News & Updates

how do you get in your zone?

From NOVA to Napa- my house sitting gigs are rolling these next couple months, and buying me some great time to write, write, write! Yes- as in book. It’s been in the works for a while now- so final push time is here 🙂

As always, I love packing myself away in my own world to get in full writing zone. I spend hours running, or in places like coffee shops and the BLR-Mobile watching people, daydreaming, and reminiscing about all the adventures I’ve had over the past 18 years. Thanks to a friend who sent me a link to a kayaking video a few weeks ago, I’ve also been channeling some pick-me-up happy energy and inspiration from this song as I spend these must disappear to get the pages down days. I’m loving this tune as my theme song for spring 2013. (I dare you to listen. You’ll be up and out of your seat jumping around in 10 seconds or less.)

Back to writing.

After I listen to that song and jam out one more time…

in an instant

New site, new news, and new projects (including a couple of schedule changes) will be coming this month!

I’ve wrapped a work gig that took up far too much of my time and energy during the past 6 months (Another lesson- and hopefully the last in being underpaid and under appreciated.) I’m finally getting back on track with my real Blue Lollipop Road life; The one that fits me perfectly and keeps me genuinely happy doing what I’m best at.

***Just as I started typing this post I got word from a friend that their best buddy and wife were killed by a drunk driver this weekend. Their 3 kids were in the car too. All kids survived, parents did not. This is where I stare at the screen as I often do when hear news that’s hard to wrap my head around. As I shake my head in disbelief, especially when these tragedies hit so close to home, I will wrap this post by saying; don’t wait. Don’t wait to say I love you, don’t wait to give someone a hug, don’t wait for that job you love- go get it, don’t wait to speak up, stand up, or be exactly who you are. Don’t wait to start on that lifelong goal. Life is far too short, far too often.

Talk about a heart wrenching reminder in why we should all be spending time doing what we love, around who we love.

take a seat and watch yourself for a while

In the 5 months I’ve been mostly absent from here since our Play It Forward event in Vermont on 8/18/12, I’ve sort of been in an unplanned hiding phase, that I had no idea I needed. I’ve been catching up on sleep, work and bills. Everything the unexpected (to me anyway) exhaustion that 18 years of travel and go, go, go creates. Fall 2012 turned out to be a time to reflect, rest and let go…a lot. If you had told me back on August 18th as I was standing in that single Play It Forward Event day, which filled me with an energy, pride, and momentum for the future- that I was about to spend the following months feeling like my feet were stuck in cement buckets (not the bad kind) coming straight from a Chicago high-rise bustling social, sport, and work life, to living on a farm in Virginia down a dirt road of solitude- I would have told you that you had lost your mind.

And here I sit in complete silence down that dirt road those near 5 month later thankful those cement buckets found me.

I’ve thought about BLR Play It Forward no less than 50 times a day since our August event as I’ve been in “hiding”. I’ve had the families of my lost friends, all the guests of our incredibly powerful event, the places like Taltree Arboretum and Gardens, restaurant @1800 who graciously invited me to spend time with them in 2012, other “road people” I’ve had intentions to write about, new places I’ve visited that I’ve made big promises to share about- and more on my mind. Obviously I have just not written about them all here as I had planned to. BLR my travels, the people, Play It Forward event, the food, my everyday experiences (even the mundane) are so deeply engrained in my soul, none of it could ever leave no matter how much break time there has been on daily writing here, or even if I never wrote again (which clearly is not going to happen:) I live BLR just as much now, if not more than ever before.

So what happened? Nothing really besides allowing myself to fully rest, step back, and let go to watch as a passenger in my life for once. My body is rested, and my mind is clearer than ever. I have had the ultimate and much needed retreat. Now I am ready to get back in the saddle again.

I’m excited to share that Ive been working on an updated site to launch here this spring. That’s right- ALL my posts (Near 1,400) and the thousands of my travel photos will be in one place, on 1 single website! Also I am writing a book! A lifelong goal of mine. It is a lot of work, but I can’t wait for the day I will hold in my hands a book with my name stamped on it.

Now for some Sunday morning coffee and catching up on all this homework I owe myself and you all…

where do you get mail anyway?

Lots of inquiries about a mailing address lately, so for any curious cats:

Diane Peacock
Blue Lollipop Road
PO Box 276
Shaftsbury, VT 05262

***(No matter where I’m traveling or working, this still remains the permanent mailing address for BLR and I. When I’m not in Vermont, all mail is always forwarded to me.)

I look forward to questions and interest about the Blue Lollipop Road Memorial Scholarship, our BLR Play It Forward Event, and holiday photos and other of your cute kids and pets of course!

I know It’s been a long fall of promised posts and news with not much followed up here, but rest assured, I just got very exciting news yesterday, and I’ve been working on something that dates all the way back to October 16, 2008- so more good stuff IS coming 🙂

in the new year

Hello fast-approaching 2013!

Time flies, eh?

At this point I am behind on so many things I wanted to post here It’s ridiculous. I still owe love to Taltree Arboretum & Gardens in Indiana, a restaurant called @1800 is Wisconsin, awesome stories about BLR Play It Forward 2012 and the Blue Lollipop Road Memorial Scholarship, my trip to Toronto, moving out of the Windy City back east to a new place near the Nation’s Capital, a new gig I have been working like a nut on that has taken so much of my time away from here (but that I love and can pay my bills so I wouldn’t change a thing right now), upcoming travel plans for January to the warm, some big stuff in the works since August I haven’t shared with anyone yet, why I believe in quitting and changing things when they aren’t right or aren’t working more than ever, and more.

To all of you regulars and loyal followers who have bugged me to “Post already!” I promise it is coming – and with bonuses galore because you have waited so patiently.

In 2013? Blue Lollipop Road kicks off year 5 with a bang.

Get yourself buckled in for fun!

blue

I like the color blue. I like blue states, blue lollipops, and just blue in general. I like blue because It’s a great color, but I really like blue tonight because:

A gay-supporting black guy just beat a corporate white guy.

Now that my friends, is progress.

BOOM!

anticipation

Nerd alert! So excited I just made a dinner date for next week with an author I have been a super fan of for years!  I’m beyond thrilled this person I admire incredibly not only responded to an email I sent her out of the blue 2 years ago, but she’s been incredibly generous sharing her wisdom and time via email and phone since then. In person dinner and hang time should be nothing less than a most incredible treat. I can’t wait!

Will share about our dinner soon…