Hello,
I haven’t blogged in a while, and many folks are requesting a new post. They want to hear some inspiring words from me, from someone who is chasing her dreams, living a unique life, and successfully paving her own unique way in today’s challenging world.
But I’ll tell you the truth.
Someone (who calls himself “Bad-Fish”) made a comment to me saying that my blog was “too sweet.”
This is for you, Bad-Fish.
It isn’t always fun. It surely isn’t easy. I spend my days working two temporary jobs with less than ideal pay to just barely pay my bills. And, I live a bit on the kindness of others (you know who you are). Thank you!
I just heard Pres. Obama say “We are going through the worst economic crisis since the great depression….the problems are accelerating, not getting better.”
Perhaps if I had a crystal ball and knew this was coming, I would have been more prudent, kept my job, and not purchased my boat.
But I am one of the lucky ones.
I do still have my boat…today. And, I do still have my hopes.
I don’t sail off into the sunset each day, with wind at my back and open horizons ahead. I really don’t want to disappoint you, but it isn’t like that at all. Now, I want to be a schoolteacher again, but one where I can still live on my boat. I want the best of both worlds. Is that too much to ask?
Soon enough, I will sail off into the sunset. Keep reading. And there will be more posts in my usual style…”too sweet.”
Sincerely,
Teresa
Comments 17
Hats off to you, Teresa! Keep holding on to those hopes and dreams. There’s nothing wrong with having the best of both worlds. I enjoy reading your posts, looking forward to the newest, and they’re sweet enough for me. 🙂
Safe journeys to you, wherever they may take you.
Everett
Hi Teresa, I follow your blog because like you I’m from MI and like you I left a teaching job to follow my dream and I want to live on a sailboat. I love when you write about the gritty details like rowing in your dink in the rain. I ask myself “are you sure you want to do this?” and the answer is still a resounding yes! Last night, as we watched Obama talk about how things might get worse, we both thought how perfect it would be if we already had the boat. You can move to where the jobs are literally anywhere in the world. You can lower your bills by living on the hook. As long as you can scrape enough to pay any debt, you can shove off and leave these troubled land lubbers behind. At least that is how I romanticize it. Keep telling us how it is!
I have just found your site! full of great posts. live your dream! sweet my as*s? don`t ever change.
Rob aged 65 married,retired and wishing that I had done it fifty years ago :o))
Keep writing, Teresa. You’ll get all kinds of comments from people: people who agree with you, people who think you’re naive, and even trolls.
The worst comment I got after I started blogging (and one of the few that I decided not to approve, after consulting with my boss) came from someone who said that my dad deserved to die of skin cancer because he was white. It was a post where I talked about finally letting go of something that had belonged to my dad, and I only mentioned what he died of in passing, but someone fixated on that and tried to use it to advance their own agenda. It was hurtful to hear that from someone who knew nothing about me or my family, but it’s part of what happens when you put yourself out there.
I’m sure Cage Free Family has gotten its share of “too sweet” comments, too. Just keep doing the best you can, and telling it as you see it. There’s a place in this world for dreamers and doers.
To Bad Fish :
Too-sweet a life?
I like Theresa’s posts. They’re not “too sweet”. I guess everyone’s life is hard and full of challenges enough as it is. What I like about Theresa’s posts is precisely the fact that she demonstrates it is possible to find “perfect” moments among life’s hardest ones. I wouldn’t want to hear so much about what is tough, what goes wrong (or what already is), because it is what makes up most of our lives: tough moments we have to get through.
What I want to hear about through Teresa’s story is what good she can make out of her daily challenges. Because daily challenges without solutions or hope or a bright side is just whining. If you want to hear whining, just get yourself a mother-in-law, you’ll hear plenty of it (no offense to any mother-in-law reading this, you may replace the “title” with any whining family member you know of; if you don’t know any, lucky you!)
If you find Teresa’s posts “too sweet” to the point you can’t read them, just don’t. If you keep reading them, maybe a part of you is “sweet enough”, so why not listen closely and stay silent?
I hope I’m not overreacting over this, I guess Simpler living’s right, it’s the kind of stuff you have to be ready to hear when you “expose” yourself on the web…
Teresa, this is for you, keep it up! The “too sweet” side of me loves what you write.
Well, I guess now I have to get back to my daily challenges…
Ciao!
Barbe Rousse
T-I’m so pleased to hear you say that you hope to return to teaching. There is no better way to make a difference. Aunt B’ann
Author
Naw! I don’t thing Bad-Fish meant anything hurtful. I think he just wondered if I ever get upset, sad, angry, etc. Sure I do…but I make sure it doesn’t last too long.
Hi , Teresa , I really enjoyed the “Trip To Maine” , video ,,,,, all of us out here, like seeing our little ships undersail ,,, maybe , you do too !
You must have a lot of “true grit” , in your spirit.
Spring is coming , are you ready ?
Sincerely , Douglas , BCC Calliste , “Out Of There” ,,,,
Hi, I just randomly stopped by. I too have the dream to live on the water. I’m from Toronto, but have escaped the past couple of years, living in San Jose, Costa Rica. Halfway there maybe but no boat in sight yet. Enjoyed the read, thanks.
I love reading your sight.
I tend toward the depressive side and reading your site helps to keep me focused right.
I like your cat pillow.
I always know the moment I see a cat that the person owning it has increased their chances of me liking them by at least 50%.
You have to do what You whant to do, otherwise You feel miserable
for the rest of Your life !
I felt miserable (sort of), did about the same as You,
And Now I feel absolut FINE !
So, Keep on Your new Good Life !
Hi Teresa, just thought I drop by and say hi again, so hi. I don’t know if you remember back when you first started your blog, I had told you I hought that simplicity was something that had to come from inside ones self, I kinda think you probably know what I meet more then ever now. I think you have done very well, and should be very proud of your self and your accomplishments so far. Soon it will be warm weather and I hope that things will work out for you so that you can untie them dock lines and set sail. I think once you do it, it is going to feel worth every moment you have put in to making your dreams come true. I have always belived that you have to make dreams happen, you just can’t sit back and wait for them, and you are doing just that, my hat is off to you 🙂 Well I wont take up a bunch of your time and space on here, just wanted to wish you the best. Take care silly 🙂
Steve, on Sasi
Author
Aack! Douglas…no one is supposed to see that video! Tee hee. Glad you enjoyed it anyway.
Hey Teresa,
I identified pretty closely with your last post. Unless someone has done it, I don’t know if words can convey how much work it is to prepare yourself and a boat to go cruising. I believe so few people do it because it is much, much easier to hold onto a steady 9 – 5 position than it is to make a dream into a reality.
I can tell you from my own experience, that the accomplishment of having finally left the dock and made it at least to Mexico has surpassed all my expectations. As for the economic crisis? Well, what better time to cut and run than when there is no money to be made? I almost feel guilty for not suffering through what I read about in the current news.
With your teaching experience have you considered getting the TEFL certificate that would let you teach almost anywhere in the world on a six or 12 month contract? Wouldn’t get rich, but might cover the upkeep and living expenses on the boat. Something I am seriously considering doing for myself in Columbia. Keep your head up. There is no wrong decision.
Lee
no one is supposed to see that video!
ORLY? It’s linked from Ben’s blog and has been viewed almost 500 times!
Too sweet? Oh, well, to each his own. There are some ‘hurmorous’ blogs I used to read but when it got to the point where they were always full of sarcasm and anger, instead of commenting on that fact (and therefor adding fuel to the fire!) I just stopped reading them. So what if you approach life with a happier attitude! We have a 35 foot sailing catamaran and we too have hopes of living aboard her someday. We actually thought we would be doing that now but luckily my fiance has a good job at the moment, but if that ends (and in todays economy that could be tomorrow), we will be moving aboard. It’s a whole different life and not for everyone but what an adventure every day becomes.
Great blog! Thanks for sharing and inspiring.
Perhaps you could do something teaching-wise for the liveaboard families with home-schooled kids.