We live some intentionally blurry lines in our lives. Especially between work and play – we are self employed after all. And we know that can be confusing to you, our readers, as to just what Technomadia is and isn’t.
So, we wanted to take a moment and maybe add a touch of definition to where the lines are. Particularly for newer readers to the blog who may not have followed along in how our current business endeavors evolved over the years.
A little history
When Chris and I met online back in 2006, we were both active social bloggers (anyone remember LiveJournal?). It’s how we met, got to know each other from thousands of miles away and knew instantly our lives where aligned when we first met in person.
Blogging is just part of who we are. We’ve tried stopping. We just can’t. It’s part of our process of creating memories and analyzing our experiences.
As we were rushing to pack up my house and get moved into a tiny 16′ trailer to go try out life on the road together in 2007, we figured it might be good to have a joint blog space for our friends and family to follow along.
Chris quickly registered the domain name ‘Technomadia’ – pretty much on a whim. It was the name of the shared music directory he shared with his buddy & nomadic inspiration Steve Roberts, the original ‘technomad’. (Technomad meaning, of course – technology enabled nomad.)
Technomadia started out as just a continuation of our personal blogging, infact it was just a syndicated merging of our two personal blogs initially. The moniker stuck, and now, we’re known as Technomadia. For better or worse.
Even as our community of friends and family has grown beyond anything we’ve ever imaged, it’s our intention to keep it personal here. At least as best we can.
What is the Technomadia Blog?
It just so happens, we love to write. We love to share. We love to create helpful content.
We while some of our writings here on Technomadia may seem like ‘work’ – whether sharing about our electronics, our toys, our lifestyle – we consider it our hobby.
We were just at the right place and time when the economy changed and technology made it easier for more people to hit the road. We were one of the few already sharing online when digital nomadism became a ‘thing’. And that picked up a bit of traffic here.
If we were launching this blog today, I seriously doubt you’d even know who we are – two middle aged geeks whose lives revolve around a cat really can’t be that interesting. And we certainly wouldn’t have the social media momentum to sustain ‘making it’ in today’s saturated online world.
And, you might notice we’re not heavily monetized here.
Sure, some Amazon affiliate links that might kick us back a few bucks. And we have a ‘Leave a Tip’ option for those who wish to thank us with a special indulgence.
But we’re not littered with Google Ads, paid product placements, no membership fee to get premium access. We don’t lure you in with ‘free eBooks’ to build an e-mail list to market to you in the future. (We do have a ‘Pay as you Wish’ eBook, but you can get all the content in the No Excuses: Go Nomadic series for free online too.)
Our goal here has never been to generate income that we earmark for living expenses. We never want to have to blog about our lives just to afford our lives.
Frankly, most the funds generated by this site go right back into the site – we’re paying well over $200/month these days to host the traffic, deliver posts via e-mail and keep a developer on staff for general maintenance.
We’re happy to do it, because Technomadia is one heck of a fun hobby for us and has many other benefits that don’t have price tags. (Like meeting you!).
Our Work Life
We have full time jobs (well, sometimes more than full time).
Over the years that has ranged from custom software development, technical consulting, writing and mobile app development. We’ve even packed boxes at Amazon during peak season.
It used to be pretty easy to keep the line between ‘play’ here at Technomadia and our work – there was little cross over.
But that line has gotten blurrier as our live’s passions have naturally intersected with our work life.
In the past two years, much to our own surprise, sharing about mobile internet with RVers has become our full time job. The confusion comes because this was a topic we used to share about regularly here in our own personal journey of assembling a mobile connectivity setup that kept us online enough to run our careers remotely.
As I shut down the business I ran with my father (software development) after his passing in 2013, we put together all of our blog posts about mobile internet into a little book we called The Mobile Internet Handbook. This was mostly out of survival, our inbox was staying way too full answering reader questions about their own mobile internet setups. As soon as it was done, we went back to our ‘real jobs’.
A year later, with the help of a crowd funding campaign – we also launched RVMobileInternet.com along with a massive re-write of the book. We figured if we could get a couple folks a month to join a premium site, we could afford to post an occasional industry update, answer questions and send out alert newsletters.
And that site has grown and grown and grown – both in content, and in membership. It has solidly become our primary work focus, sometimes requiring 12-15 hours a day to keep on top of.
We love what we do – we’re combining our passions for technology, travel, writing and helping people. And we’re thrilled that it’s all funded by the very people we’re helping (RVers who rely on mobile internet) via our premium membership component. We like being accountable to those we’re serving, not to corporate sponsorships.
And as we happen to be personally sharing about full time RVing on this blog, of course, many of our members also happen to be Technomadia friends.
Why am I sharing this today?
We occasionally catch wind that there’s confusion out there about our lines between business and play. Hey, we get confused sometimes too.
So I share this as much to help us keep our lines clear, and hopefully clear up some of it up for you.
That confusion was strongly evidenced over the weekend when we had a well-intentioned reader write offering us unsolicited lengthy ‘customer feedback’ on our content here on Technomadia.
Honestly, the feedback kinda hurt. It felt like being slapped by someone we gifted a free meal, because the portions weren’t big enough.
It hurt not just because it was being very critical of what we put so much effort into sharing here (and had they taken a moment to actually read our site, they would have found most the topics they were seeking in dedicated posts & videos posted on our RVing Page.), but also that the reader was approaching us as a business (even reprimanding us on our terrible customer service) and not people with real feelings.
But we’re shaking it off, and keeping our course. We know there’s many more of you who love what we do here than the occasional complainer.
But in case there’s any lingering confusion out there… let’s be clear here. You’re not a ‘customer’ of Technomadia. You’re part of our community, virtual friends and perhaps future real friends
You may very well be a customer of RVMobileInternet (from being a reader or a member) or our apps too. And for that, we’re deeply appreciative. And if you have customer feedback on those, it’s welcomed in the places we’ve made for that.
But when you’re visiting this site, reading this content, joining in on one of our Technomadia branded livestreams, following us on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, RVillage or Facebook – it’s more like you’re being invited to hang out with us in our virtual living room to share a glass of wine AFTER work.
And just like a happy hour, we might talk about what we did at work – that’s part of being social with friends, after all.
But don’t be surprised if you approach us in one of our social hang out locations with questions on mobile internet that we politely redirect you to our place of business. Much like a doctor might recommend you make an appointment with their office if you start asking them for medical advice at a party.
For our own sanity, we simply must put up some boundaries between work and play.
What we share here is done in our off-hours. It’s a gift to you, and a gift to us that you follow along. And we LOVE hearing your gratitude for it – seriously, it keeps us inspired to continue to make the time to create it.
But we do it at our own pace, as we have time and inspiration. That’s part of the intentions we had to set after we returned from our hiatus after last year’s social media burn out.
If you have ‘helpful suggestions’ on how we can improve our content here at Technomadia – we respectfully request you keep it to yourself. If we ever are seeking constructive feedback, we’ll ask for it. Trust us, we have no limits to the content we wish we had time to create, we just have to accept reality that we can’t do it all and have a life worth sharing about.
Thanks 🙂
Some related articles:
- Our ‘About Us’ Page – with our full story, and more about our mobile income
- Our RVing Resource Center – our ‘menu’ to all our topical content about RVing.
- Our Video Archives – Archives of our hour long video chats on various lifestyle topics
I have been following your blog for about six months. I discovered it while looking for some full-time RVers to follow. Hubby and I have an RV and hope to travel for months at a time, if not longer, when he retires in the next one to three years. For now, we do shorter trips.
I just want you to know that I am learning a lot from your helpful blog. It inspires me and is a delight! Thank y’all for what you do!
Happy Trails,
D~~~~
I had been noticing some “drifting” in you guys blog lately and to be truthful started to lose interest in it. I’m not saying I was tuning in for free tech info or anything since I understand that’s your income stream. But if you guys want to maintain a public profile (aka “advertising”) I would hope you somehow find the time to make some posts on a somewhat regular basis about RVing in general and maybe with a tech slant using broad strokes so as not to give up the goodies you work so hard to produce. I caught you guys in Tucson a year ago and though your seminars were excellent. A lot of us are tech starved and would find your ramblings about the field of great interest.
It’s sad to see comments like these. Not only because we specifically asked folks to ‘keep it to themselves’. But also that you have clearly missed our recent RVing Lifestyle content we’ve produced, some of it with a definite tech slant.
Here’s some examples of non-travelogue content from the past couple of months:
https://www.technomadia.com/2016/08/tips-for-surviving-weekends-in-campgrounds/
https://www.technomadia.com/2016/07/rving-with-cats/
https://www.technomadia.com/2016/07/big-rv-little-generator-downsizing-to-a-2500w-propane-generator/
https://www.technomadia.com/2016/06/five-years-living-traveling-in-a-gm-4106-vintage-bus-conversion/
https://www.technomadia.com/2016/06/tips-for-rv-driveway-surfing-being-a-great-temporary-neighbor/
https://www.technomadia.com/2016/06/running-an-rv-ac-off-solar-batteries-and-a-hybrid-boosting-inverter/
https://www.technomadia.com/2016/05/travel-like-a-local-or-travel-like-a-tourist/
And of course, there’s our monthly live chat series that tackles topics regularly.
We have an entire list of topics we want to cover too, but time/energy is hard to come by these days – and we can’t sit at our desks 15 hours a day, 7 days a week. We think still putting out 2-3 of these articles/videos a month is doing pretty darn good while still having time to explore.
For those wanting mobile internet content, we have tons of it (a lot of it free) over at http://www.rvmobileinternet.com – and we intentionally don’t want to use this site as ‘advertising’.
Nothing but love and peace your way
Y’all rock. I really appreciate all the info!
Don’t let the haters get you down! You have far more fans than haters anyway.
I sort of know what you mean with the blurry line between work and play. I’m a freelance writer, and I absolutely love writing (not all the topics I write about, but a love for writing gets me through those!) However, I often find myself having a hard time “shutting off”. Since Kayla and I started fulltiming, we’ve barely gotten much time to actually enjoy it. We’ve been working close to 50+ hours per week, but I think a big reason for that is a lack of direction. Much of it is spent on “busy work” rather than focused work because we’re not 100% sure what to do. I think that lies on not being purposeful and mindful about what we’re going to accomplish in a given day. We’re working on it though, and I know we’ll get there! 🙂
Thanks for sharing!!
If you get there.. let us know. I’m sure we could use some tips 🙂
Will do haha! Same goes to you. 🙂
Shake it off (even better – delete it) and move on. You guys are a source of great information and general fun stuff and we love you for it! You are the reason many many people can cut the ties to an office chair and open themselves up to the possibility of telecommuting while enjoying RV life. That gratitude cannot be repaid back to you but by your adoring fans comments! LOL The not so adoring or the “unsolicited advice types” can just take a hike….
We got our first derisive comment on our RV blog recently. First one in over two years. The Wynns commented in their latest video about recent comments from critics and haters, too. RV Love told me about critical comments they get, especially on youtube where people are anonymous. It can make you crazy! It makes you question whether the critics have a point. But after you decide, NO, they don’t have a leg to stand on, maybe you’ll come to the conclusion like we did that some people are just misguided. Wrong-headed. Messed up. Trolls. Whatever. Insert your own conclusion. You’re awesome at what you do and who you are! You’ve helped us so much! We’d love to meet you someday. Keep on Keepin’ on! 😉 Hugs from Zion.
We’ve been dealing with ‘constructive’ (and some downright nasty) comments for many years. It comes with the territory, unfortunately. Most days, it flows right off us. Others, it takes a little extra effort to shake it off. No matter how much you rationalize it’s in their head, not yours – sometimes things just sting differently.
Us bloggers and content creators are real people after all.
Chris & Cherie. I want to add my appreciation for what you do here, on your blog. It’s been blogs like Technomadia, The Wynns, Wheelingit, Long Long Honeymoon, among others that got me interested in full-timing. I’m working towards diving in, in the near future.
I don’t see the confusion that at least one other person obviously had. To me it’s always been clear, and logical… Your book and your mobile site were for specific, valuable information that one must pay for. This site, Technomadia, was… well it was like your campfire in the evening, where you gather with others to relay your stories from the day. I look forward each day to logging in and seeing what you’ve been up to. We all bring our own wine, kick back, and experience the full-timer lifestyle through your entertaining and informative posts. The “other” person who mistook it for a business would be like the oaf who arrived at the campfire and started complaining cause a waiter hadn’t been by and starts asking for the wine steward. After we all roll our eyes and tell him to chill and listen to the stories, I’m sure he’d get the idea.
I look forward to one day actually sitting around your campfire, or the two of you around mine, and sharing some stories. But in the meantime, I enjoy your virtually sharing through Technomadia. As it gets closer to my time to hit the road, I’ll be a paying customer of RVMobileInternet as well.
Cheers!
Richard C.
Thanks for hanging around our little campfire, and for getting the intentions around these parts. Cheers to you!
Great post. It is probably just one of the pitfall of being famous RV Tech Gurus…
My wife and I have really enjoyed your videos and blog posts about the RV lifestyle! The information is relevant, well organized and pleasantly un-forced. We can tell you truly enjoy the lifestyle and community.
I’m not sure if you can appreciate how important people like you, (RVLove, The Wynns, RVGeeks, The Great Escape, David Bott, Less Juck & More Journey, LivinLite…) are to those of us who are planning on the transition from Stick&Brick. While the RV lifestyle opens the door to many new freedoms, adventures, and opportunities; it comes with a host of side complications, concerns, and incredibly expensive gotchas. You two are fantastic ambassadors and have significantly moved us (and many many others I’m sure) forward on the learning curve.
One question I had, in regards to the blurred line of work and pleasure was around taxes. Could you give us some guidance (perhaps an entire post) on how you manage business income & expenses as full time RVers. Most business & tax laws were crafted with a permanent residence and place of business in mind. Because this lifestyle and business structure is so different, the rules are a bit murky.
Thanks again!
The subject of taxes and business is just far too complex for mere peons like us to address 🙂 We’ll leave that to the CPAs of the world. We’re totally not certified or comfortable addressing that issue. Which is why you’ll see us specifically avoiding the topic. The Xscapers is gearing up resource for that, we’ll let them handle it.
That person is just being a …….. (fill in with what you like) I have only very recently (within the last 60 days) found this site and joined your blog. I have understood the difference of your work and this gift from day 1. My wife and I enjoy your insight and are still anticipating join in on a live video chat. Thank you very much and please dont let someone ruin this for all of us. I say us because reading your blog has became my hobby.
Very happy to hear the lines are fairly clear to newer readers… we have been trying to subtly adjust things.
Thanks for the clarification! I’ve been following you two for probably 1.5 years now, I’m an MIA member and have gratefully used your consulting services as well, but truly I didn’t realize the work vs play distinctions between the Technomadia and RV Mobile Internet sites. It’s good all around to have the lines a little less blurry. 🙂
I so appreciate all the great information, advice and experiences that you have chosen to share, both professionally and personally.
Safe travels!
It totally makes sense that someone joining in about 1.5 to 2 years ago could be confused. Because, heck, we were too – just starting to launch RVMobileInternet and not sure where the lines would/should be. It’s a process, and we appreciate having you along for the ride!
That was very helpful to read. You’re right in that the lines have blurred for some of us so I like having this clarification. Thanks you for all your do to make life better for RVers. I, for one, am grateful for your apps that have helped us many times.
Clarification is good… for readers, and for ourselves too. The apps have always been tricky for us, as they truly are just little side hobbies for us (as evidenced by our lack of time to focus on them.. but hopefully that will be changing soon).
Thank you both for your passion and your willingness to share your lives and your expertise so freely and continuously. I have learned so much about the mobile aspects of staying in touch while RVing from your free and your premium content (yes, I’m a paid subscriber) and I deeply appreciate your observations and your advice. My wife and I are preparing to go full-time and, until then, we are happily living the full-time RV life vicariously through your adventures and the adventures of other full-time RVers who publish their journeys and experiences online. The world is full of jerks and the internet gives them an easy way to express their uninvited and unappreciated opinions with few limitations. You are doing a wonderful thing and the vast majority of your readers appreciate you very much. Don’t let the naysayers and critics get you down for a millisecond.
Thanks so much for your support of what we do here and in our professional lives. Means the world to us.
Love your blog! I am kind of confused why people thought this was your business when you VERY clearly explained RVMobileinternet.com when you rolled it out…and several times after..anyway, I love reading your blog and enjoy your insights on travel! Thank you for sharing your “hobby” with us!
You guys are the greatest – both my husband and I love, just LOVE all of your posts and look forward to receiving anything new from you guys. Love the fact that you put your heart and sole into both your personal site [Technomadia] and your work site RVmobile Intenret] . Love the way you write in the Kiki person as it is quite entertaining. Keep up the great work and enjoy life each and every day as you never know what tomorrow may bring. Prayers to you guys for safe travels and great health to continue this lifestyle!
Oh, Kiki totally writes her own posts 😉
My husband and I have learned SO MUCH from this site. You guys are inspirational and have given us many ideas we intend to implement ourselves. By the time we set out next year, we’ll definitely owe you a bottle of wine for all the A-ma-zing content here. We loved your last video chat!
As for blurred lines, want to really throw people off when they play customer and critique the site? Just say “No, you can’t hold the baby.” Technomadia is your baby and people offering critiques are no different than strangers who walk up to you in public and ask to hold your baby or offer unsolicited parenting advice. 🙂
Oh why must there be thoughtless people who don’t take the time to READ what you very clearly explain, that this is your personal blog! Kudos for this well-written post to hopefully clarify to those thoughtless people. We so appreciate the time and energy you put into your personal blog, and that you share it with everyone. We have learned so much from you, and added so many places to our list of places to visit. THANK YOU!!
Hubby and I follow you both regularly. We are also members of the mobile internet site. We very much enjoy following your adventures, advice and expertise. And, of course are always looking for the next post or video. We greatly hope that our paths cross one day as it would be such an honor and delight to meet you. We sincerely, thank you and treasure our cyber connections and for all that you give to our mobile community. You are all so very loved!
Love your blog and channel and grateful for it. Found it to be a help.
Thanks for everything! That’s all I can say.
I totally get were you are coming from. I have learned so much from all that you both have shared with us over the years. I have also purchased your book and left a tip or two, just as a way of acknowledging my gratitude for your kind offer of sharing your wisdom for free. I never thought that I was supposed to, I just wanted to. Just like I never felt that you were promoting yourself here as anything other than fellow sojourners in the nomadic way of life. I am sorry to hear that someone misread (or didn’t bother to read) your intentions. Thanks again for all that you have offered, and hopefully will continue to offer to all of us fumbling in the dark. And if you are ever in my neck of the woods, dinner is on me, and I promise not a single tech question will arise! Just a nice meal among introverts. Cheers!
Thank you so much for your support. And we especially appreciate the feedback that you never felt pressured to do so. That’s exactly what we want to convey – appreciated, but not expected.
So sorry you got burned by unsolicited feedback. (Ever notice that “free advice” is usually worth what you paid for it?;-) ) I really appreciate you sharing your lives so willingly. You are such an inspiration for those who are still in the planning stages of going full time. Thanks so much for sharing the the good and the bad, the highs and the lows, and everything in between!
Cherie and Chris,
As a semi-retired IT Engineer/Manager, I completely understand your frustrations. Work is work and play is not (usually) work. Sometimes work can be fun and enjoyable, and I believe we all try to seek a “happy medium” with work/life balance. Sometimes work wins, and sometimes play wins. After I stopped working a “regular full-time” job I thought I would have a lot of free time! NOT HAPPENING! Life gets in the way sometimes. You two have set upon an enviable journey, breaking ground along the way. Living without slide-outs is most challenging. You have measurably achieved many personal goals, and have been an inspiration to many of us, by leading the way with solar, high tech controllers, modern batteries and other leading edge projects, including Zephyr. (Trailing edge?)
Many are quick to critique (nice word) those whom have never walked the path. It takes countess hours to prepare blogs, especially as error free and grammatically correct as yours. I mean that. I have seen all too many attempts that fall short, simply by the use of un-readable spelling and grammar.
Please keep up the good work, slow down a little if needed, but continue your trek that we can follow. As an FIT grad, I know the Melbourne area well, hope to meet sometime, but on your timetable and terms.
Dave
Thanks Dave. I have to say, I find it ironic that you compliment us on our grammar and spelling, as that’s one area we have felt particular criticism on. It’s nice to hear the opposite for once, thank you. 🙂
We’re not perfect, but we do try to keep our typos and casual language at least readable.
Thank you. I am a newer follower…. meaning the last 18 months… and i soak up all that you provide. I think that this posting is great to get us newbies oriented. Although I wouldn’t have the ‘balls’ to call anyone out on anything (a.k.a. smart enough to take info i need and be grateful), I think it is great that you made distinctions for those who ‘skim’. I loved your Dr. at a social gathering analogy. Please keep on keeping on.
Thanks to your blogs i’ve learned what I need to succeed in my new job as a high donor officer for a non-profit. Previously I’ve been a teacher and administrator of a large online school.
Again, thank you and i hope we cross paths in the future.
Thanks for all your doing on your time off from work! Your blogs and stories are what inspired us to go for it and join in the nomadic lifestyle!
Think of it as your the parents of thousands of wonderful folks
Somewhere along the line someones going to go a-mess
Please don’t allow one strand to break the whole cable
I know you said you didn’t want any suggestions but I’m going to give you ???
Find a smooth vintage bottle of wine with 2 long stem glasses,,light 9 candles and find a secluded hot tub where you can watch the sun go down Life’s moments were meant to be enjoyed
Sorry I tried not to be to suggestive
Now those are the kind of ‘suggestions’ we like 🙂 Thanks Mr. Ed!
Our family has nothing but love for you and Chris. It’s because you guys put yourselves out there that we avoid and prevent many, many, many pitfalls. Shake those haters off and send them back to Trollville! There are way more professional ways of handling dissatisfaction but there is no room for hatred in this world. We really appreciate all you do for the RV Geek community. Stay strong!
Bravo!
Good explanation of how your work lives and personal lives relate. It was wonderful to pass from virtual to in real life today at our mutual friends’ house. Enjoy your adventures!
BRAVO! So sad that you even have to write this type of post. Well done. Cheers!
Hi Cherie. I can imagine how you must be feeling. Doing what you love but leaving yourself open to the world of really nice, like minded folk and the ignorant idiots out there who just can’t keep their thoughts to themselves. They seem to think that they can say what they like about you because they are not face to face with you. I am sure they would ever so nice to you if they were talking personally to you.
It would be great if you could just brush them off as ignoramuses, but you are a person with feelings. Just know that there are more fans than haters out there. It’s just that, like us, the fans keep in the background and enjoy what you have to offer without interfering in your daily lives. God bless you both for the efforts you put into sharing your knowledge and experiences with us. Don’t give up on us
You both are perfect exactly the way you are! Thank you for sharing your lives and experiences which benefit so many others!
Good for you guys! Important you express your feelings and clarify things for people. In this day and age, so few people respect (or set) personal boundaries and yet they are essential to stay sane, happy and healthy ESPECIALLY when it comes to social media (and work for that matter). I have noticed that the more content is available out there (and that we produce – we meaning you, us, everyone who blogs/vlogs) the more people also ‘expect’ – often without taking the time to step back and consider if someone is doing it in their own time, for their own reasons. Can totally relate to the blurred lines, confusion, reaching our own turning point and moment of personal truth recently and how we want to spend our time, focus our energies on what is fun and joyful for US. So a round of applause for leading by example – we appreciate your great writing, your thorough, in-depth and helpful content, and are grateful for your RV Mobile Internet forum. It’s a heck of a lot of work and no-one could do that better than you two.
Yes, yes and yes!
Don’t let one bad apple spoil your barrel of fun.
You guys give so much of yourselves. It’s truly appreciated. We’ve
learned so much valuable information over the last few years. Bless you both!
Love your response to this situation, Cherie. Very well written and totally makes sense. We’ve used your fulltiming advice over the past few years and paid for your book, as everyone should if they want tech advice. Hope to meet you two someday and share the cool places we’ve all been. 🙂
Want you to know that I understand your position on this topic and really appreciate being part of your community. I must complement you both on your writing skills, just the right mix! Will be happy to read anything that you choose to put out in your “spare” time.
I keep this old saying in mind, “You can please all the people some of time, and you can please some of the people all the time, but, you can never please all the people all the time”
I’m kind of shaking my head that you had to write this blog post at all. It was well written by the way, and obviously done with care, but the idea that some folks think you don’t have a right to a private life frankly flummoxes me. Most of us got into this lifestyle for an increased level of freedom in our daily choices. Why you, as one of the early pioneers, wouldn’t have the same rights as everyone else simply because you share your experiences makes no sense. You’ve been extremely honest about how you struggle to find a balance and even more so in the last couple of years which I appreciate. You have never portrayed yourself as Susie Sunshine, which incidentally is what makes you credible, and yet that seems to be the very thing that draws the most criticism. Personally I’ll take an honest portrayal over a carefully constructed image any day of the week. Thanks for doing what you do.
Tracy
Unbelievable! THANK YOU for inspiring us with your adventures and lifestyle. Grateful for you both . . . I mean you three (yeah, even Kiki gets credit for being a cool cat, as cats go).
Sorry for the negatives that you have received… being a techno-nothing… I relish all I can read and try understand…we will be going out more… only had a 1 week short distant trip to see if we can not kill each other….and if everything worked on this 25 yr old diesel pusher…. so far so good that we have fixed that needed fixing… next year we will make our long haul, but more short trips this year…. have learned much from you both and other full timers, both working and retired. All I can learn from you all, from what to pack to where to put it is all good for me… where to stay and how to find places to stay… again I put in my apologies for the silly person that is so unappreciative for the time, work and gift you give the rest of us out here….. Stay safe and keep on bus—-ing…. and please, please keep on giving us all great things to see, learn and enjoy thru your travels….
I, too, met my partner on livejournal! at around the same time you two met each other, from the sounds of it. 🙂
I’m sorry there are occasionally loud critical voices that think it’s their place to be the boss of your underpants. I appreciate what you do, and I also appreciate how you’ve drawn these lines between personal and professional (and especially appreciate this post) because while we’re not on the road yet (still planning and dreaming!), we work from home and I’m disabled, so drawing lines between “okay work time is now” and “okay work time is over” is really important, and sometimes really hard to do… and easy to burn out.
Thank you for being you 🙂
Thanks so much for your blog and sharing your life and travels. It’s an inspiration as well as entertainment.
We love you and what you do.
Banish the naysayers.
Maybe, instead, send them a treasure map to the “Valley of No Bandwidth” in search of unobtainium.
You guys are absolutely the best. I hope this post clear things up for anybody that is confused about how much you do for our community, out of the goodness of your heart.
I always appreciate your candor and I’m truly grateful you’re not giving up on us. You’re a valued member, of many communities. NO! Make that priceless! You (that’s plural) are a PRICELESS member of many communities that cross lines in the RV/fulltiming world.
I follow your blog because I admire the two of you for the energy you devote to your site and projects. You give so much to the RV Community through your researched projects sans “begging” for funds. Enjoy your well-earned play time. In my eyes, you are models for success in a mobile world. I wish you continuing success.
Nice article….I appreciate everything you do and the amount of time it takes to write about it. Hubby is an IT guy and I know how time consuming (and rewarding) it can be.
And don’t get me started about entitlement attitudes. I work with college students receiving scholarships, many of whom are “perfect” in their parents eyes. Not according to some transcripts I see…
Just keep doing what you enjoy doing and ignore the naysayers.
I can’t imagine some of the comments you guys must get? There just seem to be so many people who just don’t think before the speak. We were planning on doing our own blog/vlog when we go full time next winter, but the amount of work that goes into it and the grief that needs to be put up with has us second guessing it. Anyway, please keep doing what you do and remember that you guys are very much appreciated out here. Scott & Jeanne McLeod
<3 Cherie and Chris, thanks for allowing me to follow along on your ride!
Very thoughtful and well written piece Chris and Cherie!
It is almost funny but just leaves me shaking my head.
Love to be able to come along for the ride – thanks, and
Cheers!
Chris and Cherie……Ghaaaad I feel your pain. I am sure the critic had the best of intentions but what kind of jackhole gives advice to professional bloggers like yourselves?!?!
Quite honestly I think your guys blog is the gold standard of blogs. If I don’t like what your subject is or I find it lacking in information that I am seeking I move to a different subject or continue my research. God knows it is not your responsibility to fill my cisterns of knowledge to the brim with every post. Dare I ask if this critic even has their own blog to brag about that is setting some kind of cosmic standard? Very seldom would I watch an hour lond production of two people on a couch talking about their lives but you guys I do for some reason. I do think I feel like I am in your living room having a glass of wine with you. It is great content and my only regret is I have to que up with the rest of the world to ask you a question. However if I listen to the other questions being asked they would be mine as well sooooooo……It works and it works great. You guys are dialed in and please let the nay sayers find thier way to their special corner of Hell……LOL (said tongue in cheek of course)!
Brett Hays
I read your newsletters and purchased your Public Lands app, but otherwise have not really had much need for your more technical information. BUT – if that day happily shows up, I’m in for your paid subscription! Keep up the really good work. You are an inspiration to us all.
Virtual hugs,
Judie
Dont be discouraged guy’s.
You are a source of inspiration for many of us. I can’t whait to have my own bus and traveling like you. I found so many informations from you.
Many many thank’s again.
Alain Benoit
Well said.
Very well said! My wife and I appreciate the generosity with which you share your mobile life, as we are planning our own. I hope the breathtaking sense of entitlement exhibited by some readers does not deter you from continuing.
Entitlement. Want everything for free. We have the same issues with some of our condominium association unit owners.
As Nina said…well said.
Marilyn
Well said, well said indeed! I raise a Nina-rita to you 🙂
Nina
Cheers to you guys, and thanks for all the info. that you share with all of us wanna bees!
Can I just add that I just got the word that hubby, Andy just passed his drivers test (CDL)!! We bought a 1981 Blue Bird a few months ago and we can now start using it! We will be following you guys even more closely! PS if you need a place to park on your way south just drop us a line, we are just north of Annapolis, MD.