NEW POST ON THE NEW SITE!

I've just published a new blog post on my new website:  Time With My Shadow Side: Feeling My Feelings All the Way Through.

Make sure to transfer your readership and keep up with new posts by visiting the site and:

• Signing up for the newsletter
• "Liking" the Facebook page
• Following "JourneyToWild" on Twitter

Hope to see you there!

Much love,

Melanie

IT'S HERE!

MY NEW WEBSITE IS UP!!!

Readers, I am counting on you to be my base of support for this new venture.  A baby website doesn't usually generate much traffic but this blog has 89 official followers, and an average of 300+ pageviews a day.  So if you all go over there within the next three days and do the super-simple-and-easy things listed below, our happy family will stay together, and my baby website will be a growing toddler in no time!

As soon as you click on the link and head to the new site, please do three things:

1. Browse around and ENJOY!!
2. Sign up for the email newsletter (it's only twice a month and will include stuff you won't find on the website).
3. "Like" the Journey to Wildness Facebook page and follow me on twitter (if you're on those sites).    This will now be the only way for you to know when I put new posts up!  I will no longer be sending emails each time, like you have been used to here.  I will only announce it on the Journey to Wildness Facebook page and Twitter account.

If you are really super-duper excited or feeling especially supportive today, you could even go the extra mile and do a fourth thing.  You could recommend my page to three people you know.

Think about it - I bet you know at least three people at work, in your family, or in your social circles who would enjoy my writing and/or benefit from my Life Transformation Coaching services.  It just takes a quick, "Hey my friend/niece/former co-worker/ex-girlfriend/this-amazing-blogger-I've-been-reading just launched her new business, Journey to Wildness.  She's a great writer and life coach, and I thought you might enjoy being part of her new site."  Or something more authentically in your own words.  (God it's so awkward to promote yourself. . .)

Ok ENOUGH YAPPING, MELANIE!

Here it is: journeytowildness.com

I Met One of My Heros! And I'm in the Paper!

Last night, I went to see Chris Guillebau - published writer, world traveler (he's almost finished with his mission to visit every country in the world), and self-described challenger of the status-quo.  For the scads of people like me who are passionately pursuing self-employment, publishing, and a life of full-time travel, he is pretty much our god.

My heart sped up as he entered the room before the talk began.  I smoothed my shirt, sat up straight, and checked my bun for stray hairs that might need pinning.  Did I look professional enough?  Would he spot me and be able to tell how much potential I had?  I felt silly, like he was a movie star or a blind date.  For the role he had unknowingly played in my transformation over the past month, he was really so much more.

I had just finished reading his most recent book, The $100 Startup, which lit a fire so powerful underneath me that two weeks ago, I hired a web designer and began spending upwards of ten hours a day on the work of officially beginning my new career instead of just talking about it.

Waiting anxiously for the talk to begin, I spotted my friend, Laina, whom I had invited to join me.  She is in the process of starting her own business on holistic nutrition and had also recently finished his book.  I waved her over, and we pushed through the crowd of a couple hundred people to take seats in the second row.

As soon as we sat down, the woman in front of us turned around and said, "Hello.  I'm from the Santa Cruz Sentinel.  Could I ask you two a few questions?"

"Yes!" I nearly shouted at her.  "Yes please do and I'll tell you my blog and you can put it in the paper! Will we be in the paper?  That would be great!"

She chuckled at me.  "Yes, probably.  Why did you come tonight?"

"Because Chris's book has taught me that anyone can start their own business and live the life of their dreams.  I left my previous career in educational administration last June.  Since then, I've been traveling the country, writing about it, and working up the guts to actually step into this new, self-employed career possibility."

"And what possibility is that?" She asked with one eye on me and one eye on the ipad upon which she was furiously typing notes.

"Well," I took a deep breath in and sat up straight, on the edge of my chair, "I am a professional writer and an online Life Transformation Coach.  I work for myself in a career that I believe really helps people, and I can travel anywhere I want while I do it."

That was the first time I had spoken it out loud, to another person, in the present, as though it already exists.  It was thrilling.  The vibrancy of it shot down my arms and legs and sent heat into my face.

Chris being inspiring last night in downtown Santa Cruz

Chris spoke of two pervasive narratives in our culture: the "Times are Hard" story, and the story of "Settling."  One speaks of the poor economy, high unemployment rate, and rising gas prices with its head hung low.  The other shrugs its shoulders and speaks of plugging along, doing the best you can with the job that pays the bills because well, that's just what you do and don't ask questions.

Then he said, "I propose a third narrative.  It's called Creative Self-Employment."  He went on to give several of the examples in his book (collected from over 1500 interviews conducted over three years) of regular people, without business degrees, doing work they love as their own boss.

I looked around the room and could feel the buzzing, collective energy.  I was in a place of people living in the third narrative.  This was a place full of hope, inspiration, and possibility.  This was the right place for me.

You can read the newspaper article here.

The photo of Laina and me, shot by the Sentinal's photographer.
It appears in the paper with the article.

I raised my hand to comment at one point in his talk, and then again to ask a question during the Q&A portion.  Chris learned a bit about my life each time (my ulterior motive, obviously).  The third time we interacted was when he signed my book after the talk ended.  He thanked me for my previous questions, and asked a bit more into my journey and my startup business.  I'm pretty sure we're BFF now.

At the after-party at the bar next door, I met several more inspiring people.  Candy is a traveling nurse.  Josh is a divinity school graduate building his business as a marriage and family counselor.  Katherine wants to rebuild Haiti's coffee economy by roasting and selling Haitian beans to American coffee shops.  Eric is building a business making home deliveries of his craft-brewed beer.  Dave installs solar panels on mobile homes.  We shared drinks, laughs, business cards, and a game of jenga.

When I finally arrived home, feeling the best kind of exhausted, I realized that I never looked at what Chris wrote when he signed my book.  I opened it to see:

"Melanie, you inspire me.  - Chris"

To show you and myself that I'm serious, you will not hear from me again on this blog until it is to give you the link to my new, published, ready-to-be-joined website.  It is my deep hope that every one of you will come along with me on this next step of my Journey to Wildness.

(Special thanks to my friend, David Crisis, who bought The $100 Startup for me as a gift in mutual entrepreneurship.)

Strong Woman Campaign Feature

Today you can find me on one of my favorite blogger's sites, "The Fur Files."  Mandy is a blogger who shares her sense of humor about her kids, cats, and life as a strong woman on her daily blog.  I've been a reader for a few months now, and have especially enjoyed her Friday series called, "Where My Ladyz At?" which is part of her Strong Woman Campaign.

Today, the strong woman du jour is me!  Check it out:

http://thefurfiles.com/2013/01/18/where-my-ladyz-at-strong-women-campaign-melanie-cobb/

New Website is Almost Here!!

I have not been posting as often lately because all of my creative energies are going towards developing my BRAND NEW WEBSITE AND BLOG!

I've hired a web developer who specializes in working with travel bloggers.  I've been feeding him content and he's been making it all look purdy for me.  He is also pushing me to think about branding myself.  What do I actually offer the world?  What can people count on when they come to my site?  It's been a much more soul-searching process than I initially bargained for, and I'm so glad I took it on!

I'm buzzing with excitement to finally show it to you and unleash my powers on the world!  Mwahahahahahaha!

I hope that you will all follow me over to the new site and join my mailing list there so we can stay one, big happy family.  I'll make it super clear on how you can do that once it's time.

Stay tuned. . .

Why I Am Not Currently Homeless

"Where have you been staying?" is a question many confused friends and readers have asked me lately.  Let me tell you.  It's a great story that may even surpass all other stories of kindness you have read about on this blog.

In late November, I landed in Santa Cruz, California, because of spontaneously deciding to take a travel friend from Taos, New Mexico to Oakland, California.  Once here, my car broke down, I ran out of money, and I had no real ideas about where to go next.  All excellent reasons for me not to go anywhere.

While I waited for my car to be fixed and began looking for jobs, I hurriedly patched together a network of free places to sleep.  I housesat in a mansion, crashed in a new friend's mountain cabin, and then found Evan and Laina through couchsurfing.

Evan and Laina - the loving couple and my new friends

One night during my week-long stay on Evan and Laina's couch, they invited me over to Evan's mom and step-dad's house next door to make limoncello.

Making limoncello - a traditional, Italian, after-dinner liquor

While at Heidi and Mike's warm home, I discovered that they are also couch surfing hosts, with their own profile on couchsurfing.org and a spare guest room.  Hmmmmm. . .

Still without the funds to afford my own apartment (and unsure if that's what I even wanted), constantly looking for new hosts each week was taking more time and energy than it was worth.  Not to mention all the packing and re-packing of my things, and then trying to keep my pile of stuff tidy in the corner of someone's living room.

I took a bold step and asked Heidi and Mike if I might be able to stay with them for the remaining two weeks in December.  They immediately agreed, and I gratefully moved my things in to my own room.

This shot of their entryway perfectly displays the palpable love in this house

Heidi is the picture of strength, grace, and wisdom.  She runs her own daycare in their home, including making fresh, healthy meals for the children each day.  My favorite part about her?  She is on her THIRD MARRIAGE, and it's a beautiful one.  She and Mike have been married for 15 years and are still as in love as star-struck high school kids.  Happy third marriages are possible!  Yay!

Heidi firing her Creme Brûlée during a dinner party one night

Mike owns his own construction business.  He also umpires for the local Little League.  In fact, he is the head umpire for all of Santa Cruz county, which means he organizes the schedule and orders the gear for all of the other umpires - an entirely voluntary effort.  In his spare time, he brews his own beer and plays poker with the boys each week.  He is a kind and benevolent soul.

Mike as Santa for the kids in his family on Christmas Eve

Brewing day in the backyard

Staying here has been a blessing beyond even my ability to put into words.  The practicalities of a warm bed, shower, and full-stocked kitchen are only the surface of the gifts I've received here.  Heidi and Mike have become like surrogate parents to me, often listening to my daily stories and helping me think through my next steps in life.

Sometimes I walk into the kitchen to Mike saying, "We left you a bowl of homemade clam chowder on the stove," or Heidi saying, "I made you an extra waffle for breakfast."  One night, I came home from work to a huge dinner party of their friends from France.  I was immediately given a plate of lamb shank, au gratin potatoes, and brussels sprouts.  I ate with a smile while I watched their clown-friend teach one of the children how to juggle with clementines, and I felt warm all over.

After dinner juggling lesson

On Christmas morning, there was a stocking filled and hanging by the fireplace for me.  

Towards the end of December, Heidi says to me, "You know, if you can't find a place by January, you're more than welcome to stay here through the month."  So stay I did.  They have refused to accept any money from me.  This is my final week in their home.  Next week, I will move on to another housesitting gig, and then, quite possibly, my own apartment.

Thank you, Heidi and Mike.  Thank you for showing me, once again, that the world is a good and generous place to be.  People like you give me hope for our interconnected lives.  You have blessed me beyond what I ever could have expected, and I intend to pay every bit of it forward, in your name.

Supporting me at the karaoke contest last weekend

Sick Karaoke

After three days sick in bed, the night of the karaoke contest arrived.  My voice was not at its best.  The evil cold/flu monster had stolen my full range, so I called last minute and changed my song from Dixie Chicks to Etta James.  At least I could try and take advantage of the jazzy scratch in my throat, right?

I really wasn't up to doing this, but $300 was at stake for the winner!!  That's enough to fly to Hawaii!  That's enough to buy groceries for a month!  That's enough to get divorced!  

My adopted family came to support me (the amazing couch surfing hosts with whom I've been staying for a month), which was really the most fun part for me.  We all had a blast together.

My California parents

The rest of the fam. (Sorry for crappy lighting.)

I downed a hot lemon tea with a shot of whiskey before I got on stage.  I hadn't practiced at all - not that day, not that week.  I knew I probably only had one run of the song in me before my voice gave out altogether, and I wanted to save it for the only time it mattered.  But I had sung this song plenty of times before.  I'd be fine, right??

Well - there's really no way to say this humbly.  I killed it.  I owned that song like it was my frickin-frackin job.  You betta' believe I made it to the finals on February 9th.

I should totally get bonus points for standing up for that long at a time while my brain was pounding against the inside of my skull and I was about to break out into a coughing fit with every inhale.  They don't teach you that kind of stage presence in acting school.

Don't worry - I paid for it the next day.  I'm back in bed and even worse off than before.  TOTALLY WORTH IT.