We promised that while we’re on hiatus, we’d share with you some links to past content. Which you’ll find at end of this post.
But I wanted to talk a bit about blogging first.
Earlier this week, our dear friend Nina of WheelingIt posted The Darker Side Of Blogging? 5 (10) Things To Ponder Before You Start Your Own… – weighing the pros and cons.
Great timing of course, we’re not the only ones noodling over the subject of how blogging fits in our lives.
If you’re considering starting a blog, or curious about what goes on behind the scenes – head on over and give it a read. She basically took the thoughts right out of my noggin, and expressed them much more eloquently that I ever could (as she usually does.).
If you want my own short version:
Blogging is a passion project for many of us. It’s an integral part of our lives & travels. But egads, it’s a lot of work (and cost!) sometimes – especially as a blog grows and you’re now dealing with hosting fees, maintenance, hackers, spammers, thieves and trolls. Not to mention the time to create the content – which can be several hours a post.
Effort that few bloggers ever anticipate compensation for. There’s usually not a benefactor behind the scenes paying for what appears on your screen. It’s generally a gift on the part of the creator.
But certainly the benefits are endless and priceless – in the friendships, the inspiration and lasting journals we’re creating for our own self reflection later.
For blogging to be sustainable, the creator has to be in it for reasons that speak to their heart.
I was instantly hooked on blogging back in 2002, long before I knew what an RV was. Chris was a blogger too, it’s actually how we met a few years later. Technomadia.com started as a natural continuation by joining our personal blogs into one place as we merged our lives. Like many, ours was to keep family & friends from wondering if we were still alive as we ventured out across the country.
Blogging is such a part of who we are. It’s been a long journey, and one I don’t see ending anytime soon.
The reach our little corner of the web has obtained astounds us. We’re humbled every day with comments, being recognized, and reflections back.
And I’m not going to gloss over it – I honestly get intimidated by it at times. Knowing how many people are reading and watching, how many folks are making major life decisions in part because they read something we wrote, and how many can quote back to us details of our lives that we had forgotten about. It really gives us pause with each post to make sure we get it right.
Anyway, obviously, we’re still actively processing on all of this and striving to make sure when we come back, it’s for those right reasons.
Giving Thanks to Content Creators
This Thanksgiving weekend, we wanted to take a moment and express our sincerest gratitude to our fellow bloggers and content creators.
Whether it’s just friends and family following along, or a sizable following of adoring fans. Sharing a piece of yourself in a public venue can be a vulnerable act, and one that takes a good bit of effort. We could all just as easily record our journeys in a safer private journal, but by sharing we open the door to inspiring others.
We are so blessed to be part of a thriving community of fellow creators, each of us bringing our own unique perspectives.
While us bloggers are ultimately responsible to ourselves for sharing when we truly want to with out any expectations, we know how heartwarming those positive reflections back can be. It can help so much to counteract those dark sides.
So for all the readers and content consumers out there, I’d like to share some ideas on how the creators of the content you enjoy might appreciate hearing your gratitude. This applies to any of your favorite bloggers, video creators, podcasters and photographers … not just us.
- Engage with them: If there’s a place to comment, don’t hesitate if you feel so inspired. Even if just a thank you. Not into public commenting? Sending a private email is also usually appreciated. Do be respectful however, ‘constructive criticism’ can be taken more harshly than intended and asking a bunch of follow-up questions without invitation can overwhelm.
Sharing is Caring: Did a piece speak to you? Share it so others can benefit. No creator will ever be upset with you for sharing a link back to their site or post. Many provide handy share buttons right along with the content for easy posting to Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and more.- Support monetization efforts: Few bloggers will ever achieve funding their lifestyles off a blog (and nor are we trying to). But the kickbacks do help offset web hosting costs, and maybe a meal or two out. If you see a mention of a favorite product (<- an example of one of Kiki’s ‘favorites’) or links to Amazon – the blogger likely earns a small commission if you happen to buy anything after clicking through. If they have ads, most only pay if readers click them. If they’re affiliates for other products or services, such as memberships to RV Clubs – mention them at check out. It’s a super easy, no extra cost to you & an anonymous way to share back.
- Gifting Back: Some bloggers have posted ways to ‘Leave a Tip.’ We NEVER expect it, but always appreciate virtual wine or a night-out as a thank you treat. We’ve also been blown away by the generosity we’ve been recipients of with other thoughtful gifts.
- Invitations: See a favorite blogger is coming your way? Many of us appreciate invitations to meet up, driveway surfing, or tips on unique experiences. However unless a blogger has stated otherwise, please don’t plan to just drop by their place unannounced – contact them first, or catch them when they’re outside (preferably not while they’re dumping their tanks or hitching up).
- Engage with them: Gifts and referrals really aren’t necessary or expected. So I repeat this one – interacting and sharing are two of the greatest gifts you can give back to most creators.
And hey, no worries if you prefer to just read along. That’s totally cool too. Because without readers, it would just but us creating stuff that no one sees.
Blasts from the Past
Okay, here’s your dose of some past content you might appreciate looking back on:
In 2014, we stayed in 70 different camping spots around the country. This post highlights our 12 favorites, as well as some end of year statistics. We’re starting to think about what sites will make our list for this year’s post.
Our 12 Favorite Campsites of 2014
Boondocking is sometimes seen as a minimalist lifestyle. For us, it doesn’t have to be. This post goes over how we live in electrical abundance while depending primarily on solar for our energy.
Back to Boondocking: Being Electrically Abundant in a Mostly Electric RV
Over the years, we’ve informally interviewed some of our nomadic friends on camera and created the ‘Ramblings: Tales from Nomads’ video series. It’s been a while since we’ve produced a new one, but we promise the stories in this series will provide tons of inspiration.
Finding a work/life balance is difficult for many. Toss in a full time traveling lifestyle – and you have some new challenges to navigate. This post goes over some of our hard earned lessons over the years. We still struggle with this.
Tips for Balancing Work and a RV Traveling Lifestyle
Keeping online while RVing, it’s certainly gotten easier since we hit the road back in 2006. This post is one of our top hits, and inspired our book – The Mobile Internet Handbook and eventually creating RVMobileInternet.com. An up-to-date illustrated guide to our personal mobile internet setup, showing how all the pieces for cellular, WiFi, signal enhancing and routing come together.
How We Keep Online: Illustrated Tour of our RV Mobile Internet Setup
Happy Thanksgiving!
From our home to yours, we are sending you heartfelt warmth and gratitude for virtually joining us.
We hope you find a moment this holiday weekend to reflect and appreciate all that you are thankful for in your life.
Thanks for all you do. It ain’t easy.
Late to the party on the comment, but wanted to thank you both for sharing in your journey! I hope this hiatus is going well and wanted you to know you are missed. Appreciate the continued updates and ‘reposts’ on some of the previous topics!
All the info that you shared, has been on my gratitude list this Thanksgiving. Without I would have to give up the plans, I put so much into and worse yet, would be in serious trouble. Thanx
I had gotten the book “Blogging for Dummies”, as I thought I maybe wanted to. Halfway through the book, I returned it back to the library. I was not going to put my self esteem.
What changed my mind to do a blog and channel, was to get the info out there to others like me, who need it. I have gotten so much hate from the others like me over it, that I shortened the name and will aim it at those that are not like me, but who can use the info. For others w/ special needs like mine, the info is still there and they will have to search a little harder. but if they want it bad enough and make enough effort it will be there to have. At least I will not be drawing, that particular large group of haters to my spot. Funny! The reason I set it all up was to get the info out to them, yet now it’s going to a different group altogether. I guess my first lesson is: never can predict which way something will grow.
Think too I am learning about more than RV living from you. Blogging too.LOL
Hey, Cherie & Chris, miss your frequent posts but sure understand your hiatus. Hope you are finding some peace and lots of love wherever you are. We are in and out of Borrego/Rockhouse, lots of changes here. Heading out on a road trip including Cibola Wildlife Area. Do you have any details re the blm dispersed camping there? Sure hope our paths cross this winter before we head back up to Skagway…. Suzanne & Jim
We’ve heard about the changes out at Borrego… how different is it? Looked like a greatly reduced area for camping?
Here’s a link to the post where we detailed Cibola (and other boondocking spots we enjoyed last year): https://www.technomadia.com/2015/03/winter-2015-boondocking-location-round-up/
New to the RV life and new to blogging, I have truly enjoyed all that you’ve shared and the stories of fellow bloggers that you pass on. I’m trying to soak up all that I can from those who have walked this path longer, and I am excited to continue following your blog! Thank you so so much!
Thank You for sharing your life with us.
Sounds like you’re getting some rest. That’s most necessary when one is stressed to the limit. I’ve been enjoying your story for a couple of years and have learned a lot. We stayed at Cahokia Parque in St. Louis despite the on-line reviews because of your story. I was most interested in your train travels. We just returned from a trip by train which we tried partly because of your travel tales. Jerks abound the world around. Try to not let them get you down.
Definitely missing your regular posts but also enjoying the ones you have put out while you are on hiatus. Hope things are going well and you are successfully dissolving stress from your lives. Hope to see you back to your normal selves as soon as you feel able.
Great post! I also love comments from our readers — they enrich our travels and our blog. Thanks for all that you so generously give. 🙂
Absolutely, they sure do add to the journey!
So glad to hear from you I miss your posts. I’m one of your readers that wrote to you and you helped me decide what direction to go with my next RV. My wife of 37 years passed away in April and before she passed we had some lenghty discussions about a new RV, motorhome or fifth wheel. Direction of travel and length of stay. Since we already had a truck we were leaning towards a fifth wheel but before we made a final decision she passed away. I turned to you and some other bloggers I had been following for a year or more. I knew I could rely on your experience to help me make a decision. The final decision was to go with a fifth wheel. I bought the one that she liked. It was the right decision and she and a and our two dogs and cat spent two months in Maine the rig has been great next year I want to head out west.
I know this was a long winded way to thank you and Chris for giving me advice based on your wealth of knowledge.
Now I just have to figure out what to do with my cat. We shared the bathroom and that was a pain. I love what you did.
Take care and thank you for your help. I hope you come back soon, I love your projects and stories.
Happy Holidays
Lou
Congrats on getting out there!
Thanks for the blog reader etiquette. I’ll chime in with thanks more often. The fact that you and Chris went on hiatus got me started, but reading all about it in this post reinforces that and more.
Cherie
We are thankful for your energies, and focus and blogs and websites. We appreciate your need to wander and relax. Enjoy. We do.
GREAT post! As a blog-follower & fan who became a friend, I appreciate what you’ve gifted the world so very much.You were one of OUR inspirations when we first started and continue to be one of our inspirations on the road. Thank you for everything you do.
Nina
So glad you’re still posting. I’m battling cancer and when at M.D. Anderson for treatment I’ve always looked forward to and enjoyed your blog. Cheers, WM
I always enjoy your posts and look forward to hearing of the places, things, and people you run into. Hope you find yourself in a place to continue posting to the blog. You are a great resource and an inspiration to so many.
I’m a “lurker” usually, but I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your blog posts. Thank you!
Miss you guys. I am on a project with a go live date in 2 short weeks. Working 12+ hours a day 7 days a week so I get the need a break thing. In a few short weeks I too will get one. Enjoy yours, you certainly deserve it. And thanks for all you’ve shared so far! 18 short months and I too am going full time.
I find it hard to believe these are serious readers. I think they are drooling, nose-picking trolls bullies throwing chum on the waters because they can’t get a date. I am sure they are not disappointed that you never publish their posts – they probably never come back to look.
Enjoying the blasts from the past. Thanks.
Cherie, I haven’t seen the troll comments you deleted but I am wondering if they were serious responses to your post or just generic negativity meant to get a reaction. For example “you are an asshat, how can you post such drivel” can be cut and pasted into ANY blog. But “you are an asshat, a left framistan is better than a right one because technobabble!” might be posted by someone who is just really, really bad at constructive criticism. Or didn’t actually read your post. I find a lot of people skim and come up with a mental snyopis of the article that really bears no relation to what was actually said.
I am not trying to talk you out of taking a rest. You (plural) need and deserve one.
Some comments are really well intentioned constructive criticism – and on a good day, are read as such. Some however are direct vile personal attacks, where clearly the person took the time to try to find things to attack us on.
Working for a hedgefund, we track many indicators including Geopolitical, Trends, and many just plain obscure and weird items. Might I suggest a book called “The Fourth Turning”.
http://www.amazon.com/Fourth-Turning-William-Strauss-ebook/dp/B001RKFU4I/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
A rather long, but (at least to me) interesting video from the London School of Economics (LSE) by Dr Pippa Malmgren, helps to explain why people feel the way they do, and some of the political ramifications of the current environment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBU59sY2erA
After watching the video, the next time someone is overly rude and judgemental, you will understand, it’s just the their “Social Contract” has been broken.
Hope it helps, and is not overly “Brainy” while on Hiatus.
Sorry.. don’t have the bandwidth (mobile internet or mental) to process an 1.5 hr video just to understand that people may be reacting out of external circumstances in addition to myself. The impacts are the same regardless. If I’m mentally depleted, I have less ‘spoons’ to grant others allowance for their weak points. If I’m in a stronger space, I can grant much more tolerance. The basis remains the same, I’ve not been in the mental space to be more tolerant and thus the negativity hits harder personally. It’s time to take more care of ourselves.
Thank you. Take care.
A big Thank You for the blog, I am not going to RV full time but I pass the info you share to my Sister. (She is computer illiterate). Keep on keeping on.
I am in TEARS reading the love and respect and dignity you have for your fellow bloggers and readers here, Cherie/Chris! It ALWAYS shows through your posts just how much you care about what you’re doing and care how others receive it. Since I’ve been following *you,* the Technomadia blog has led me to RV-A-Gogo, RVLove, Love Your RV, Drive, Dive, Devour and the Snowmads. [Gone With The Wynns and RVGeeks landed in my universe about the same time you did… It’s kind of a “Who’s On First?” proposition! 😉 ] I know that I’ve been kinda persnickety in my “corrections” of your grammar and usage and spelling and a few incorrect links from time to time… But I made sure that those were sent privately, in an e-mail, and not for general consumption. And I did so in order to not have you viewed in an unpleasant light by those ready to jump on the slightest infraction which, as has recently been revealed, they are more than ready to do!
In light of your recent difficulties I have been thinking about a characterization of your fellow RVBloggers and your readers. “Rally” doesn’t fit… That’s for Airstreamers and FMCAs. “Convergence” has been claimed by XCapers. “Conflagration” is out because you’re not on fire.
For Technomadia and their ilk I have come to realize that you have a POSSE. What do posses do? When one of their own is in trouble or there is a threat to their environment… They RIDE! They meet on Main Street and ride out, en masse, to protect those who are important to them! They also don’t stop until the threat is removed and the community rests well and safe. Think of that aerial shot in [the turkey of a movie] “The Postman” where Kevin Kostner and his devotees spit off and ride their respective routes to keep everyone in communication with each other. When we KNOW what is happening, we can CHANGE what is happening!
OK, Y’all… Let’s RIDE!
Thank you for your continual support and enthusiasm, John. Your ‘corrections’ have always been gentle, respectful and appreciated. Having an extra set of eyes is so helpful sometimes to catch things that looked right in our brains, but didn’t quite make the screen correctly.
And indeed, we have a wonderful community of fellow bloggers who do support and respect each other.
I hope you two have a blessed weekend. I am thankful for the information and entertainment I have gotten from your posts.
Good to hear from you on a topic that seems to really be “making the rounds” in the blogosphere. Maybe it’s the time of year, with all of us reflecting on what we have to be grateful for and slowing down a bit in our travels to visit family or just to avoid the nasty weather in other parts of the country. Hope your Thanksgiving was a good one and that you’re soaking up the quiet and some sunshine wherever you
are 🙂
The number of fellow bloggers who have either posted their own thoughts, or contacted us directly – has been quite re-assuring that we’re not the only ones.
Cherie and Chris, Thank you for all you do, you have been both and inspiration and big help with our full timing travels. It was great fun to have a get together with you at Picacho Peaks last spring. Marti and I hope to get together again this winter if you are in Arizona and abouts.
Ed
http://www.whackamolewheels.com
We really enjoyed our stay at Picacho Peak last year.. and it was fun to meet up with you there too! Hope your winter travels are awesome.
Gobble, Gobble! Hope it was a great TG for you and Chris. Enjoy and learn so much from your blog. Enjoy your hiatus, I totally understand getting burned out and then little things just start to get to you in big ways! I look forward to your return whenever it seems right for you both. We love your passion for life and the tech stuff you share! Hugs from Wilton Manors, FL.
PS: going FT in August 2016.
Thanks for taking time out from your hiatus to post again, Cherie, it is good to catch a cheerful tone in your post 🙂 I hope that means you guys are feeling the love and will definitely be back.
I read Nina’s post with interest, and thought how timely it was, based on your decision to take a break. I hadn’t a clue that any of you bloggers received poison responses, but I am sure it is comforting, in a bizarre way, to know you are all targets.
We hope to meet you on the road. Thanks for the suggestions on reaching out to meet up with you and other bloggers, I have wondered about the etiquette of that, as we really would like to meet in person and bring over a bottle of wine if we are ever in the same place !
Belated happy thanksgiving
Sally and Peter
It has indeed been very comforting to know we’re not alone – it makes us feel less targeted. Nina and I were actually able to isolate that one particular troll each of us had troubles with was from the same source. That really helped both of us to know it wasn’t just us.
Each blogger kinda has their own preferred way to be approached in person – but of course, serendipity usually overrules all 🙂 We in particular prefer being able to make time for folks, we always feel so bad when someone knocks on our door (interrupting whatever we were up to) and not having the time to get to know them.
Hope you are enjoying your hiatus but not too much….we want you back! I also hope all your renovations are working out well!!
Thanks! The time off has been good for us. We’ll be back, don’t worry.
From a seasoned (in life) couple that are planning on hitting the road next year. reading your blogs have made it seem more doable. I know that the way up North East is like fly over country to you full timers. As for the next year we will keep our brick and stick and plan to head South next fall. We have space for you to boondock until we shed ourselves of the b&s. I have joined Boondockers Welcome and hope that we have some takers and are able to engage in meaningful conversation about how to do it. We do appreciate your sharing the details of how to and nuts and bolts. Having been in business for 40 plus years, not in a portable one have to make the big leap and divesting of stuff accumulated .
Thanks for joining us here… we may actually explore the NE this coming summer. If you see us heading your way, give us a holler. We always love getting a locals perspective on a place.
In the meantime, best wishes in your planning and preparations!
For a couple of Bloggers on Hiatus, this was sure a long blog.
Hope you both had a Happy Thanksgiving.
Yeah… but important words to share, we think. Hard to take the blogger out of us 🙂