The life I lead right now:

Being a nomad is interesting. I’m really happy going where I want and adapting to where I am. I like working from home. I am a person who lives in the Land of my Head (I mean, I’m smart and funny. Why would I leave?). When I work in an office I get too intereste din the people around me, like I'm still in second grade and getting comments like “talks too much to her neighbor” from the teacher on my take home report card. When I work remotely in a city I don’t know, I get more heads down time and quality breaks. I eat better, too.

Yes, I do have a budget. Just like everyone else.

My biggest problem is figuring out where to go next and finding a cute, comfortable, affordable Airbnb to stay in, or organizing dates with the friend I might be going to see. (Anyone got a city they want me to see or want a visitor for a couple of weeks?). (Oh, and Airbnb hosts? A basement with a bed and a microwave is NOT appealing to anyone).

Wherever I am, I try to take a tour hosted by a local, either from the friend that I am visiting, walking, or on an eBike. I also find trivia bars (because as we have already established, I'm a nerd like that). Inevitably, someone on the tour will ask me where I live, and the answer I give them is: “I don’t live anywhere.” Sometimes, the person immediately gets that I work remotely and work wherever I am. These people are generally in tech or love someone in tech. They nod sagely and say, “

cool.” These? These are my people.

More often there is a furrowed brow and a “hunh?” and then I have to explain that I am a digital nomad and have made a conscious choice to put all my stuff in storage and go wherever. I made this choice for a couple of reasons. 1. It is financially cheaper on me to do this. Coming from the Silicon Valley where everything is hella spendy, it is often more fun, cheaper, and I get more to live in when in a town that doesn’t host thousands of tech workers. Thai means I can get back on my feet financially after Covid and not working for ten months. 2. I meet people who are different, who work in professions I don’t often meet. They are often funny and interesting and teach me something either about myself or that I can take back to my team to improve our designs. 3. I had felt stuck in a place that I didn’t really feel connected to. I don’t hate it. I don’t mind it, but I want to live in a place that I love. So if it isn’t there, then where is it? The only way to discover this is to go live in places for a bit.

So far, I will fall in love with a place for the experience. I have a great time and see things and meet people I never would have otherwise. Learning about one of the last Harvey Hotels in Winslow, AZ where I went for a lark to see the guy standing on the corner. It was meant to be a quick photo for grins. But while I was there I discovered La Posada and went to see it and all the art.

I mean, I could go on and on, and I will in other posts.