Where?
Where I write, where you read, where the streets have no name -- and a random aside on living on a cruise ship for 3 years
If you’re new here, welcome. If you’re a regular reader, I’m glad you’re back and welcome to this week’s issue.
Where are we? Good question. Halfway through the five Ws and one H (aka 5W1H). So far, we’ve addressed:
This week we are focused on the third W: Where?
Where do I write?
Every issue I’ve written since I started this blog in January has been written at my desk. I’ve had this desk for many years and love it. It’s not too big, not too small; it’s just right. It’s from Denmark (a place that has been dear to my heart as long as I can remember), made of teak and has classic, clean lines.
In the earliest days of the pandemic, I bought a new keyboard (that would support multiple devices) and it is through this Logitech K780 keyboard that I’m typing these words.
In front of me is a Dell U2723QE monitor that makes me smile every time I sit down to use it.
Where might I write?
In time, I might write from other places, too. In the past, I’ve blogged from foreign countries and journaled on planes, trains, and many other places.
That said, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to appreciate being present more and more. For many years, whenever I traveled, I usually took my tablet with me. It’s relatively lightweight and was handy to have. On a recent trip, however, I intentionally left it behind and enjoyed the simplicity of not having the option of using it.
(And, no, I did not use the computer shown above but thought it made for a cool “work from anywhere” image.)
Random aside: did you see this CNN article this week about how you can live on a cruise ship for $30,000 a year? If you’re able to be a digital nomad, it’s pretty intriguing:
The company is promising to tick off 375 ports around the world, visiting 135 countries and all seven continents. The ship will cover more than 130,000 miles over the three years, taking in iconic sights from Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue and India’s Taj Mahal, to Mexico’s Chichen Itza, the pyramids of Giza, Machu Picchu and the Great Wall of China. It even slots in trips to 103 “tropical islands.” Of those 375 ports, 208 will be overnight stops, giving you extra time in the destination.
🚢 It leaves Istanbul November 1, 2023.
Where do you read?
I want to learn more about you and your preferences. Please take a moment and respond to this quick poll:
If you read multiple ways (like you’re reading this in the Substack app on your phone right now but you usually read in your email on your computer for example), I’d like to know that, too. Please reply or comment below.
Understanding how you like to read this will inform how I format issues going forward.
Do you tend to process quickly in the context of your email or prefer to cozy up in a nice chair with a cup of tea to read for a while? Do you subscribe to other Substacks? If so, do you tend to read them independently as they arrive or do you “batch process” and settle in and read all of your Substacks in one sitting?
The ethnographer in me is genuinely curious. If you feel comfortable, please share your reading tendencies and preferences as it will help me to craft a better reading experience for you.
Thanks very much.
Until next time,
-bp
Bonus: Where the Streets Have No Name
Given the theme of this week’s issue, this week’s media embed is U2’s Where The Streets Have No Name. Last night, my brother texted me about going to see U2 in Las Vegas. I’ve had the privilege of seeing them live twice but what I’ve never seen until just now is the actual music video for this classic song from their Joshua Tree album. Perhaps you haven’t either? Here it is.
Have a great weekend, everybody!