Comfy Nomad’s Travel Tribe

Punta Arenas, Chile, is known as a jumping-off spot to explore the Antarctic Peninsula. The Comfy Nomad was told that it wasn't worth spending more than a day on either end of the trip there, but she soon learned that the city's quirky, grungy, and (very) windy nature had a unique appeal. Listen in on a conversation during her return trip with Alvaro, a Punta Arenas native, where they reflect on everyday life beyond the tourist spots, from flashbacks to 1980s office supplies to selling memoirs to strangers on the beach.

What is life like in one of the most remote parts of the planet? Listen in as the Comfy Nomad chats with Alexandra (and a surprise guest who wanders into the conversation) as they ponder aspects of life in the south Patagonia town of Puerto Natales, Chile.

It's been a while, so the Comfy Nomad and her last guest decided to continue the conversation by reviewing apps from 2022 that brought more organized and interesting twists to life -- from Focusmate and Notion to SwingVision and Wise -- in all categories of life, including art, sports, finance, travel, and media. Links to all apps/websites/media can be found on blog.comfynomad.com

The Comfy Nomad returns with three questions for Jeff Louie, a self-described accidental entrepreneur who founded one of the first coworking spaces in Sacramento, California. He reflects on building communities that turned into businesses (instead of the other way around), and how parenthood plus a move to the San Francisco Bay Area required reevaluating his identity and life expectations -- triggering a shift from a high-growth, "save the world" mindset to a different state of being fully in the present moment.

In the third and final episode of a series profiling Miss Timmi, who entered the world of drag in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1970s, we learn about the nonprofit Imperial Court system, the impact of AIDS in the 80s and 90s, and loop back to the first episode discussing drag and spirituality.

In the second part of a three-part series profiling Miss Timmi, a Northern California female illusionist, we learn more about what it takes to transform -- which the Comfy Nomad learns is no different than any other theater/media/stage makeup and wardrobe ritual -- and follow Miss Timmi as he continues to hone his craft in San Francisco in the 1980s. Video links discussed in this episode can be found at blog.comfynomad.com

What do drag queens, manual typewriters, and spirituality have in common? Find out as the Comfy Nomad chats with Miss Timmi about transformation, starting with his Boston roots and exploring life in the Northern California drag scene.  Video links discussed in this episode can be found at blog.comfynomad.com

The Comfy Nomad returns for more Conversations from the Back Deck! She chats with Dave, who just graduated from college in his early 60s. She unearthed an ancient blog post that reflects on her college experience and they ponder how much (or how little) things have changed, from the mismatch of how people teach and how people learn to why it feels like the most powerful learning experiences happen outside the classroom.

After 15 years of capturing photos, the Comfy Nomad published an online exhibit! Robin from the Cortona Center of Photography returns to discuss all the details that go into creating an exhibit, from image selection and order to captions and the infamous artist statement. Best listened to while viewing the gallery at comfynomad.com.

In 2017, the Comfy Nomad stumbled upon Soul Collage® workshops offered by Megan (mmsoul.com) in the Seattle region, and was hooked -- especially after realizing the 5"x7" format was perfect for creating mixed-media art while traveling.  In this conversation, Megan shares her life story and the joys of maintaining a now-virtual creativity business during the pandemic, including favorite moments from facilitating workshops and sourcing images. They both discuss how collaging has helped in understanding one's identity, developing self awareness, and balancing perfectionism with "no rules."