Wednesday, May 16, 2012

A Second Act of Snowbirding

It's time to flee the snow in my native New York for good.  I hope blogging is what will enable my escape.

In my case, I will be turning 60 later this year.   Every winter, here in upstate NY, seems harsher and harsher.  Walking in downtown Binghamton can be downright hazardous.

This past winter, with the grand total of one slippery-slidey morning, was a huge blessing.  I know it won't repeat.  Next winter, we may be back to our normal 80 plus inches of the white stuff.

I don't ever want to see another winter, experience walking in minus degree weather, or shovel ever again.   Yet, I love upstate NY, and want to continue to live here in the summer and fall.

I've been blogging every day for a little over a year now.  A half hour, an hour, of writing practice.  One day, I hope to have enough skills to be able to earn enough money through blogging, or writing, to make my dream come true.

This isn't the first time I've tried to write, though.

When I was in junior high, I wrote a book about a man who was stranded on one of the Canary Islands,   He found a race of civilized canary-men, and had various adventures with them.  By total coincidence, many of these adventures bore a striking similarity to those experienced by one John Carter in the Barsoom books of Edgar Rice Burroughs that I loved so much. 

Then, a month short of my 13th birthday, my mother died suddenly.

The bird-men book was forgotten.  Now, writing became my refuge from a world that felt like an atomic bomb had been dropped on it.  I poured out my pain on page after page of spiral notebooks, staying up sometimes to 1 or 2 in the morning. 

Then, I passed through my teenaged years and those writings were lost and forgotten, too.

Three years ago I discovered blogging and all that pent-up writing started to pour out. Then, in September of last year, my neighborhood, my area, flooded and once again blogging was a lifeline to sanity.

Blogging is so different from how I make my living now.  I have a full time job in an industry I have worked in for 35 years.  I have never been self-employed.

I am still thinking this through, and don't know exactly how I will structure my second act. Will I be able to ever have enough skills to freelance?  Could I write some kind of e-book?  And then what? Become a snowbird?  I know several people who snowbird, and this appeals to me.   I will have to work at least part time after retirement to make it happen.  If I can work from home - well, so much the better.

I will try my best to keep up that 1/2 to 1 hour a day pace.  Day after day.  One day I will be ready.

Will I be able to achieve my snowbirding dreams?  I can't wait to find out.

13 comments:

  1. Wishing you much success in your second act. You've definitely taught me determination and discipline through your blog, and I appreciate it!

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    1. Thank you for all your past encouragement! You've been wonderful.

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  2. The very best of luck with your dream. I have been in the same government job since 1985 although I am lucky enough to have a short-term overseas contract at the moment. Last year I finished a part-time course in Writing, Editing and Publishing. You are doing so well blogging and writing every day. I have such good intentions, but ended up snapping photos madly, posting them, and then attempting to string a few sentences together, usually as I gulp a cup of coffee and head out the door. I hate always rushing, and never seeming to be able to take the time to reflect and write carefully (or even edit properly). I hope it all comes together for you and that you can achieve your snowbirding dream.

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    1. Thank you, Marisa. I've been in one industry for many years (several employers, partially because of several moves to different parts of the country when I was younger). It will be interesting to see what the next few years bring.

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  3. As my hubby tells me keep putting one foot in front of the other. Keep working, keep dreaming and I hope you can achieve your snowbird dreams. I have the opposite dream, we live in Texas and I would love to go back to our northern roots during the summer. One day both of us will get our dreams.

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    1. Lol, want to swap houses? On a serious note, a high school friend moved to Florida several years ago and now she wants to summer in the East. Is there a word for that reverse situation you describe?

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  4. We never know just what we can do until we try. Like you, I have always been a writer, mostly for my own pleasure, and I can fully empathize with your desire to take it to the next level. Good luck as you proceed. I'll be following your progress.

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    1. Thank you for your good wishes and encouragement! It was nice coming home from my day job to these comments.

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  5. Maybe being a snowbird can make you a 'freebird'... Dreams and goals: considering them are almost as fun as achieving them. It's that jump over the gap between that's downright scary!

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    1. You are right about the scary part! And thoughts of ice and snow fade during the summer here. But come fall, and the first icy morning, maybe that will be the push I need to start making it happen (after taking time for research, of course....)

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  6. Alana, you're already a writer! Here's a link to a great book from a good friend of mine Jeff Goins titled "You're a Writer (so start acting like it)". This may help you define your second act!

    http://thedailyretort.com/book-review-you-are-a-writer-by-jeff-goins/

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  7. You are an inspiration and will no doubt carve out a solution.

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  8. Interesting comment by Tor..."You're a Writer (so start acting like it)." Jeff Goins. I'll have to read the post and see what it says. Your post is inspirational to me because I don't know what I want to do with writing, blogging or even my life purpose. Knowing someone else is pursuing, and with a great attitude(being excited about what the future will bring) is inspirational.

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