Six years ago, when I first had the idea to take time off from my career to focus on writing, my mentor, a successful novelist and university professor, told me not to quit my day job. His advice was steeped in practicality: Set aside time to write each day and prioritize that work—but don’t give up a steady source of income.
I could see the logic in that, though ultimately I decided not to take his advice. Anyone who has worked for a consulting firm knows that there’s not much free time available each day to do the things you need to do, let alone the ones you want to get to.
The other reason why I rejected his thinking was because I needed something to write about. For better or for worse, my writing was almost exclusively focused on first-person creative non-fiction—and there was nothing particularly noteworthy about my first-person experience as a single, 30-something, white woman in New York at the time. Every perspective is worthy of exploration, but I figured that mine would be more interesting once I made my way through Madagascar by bush taxi.
I happen to think I was right about that and this blog is written proof. One year into the pandemic, and it’s pretty apparent that I am at a loss for material. Advice I Needed Yesterday was never strictly a travel blog, but I got so much inspiration from the experience of traveling. I met new people, went new places, experienced different cultures and learned all kinds of things along the way. Since I was mostly on my own, I also had more time to myself—to be alone with my thoughts, to drown in books and make connections about what I read and what I wanted to write. I know I’m not alone when I say that not being able to travel over the past year has made a profound impact on my life. The loss feels more like a crater than a hole, but still. It’s unfamiliar, unhospitable terrain to navigate as a travel writer.
But what wasn’t exactly apparent until just this past week is that I also lost my second biggest source of material this past year: my day job. My Hank. My Beverly. Gone are the days of thinly veiled posts directed at composite characters from my 9-to-5. No more essays about the problems I encounter as a non-conventional employee in a very conventional corporate world. And while I don’t miss the job, I do sorely feel the loss of material. My 9-to-5 was like an old-fashioned well—totally unnecessary most of the time, but right there in case of emergency. One quick trip to the office and I could walk away with a story about how a woman stole my filing cabinet possibly because she thinks I stole her haircut.
In a way, I feel lucky to have Hank out of my life. He was good for a gag and a paycheck, but he held me back in a lot of ways too. It’s just a shame that his departure from my life coincided so neatly with a global pandemic. Try as I may to fill the content void by marrying a foreigner, taking circus lessons and getting a Dalmatian, it’s no use. There’s nothing that will compare to the one two punch of an overnight flight to Indonesia and a cryptic email from Beverly about how she wants to “take on The Economist.”
I don’t know if this post is for you, the reader, or me, the writer. If it is an explanation or an apology for why my posts are becoming less frequent and, objectively speaking, less interesting. If I am trying to convince myself that even though my paying work once again takes up the majority of my time, that I shouldn’t let that stop me from showing up here. Looking at it now, maybe my mentor was right too: if I want to be a writer, I just need to make the time and take the material as it comes.
I noticed your lack of material but I understand the circumstance. We are all struggling and need more human interaction and experiences.
Here’s hoping you get back to travel soon. It may be a bit of a challenge with a dog.
I’m sure those challenges will bring you food for fodder. Hang in there!
Many thanks. That’s very sweet to say <3
I enjoy your posts regardless of topic. You make burnt toast interesting. Keep it up!
Many thanks to you and the others who commented. Burnt toast is my specialty. Perhaps I’ll share my recipe. But serious – thank you. Very kind.
I look forward to every post, Nova. Please then tell us what it’s like to shop for groceries in Finland, or put fuel in your car, or driving. Those of us who haven’t traveled much would like to know what it’s like to actively live in a foreign country. Do teenagers blast music on the corners? Is there a lot of wildlife? If so, do you encounter it? What happens with the Christmas tree lot in the off season? What is dinner like with your new extended family? So many questions!
This is a very good point and I don’t know why but I’ve been overlooking this part of my experience. I think because I’ve spent so much time in finland over the past few years that moving here was not much of a shock. I eased in and so I never really gave it much thought that the teenagers are mostly well-mannered that the bunnies are the size of dogs and that my dog goes absolutely batshit when he sees one. Anyway a big big THANK YOU for pointing this out because I see now that I actually do have some observations to share about living in Helsinki… and as you know observational humor is my jam. More to come. And thank you again. I needed that.
Yay! I would definitely like to read anything you write about (well, anything, but) living in Finland. I’m well travelled in general but not to the high north of the globe and anywhere with that long a winter feels like a very strange place for humans to choose to live.
Oops, I mean “but especially”, not plain “but”. Words, sigh.
lol. i actually read it correctly the first time. just went back and i’m only commenting because that would have been a hilarious burn. please – ANYTHING BUT finland :)
:) thank you!! yes, it is a very different place in many ways – though it is sometimes easy to forget because people mostly keep to themselves which means that it’s easy to just keep living exactly as you’re used to, except quieter. in any case, i agree that it’s a strange choice and it definitely wouldn’t be my first. (NZ is pretty amazing, albeit somewhat isolated and i was under the impression that it is not exactly easy to move there without a job or a good reason.) anyway, as always, thank you for reading. more to come. xx
I agree with Jennifer…tell us more about life in Finland!
thank you. she is right and so are you. coming up!
Do NOT worry your pretty head (as my father used to say) about (clear only to YOU) dearth of “material.” It’s ALL material and yes – what Vivienne said about burnt toast. Always delighted to see this in my mailbox, and never disappointed. (Also: it never occurred to me to count the days between posts or in any other way scrutinize their frequency. Gifts should not be scrutinized!)
this is very very sweet of you to say. and thank you. maybe my post was actually just a thinly veiled request for a pep talk. in which case, i’m glad i wrote it. because you guys are killing it and i am feeling much much better! truly advice i needed yesterday. thank you.
While I have always loved the travel posts, watching how your life has unfolded I generally expected there to be fewer stories of dates bandaging up bloody feet. But regardless of topic, I always look forward to what you have to post!
thank you! i feel the same. dating would be my third greatest source of material although i feel that in marrying Ice Bath I came out ahead on that one. that said, a few years ago i was talking to my sister-in-law about the evolution of my blog and admitted that at some point i was going to outgrow that whole hot mess express thing. there comes a point in the slip and fall routine that it becomes, well, ROUTINE. i’m not exactly sad that i’ve evolved past some of that, but i do miss the travel. no matter how lovely life gets as i cruise into middle age i will always always wish that i could relive that first year of nomading.
I agree with Sherry, Vivienne, Jennifer, Kimberly, & Sarah. Whether it’s burnt toast or buying skinny jeans, I love to read your blog posts no matter what they are about. You have a way of writing that brightens my day and takes me out of my mundane Covid-19 ‘work from home’ life. Hang in there, our former lives and your travel activities will return someday (even if they look somewhat different). Until then, please know we are routing for you no matter what you write or how often you post.
thank you thank you for the pep talk. you are very very kind. i needed this pick me up. <3
I love the way you write. Observational humour is such a skill and you have it meaning the translating it into the written story some folks can tell a good story but cannot write one and given I will never hear you speak I am so appreciative of your blog. Also your skinny jeans made me laugh for days and am still enjoying it. Thanks!
Gah! The internet ate my comment. So now am trying again just wanted to let you know that observational humour writing is such a skill that you have in abundance! My enthusiasm denoted by exclamation mark! Some people can tell a story and as I will never hear you tell a story I love reading about your thoughts especially about the mundane normal life so I agree with others about would love to hear you speak about grocery shopping, favourite snacks or snacks you long for etc etc. Also side note your skinny jeans was fantastic I was crying I was laughing so hard and even today still laughing (no longer crying) it was that good!
Hiiii. Both your comments were in my approval queue – sorry for the alarm. But I have approved both and will keep both because I like hearing positive feedback twice. THANK YOU. Appreciate this feedback and that of the others so much.
I was going to say something profound about interesting reads are interesting reads, regardless of subject, but pretty much everyone beat me to it.
I agree I’d like to hear more about life in Finland and the day to day stuff. I know the whole world isn’t gas guzzling SUVs, grocery stores filled with excess of everything, and dollar stores chock a block with cheap products you really could live without, but it is nice for the reminder. Heck, just seeing the sights in Finland is fun for this urban desert dweller.
thank you!! very kind of you to say. i actually think that one of the nice things about having a dog and always taking videos and pictures of him is that people who follow me on social media get to see more of helsinki. it really is a beautiful city, quite underrated in a lot of ways. i’ll try to give more of a tour here in the coming months :)