Notes from the Red Bird House

Lately, people - friends, co-workers, social networking acquaintances - have been telling me I should be a travel writer. I guess they know of my two loves, writing and travel, and think I should combine them. I appreciate the sentiment and the idea, but I've yet to utter a resounding, "I know!" Because, frankly, I don't know. I mean, it would be awesome - AWESOME - to get paid to write AND travel. But seriously... What would that even look like and why would anyone pay me to do it? I'm not a "foodie" and I don't drink or do "night-life", luxury, "hot-spots", or crowds. So, what in the hell do I do when I travel if I don't do any of the traditional guide-book-tourist activities? And moreover, why do I even bother doing it at all? Right? Let's remember one fact - I'm an INTROVERT (Perhaps a slightly extroverted one when the circumstances and my mindset are both favorable, but don't let that little bit of misdire...

I've been asked several times recently why I haven't been writing. I think what they really meant to ask was why haven't I been posting. Because assuredly, I could be writing, working on the novel, or maybe something else entirely - like a screenplay! Sadly, though, the first question is the right question. I haven't written a damn thing in a damn long time. That's not to say that my imagination has been stagnant. I have a new story churning and I could say I've been working on it and it wouldn't be a lie, but it'd be a stretch. A big stretch, like the kind that leaves you sore the next day. How have I been "working on it"? Well, I've watched a bunch of sailing videos, learned the meaning of the term "naval architecture", and wrote an egregiously short plot summary. Oh, and I'm taking an online Introduction to Sailing class. I like to tell myself it's better than nothing. Truthfully, it's nothing. Really. So, why h...