeed, I still have at least 6 or 7 posts wailing to be pecked – each detailing my adventures in Slovenia, Croatia, Turkey, et al last fall. And as I type this, I’ve got a lovely set of photos from last week’s many Semana Santa festivities right here in Cuenca. The fun of once again hanging out with my Cuencana neighbor to make “fanesca”, the traditional Easter soup; completing the full circuit visiting 7 churches (Visitación de Siete Iglesias) and participating in the candle-lit evening procession through the cobbled streets honoring the 14 stations of the cross.
Ah, but enough whining/feeling guilty. g-knows if I’ve learned nothing else in my 7 dodderin’ decades on the Planet, it’s that there’s no use dwelling on the negative nor beating myself up unnecessarily. I am/this blog is what it is. And if it’s more inspiration/TL posts that you seek, no doubt there’s plenty here already that you’ve not yet seen. Just check any of the many drop-down menus above and/or search for whatever it is you fancy.
And Meanwhile…
I actually HAVE recently pecked a boatload of new mots – updating my TravelnLass “NOW” page (yup, I’ll bet you never even noticed that it was there – the only links to it tucked so tiny up (and down) there in the far right corners of my TL site). I created it about a year ago, and it’s meant to be the one place where you can see what I’m up to (more or less) CURRENTLY. But of course I’d neglected it a bit (note to self: under NO CIRCUMSTANCE should you ever be foolish enough to post a page that needs constant updating – silly girl!) In any case, I just managed to update it to include my current “Projects & Passions”, along with a sneak-peek of where my next travel adventure will (likely) be.
Oh and just for fun…
In the spirit of full transparency into my private affairs, how ’bout a collage of my present digs? I’ve lived in 4 different (fully furnished) apartments since I arrived in Cuenca 3+ years ago. And my present bitty castle is the most perfect fit for me. I once had a 2 bedroom for a year, but found that I rarely used the extra bedroom. So now I live in a tiny 1 bedroom in a perfect location here in El Centro (just 4 blocks from Parque Calderon, the Río Tomebamba, etc.), with great wifi and lots of sunlight. All for a pittance (i.e. just $250 per month – with all that sweet savings going to… yup, more ‘n more AIR TICKETS!)
See? Nearly 600 words here – this, for a post that was suppose to be but a quick link to my NOW page update. I guess there’s simply no way for me to curb my propensity to blather. So likely I’ll be posting a little bit less frequently than I have in the past (i.e. once or twice per month rather than every week).
About the Author
Dyanne Off-the-beaten-path travel is my passion,and I’ve always lived life “like-a-kid-in-a-candy-store” – eager to sample as many flavors as I can. Indeed, my life motto has long been: This ain’t a dress rehearsal, folks!
You might also like...
What’s the TravelnLass Up To NOW??? →
A Birthday TATTOO! →
Looking Back on 2016: A Dozen “Postcards” →
Off-the-beaten-path travel is my passion, and I’ve always lived life “like a kid in a candy store” – eager to sample as many flavors as I can. Indeed, my life motto has long been:
In retrospect, I reckon you’ll look back and think, that was nice.
Taking a break every now and then is a good idea. Sometimes it’s nice to leave the laptop unplugged, go out and enjoy something just for what it is and not have your camera with you. I even leave my smartphone sitting switched off in a drawer on occasion.
Yes Ted, I agree that “unplugging” for a spell can be most rejuvenating. For my 40+ day skip through the Balkans, I left my netbook at home and carried only my phone. Helpful nowadays for reserving a bed at my next locale, but I deliberately piled up TL posts in advance so I didn’t have to take time/my attention away from exploring all the new places I visited.
Ditto the camera. But I admit, that’s much harder to tear myself away from. Plus… it is my many photos that I most treasure, so I try to strike a balance when I’m on the trail.
I’ve piled up posts too (got the idea from you). Now that money is so much tighter, I have to plan way ahead and spread stuff out.
Yes and I’m sure you’ll be back refreshed, with renewed vigour sooner or later, and you’ll be all the better for the time away from it. 🙂
We too started our blog writing weekly posts and managed to continue with that schedule for over 2 years (kudos to you for 7!) before admitting that our enjoyable hobby was quickly turning into a drudge and looking suspiciously like a job. It really is hard to convey how such a simple task can devour so many hours of your time. (I actually was happy to realize how much time you put into each post because I just assumed I was “slow!”) At this stage in your life I think the writing should be something you look forward to rather than dread (and who would think that 2 weeks could whiz by so fast?) and I get the idea that you, like me, want the writing effort to be a pleasure. And, not only to you get to share your tips and experiences with fascinated readers like me (instead of all those friends and fam back “home” who don’t even pretend to be interested) you also get a chance to expand your circle of online friends. Definitely worth the effort. 😁 I’ll keep looking forward to your next posts as always!
lol Anita, yes indeed, at this stage of the game it’s all about: “if it ain’t fun, we simply don’t do it!”, yes? 😉
But seriously, thanks for commiserating that I’m not alone in my (snail) writing pace. Indeed, who WOULD ever imagine “…that 2 weeks could whiz by so fast?”
I guess it’s true – “Time flies when you’re having fun”. And g-knows we both seem to be having lots of it.
In response to your above response to my comment:
I don’t think that you are slow in generating your posts…I was surprised at how long it takes only because I have never done it. You are much, much faster at generating your posts than I am at writing my arbitral decisions!
My desire to visit Uruguay (and a desire to visit Cuenca that grows stronger with each of your posts about it) will not come to fruition any time soon, due to my unwillingness to leave our two senior dogs (one of whom, Henry the Golden Retriever, has a terminal condition). I’ll let you know when a trip becomes possible.
Sorry to hear about Henry. Yes, (as with most everything in life) there are trade-offs for those of us who choose to travel. I’m sure one day you’ll realize your dream of Uruguay (and hopefully I’ll still be here in Cuenca for a rendezvous when you head south!)
Nearly two full days of digital work for each post…yikes!! No wonder one or two posts each month makes sense. And thank you for reminding me to better balance living life and memorializing it!! Now of to your “NOW” page with a big grin, Leslie
Yup, the better part of 2 days of whittle, Leslie. I guess I’m especially slow. 😉
But seriously, it’s a labor of love, and as I said – a treasured personal diary. And yes too, you’re so right – unlike some travel bloggers – you’ll rarely find me pecking blow-by-blows here WHILE I’m traveling. No way do I want to miss a single moment when I’m exploring new lands.
Speaking of which – so how’s the plans for Uruguay shaping up? Any chance you’ll be in my Andean neighborhood any time soon?
We all need a break from blogging once in a while. And 1-2 posts a month still sounds pretty frequent to me!
Yes Ruth – thanks for the reminder. I guess I just need a break. Generally I’ve always enjoyed sharing here, but lately – the weeks slip by so swiftly and I just can’t bring myself to hunker down and create something here out of thin air.
Silly of me really. And you’re perfectly right – 1-2 posts a month is plenty! 🙂