One of my favorite things about being out in the van is the ability to step out my door and suddenly be immersed by nature. It's refreshing after a long day of working away to just step back and take in the fresh air. When Lylah and I were on the road we often would pack the van up and go for a hike. Spend a few hours in the air enjoying the scenery and getting some movement in. She loved to run ahead and sniff the trail while I slowly made my way towards our "destination". For us it was peaceful. It was a step away from the real world and all its troubles. It was a chance to breathe in the air and live this life that we were given. 

For me its always a reset to the day. I never thought that I would be traveling as much as I do, seeing the world, and enjoying my life in the way I am today. Thirteen years ago I would have thought I'd be married and have a kid or two. I pictured what every woman probably thinks of at least once in their life. A picture-perfect home with a boy and a girl running around and the love of their life by their side. I thought that I wanted that and in a few years time my mind switched completely. I decided I didn't want to go to college, get married or even have kids. I just wanted to live my life and enjoy it. I wanted to be free (in whatever capacity I could have) and finally break out of the mold that everyone falls into. At 18 I started traveling to new places, staying at campsites, and just trying to get a sense of this world I was in. Slowly I traveled more and more. I took Spice with me to a few places, showed her little bits of the world, and eventually graduated to traveling overseas a little bit and mixed in trips with my father to see wonderful places together. Before COVID started I bought my Van, adopted Lylah and,  now I travel a lot in the U.S. I did my first 8 months in the van and I took a year off of Van life to get everything situated with my job. Now I'm here again looking at another 8 month's tour in the van. Looking at all the possibilities. 

It's funny how you can change an image of your life in such a short time. I went from a very shy, reserved, and mold-ready human to a wild, adventurous, and curious human. I'm not great with people and I can be a quiet human but I love the taste of adventure. I love being out and enjoying our world while it's here and I'm so happy to have landed where I am. Every day I got to step out of my van and see a new place, was a day that I treasure with all my heart and I can't wait to do that again and share more of those moments with those I love. 

Were finally at a slowdown. 

Thank god. The last month or so has been a wild ride and has been super tough to navigate. Currently, I am working two jobs and I am trying to finish one job so I can keep the other. But it's been hard with the contract I signed for this new job. It also has been tough to get used to the tech side of this new job. Basically, I am tech support for QB which is good in that it pays more and I can work from anywhere but the bad news is that I have limited hours I can work. So it's been tough. I am waiting to see if I can move my contract with them now that I am getting more comfortable.

The plan is to go back to one job by Late January which is enough time to get some extra cash with both jobs, Quit the job I no longer want, and be comfortable in my new job. Honestly, I can't wait to have one job. It's a lot to go back and forth with both of these clients that I am working with. It's putting unnecessary stress on me and it just makes me dread the day ahead most of the time. When I quit the Job I no longer want then I can go back to doing more crafty things and finally experiment with artwork again and get back on the road with Lylah. 

I'm looking forward to going back to Vegas area, Exploring more of the wonderful state of Utah, Seeing more of Idaho in the spring, and finally making my way up towards Alaska. I have big plans and I can't wait to do them all. Gimli is in for a time of his life. 

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For now, here is a piece of artwork that I hope someone will want to take off my hands. 

Criss Cross Applesauce 9*12 $120

Hello everyone! 

   Life has been exhausting. Currenly I am working two jobs. The one job I have been working for, for almost three years. The other I just started and it has been quite the doozy. Its a super detailed Tech support job adn I am not 100% if it ifor sure me yet. The good news is im getting paid for giving it a try which I am grateful for. The first day I started going and taking calls I was sweating with no idea what I was doing. Now when I take calls I sit there doing my best to figure it out but unsure on the solution. Its been a trail and error and I have no idea how it will play out. Im not comfortable and the classes I took for two weeks were pratically useless. It was like being thrown back in high school where they just talk and expect you to absorb that way and be all set. Im a visual and repeative learner. Meaning I have to get into the systems and have a video guide that I can use for step by step processes. 

Once I do that I get comfortable and can go from there. But this class was not like that. So im not sure how this new job will go. We will see how it turns out. If it doesnt work out I will try again with a different company. After all, not everything is for made for EVERYONE. 

With that being said I am also working on the Van, traveling on the weekends with my BF and trying to maintain some kind of life where I get out of the house. 

Its been a rollercoster. 

I will make a seperate post about what has happened with the van and the discovery we have made. Its quite good. 

For now I have art pieces that are for sale and looking for a new home. Im hoping ot make some time over the holidays to make some spraypaint work. I have been so tired recently that I just have not been wanting to get my supplies out. Hoping that I have time over Thanksgiving. 

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This piece is for sale and is looking for a new home! 

Criss Cross Applesauce 9*12 $120

It's strange to be home during this time of the year. I know that I'm making the changes needed to move forward but I'm not a fan of being stuck in one place when I could be out hiking trails all over the western side of the state. It bums me out a bit and really makes concentrating hard. All I can think about these days is just being out on the trail or having some quiet. 

Once you get a taste of what you love it's hard to put it on stand-by, even if it is for a good reason (like switching jobs).

For now, I'm taking the time to get ready for training and while I am nervous I'm ready to get this over with. It's one of those things that would be good financially but I hate classes. They bore me and while it will be helpful in the long term to know what I'm doing I also know how I am when it comes to training where I have to listen instead of doing the motions. Luckily the verbal abuse is only for a week and then it's a mix of verbal with actual action like learning. 

While this is going on I will be still working at my current job because I still need to make money so I will be juggling both jobs for a short time. Or at least that is the plan currently. 

I don't know what the plan is from here besides making more money but I am planning to do something in January/Feb time frame and am hoping for suggestions for the Southern part of the United States. If anyone knows any trails or anywhere to visit shoot me a message. Any are appreciated. 

For now, I shall sit, learn, and dream of faraway places. 

With the start of anything new, there are always nerves. 

In one week I will be starting training for a new job. It matches what I was looking for and is a good stand-in for the time being as I continue to search for something else. The job itself is a middle ground to help small businesses manage accounts through QuickBooks. It's more money, regular work hours, I get weekends off, AND HOLIDAYS. I still get to work from home and pick my own hours. Honestly, I don't know what to expect and I'm pretty nervous about starting this new job but with time I'm sure I will quickly get the hang of it. 

The job I'm currently working for just isn't working anymore and with their new "requirements" preventing me from traveling I knew that the universe was finally giving me the kick in the ass to find something else. Sometimes all it takes is a touch of reality to get you moving. 

Of course, this isn't the end of my search but it is a step in the right direction. For me it's a step up in pay which I desperately need and it will give me the ability to finally travel again once I have everything down. Ideally, I'm looking for a job where I don't have to talk to people at all and I'm keeping my eyes peeled at those opportunities and have them bookmarked for when they do have more spots open. You best believe that is the END goal. I don't mind people but these days I rather work undisturbed and the older I get the more stupid I realize people can be. Not saying that everyone is stupid because that isn't true but in the customer service industry you get asked questions that make you want to roll your eyes, grab the person, and give them a real HARD shake. Like why are you asking these questions when you ALREADY know the answer? 

So I'm slowly making my way away from people-pleasing/talking jobs. 

I'm excited, nervous but ready to move on. For now (with my current job) I am limping on through the clients rolling my eyes and every time I get a call that I'm not getting paid more than average to handle, I transfer them and say

"Not my monkeys, not my circus"

Finally, things are starting to turn around a little bit.