“How I Came to Write This Blog”
Hello! My name is Robyn, and I am an aspiring author. Unfortunately, my career has been unsuccessful for two reasons. First, I never seem to want to write anything that I don’t think will be the next great American novel. Somehow all my projects end up being too complex and daunting for me to be able to finish. And the main reason I can’t finish is also the second reason my writing career isn’t getting anywhere: I seem to be woefully short on self discipline. In fact, I have a general tendency to spend more time binge-watching Netflix than going out and doing the things I love. Which is too bad really, because I love some pretty awesome things. Here are a few examples:
Being Outside: Whether I’m doing something active like hiking or kayaking, or simply finding a sunny spot to read a book, I love being outside. I’m blessed to live on the shores of Flathead Lake, and I’m pretty sure it is impossible to spend too much time outside enjoying the wonderful world around me.
Finding/Learning New Things: I hate being bored, and while I benefit from habits and routines as much as the next person, I am constantly looking for new things to explore, research, wonder about, and learn.
Good Food: My favorite indoor place to be is my kitchen, and I honestly spend as much time reading cookbooks as I do reading novels. That doesn’t mean I don’t like eating out, however, as some of my best ideas have been inspired by things I’ve found in restaurants.
Good Beer: Enough said.
My Dogs: It is impossible not to like our “sweet boys” Rocky and Dug. In fact, I love them enough to bundle up to take them for a walk when it is below zero and I have a cold. Can there be any greater expression of love?
Doing Things with my Boyfriend Pete: Everyone needs a partner in crime, and Pete is mine. Not only does he love doing a lot of the same things I do, but he also brings a lot of experience and knowledge about the outdoors to the table.
And Above All, Writing: I want to be a writer because I love to write. There is nothing better than the moment you find the perfect word or phrase to capture your experience, and writing has helped me to process all kinds of things throughout my life. And yet, I am always finding excuses not to do it.
And so, I hereby publicly pledge (even if public, in this case, only extends to the various family members and close friends that I guilted into reading this blog) to regularly get up off my butt, turn off Netflix, and go do some of these things I love. And then I will write about it and share it with all of you. No, it won’t be the next American novel, but at least I will be writing, and that’s something.
Ok, great. But why should you read this blog?
If you happen to be someone not connected to me by blood, do you still have to read this blog? Obviously no, you are a free person; you can do as you like. But I hope that you will, because I believe this blog has plenty to offer, especially if you are looking for:
Interesting Places to Visit: Since we are based out of western Montana, we will probably be the most useful to people who live nearby, perhaps anyone looking for something new to do for the weekend. But if you are visiting our fine state—especially if for the first time—and you are not sure what to do, you will find a wealth of information here from a local perspective, something a little more varied than the average guide book. Plus, we will have the occasional special edition when we travel a little further afield, which will offer some vacation ideas to anyone interested in travelling a little.
Travel Experience: Pete and I are definitely not experts, by any means. In fact, one of the great things about us is that we have very little in the way of specialized outdoor training or expensive gadgets. Everything we do is accessible to most people. And because we do stuff like this fairly often, we’ve managed to learn a little along the way—local regulations, required permits, safety concerns, what to pack, what to wear, where to rent, where to eat—and we are happy to share our experience with you.
Fun Facts About Montana: What expertise Pete and I do have mostly comes just from living here in Montana. Over the years, we’ve picked up tons of fun facts about local history, culture, flora, fauna, and microbrews, and anyone who reads this blog is sure to learn about all those things.
Anecdotes About Dogs: Cause who doesn’t love a good dog story? I mean really?