I’m heading to upstate New York, Richard Russo’s stomping ground and the area that most inspired his work. While I miss this area on occasion (a number of family members still reside here), I don’t miss winter visits, especially January/February winter visits, which are very different from December and March winter visits.
In other words, I may as well be traveling to Alaska or northern Maine because that’s what the wind chill feels like. Apparently it was 7 degrees yesterday and now they’re having a heat wave (18 degrees but the weather report says it feels like 10. READ MY LIPS – it should say 10 below zero).
I know global warming is real but it never ‘feels’ real when I’m in upstate New York in the winter. I love fresh fallen snow, pond ice whether its for fishing or skating, sleigh riding at midnight to a full moon and all those things that made CHILDHOOD grand.
Now when I feel the cold, I don’t think of great childhood memories at all – I just think “this is insane, why subject yourself to this level of discomfort on a regular basis?” HA – something clearly has happened between African, European, Israeli, Australian, Floridian and now California living that made me say, “my bones can’t take this cold NOoo mooorree!”
Yet I have no doubt, I will have some of those grand childhood moments while I’m here and they may even be of the callibre that great novels are birthed from.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
