It’s Official. Nomads No More!
In this issue:
- Settling Down in Minnesota
- Literary Works in Progress
It’s been a while, kids. Sorry ’bout that. Lots going on. So here we go….
1. Home is Where Home Is
Yep, it’s official. We’ve purchased a townhouse in Rochester, Minnesota, and we’ve sold our beloved bus. It was just as hard turning custody of our motorhome to its new owners as it was saying goodbye to the good ship Sojourn 15 years ago. Big change is always a challenge. But when one door closes….
We’ve been busy hanging pictures, getting electrical stuff the way we want it, as with plumbing (new toilet and seats), insulation (in the ceiling of the garage–the walls were already insulated), furniture (new and used, including one new bed and another “re-purposed” bed and end tables, etc.), a new TV and home theater, getting our stuff from storage in Florida, etc.
Geek alert! For those of you more technically-minded readers, I discovered a bonus after we bought our new townhouse–an RO system under the kitchen sink! Huh? Reverse Osmosis (RO) water filtration systems generate the purest drinking water imaginable. Here’s how it works. RO works by applying pressure to water, forcing it through a semi-permeable membrane that allows only (small) water molecules to pass while blocking larger contaminants like salts, bacteria, and other impurities. This process results in purified water on one side of the membrane and a concentrated waste stream on the other. But there’s a downside. RO water is SO pure it even removes beneficial minerals from the water. So, the dedicated water faucet on our kitchen sink generates on-demand RO water to which I add a pinch of pink Himalayan salt. The result is very pure water that benefits from the 30 or so trace minerals in this salt (NOT white table salt!) and tastes great (I can’t really detect any salt taste it’s so diluted). Is that cool, or what? The only other interesting artifact of this process includes a water dribbling sound coming from the kitchen for several minutes as the RO system feeds a new supply of purified water to its storage tank (also under the kitchen sink) and purges the waste products from the process. Kay likes the sound of a water fall. No additional charge!
We’re sandwiching all of this new house stuff between various doctors’ appointments, Kay’s and my surgical procedures, and even a little socializing (very little for a while, I’m afraid). But we’re thankful that we’re staying in one place while we get this medical stuff handled. That was always a challenge when we were relocating every few months, especially follow-up appointments or procedures.
And I gotta tell ya, I’m having a blast with a garage again! Check out my workbench project. While our garage is a double, it’s not overly large at only 21 feet square. So, any workbench I’d build had to be very space conscious. But I also wanted a full-service workbench, including a miter saw, table saw, bench grinder, peg board and drawers for a TON of storage. I found a space-saving design in Family Handyman magazine that required only 24″ along one wall of my new garage. But it’s been an ambitious project, and now it’s almost done (whew).
Check out my progress so far:
I’ll include photos of the townhouse in my next post (different from the ones I posted last time). It’s coming together!
2. Literary Works in Progress
Okay, so writing progress is a bit slow going as we get the new house up and running, plus we’re having fun spreading our domestic wings! But I continue to make steady progress on two projects:
- an outrageous memoir, and,
- my next (4th) Aubrey Greigh Mystery.
So, about this memoir. My current working title will give you a clue as to its theme: “The Trouble With Thinking – Confessions of a Compulsive Believer.” Yeah, it needs work. It’s about 60% complete, so I thought I’d share with you a draft of its foreword:
You now hold in your hands a collection of stories and experiences I squeezed from the life of an ordinary kid. He was raised on “the wrong side of the tracks.” According to some, he was thrust into extraordinary circumstances, time, and time again, as he matured and aged, and then reveled in his immaturity once more. The theme of this story revolves around how this lunatic developed and now maintains his belief system, many of which are unconventional, even blasphemous according to some. He now flourishes in the aftermath he’s characterized as “the trouble with thinking.”
Sorry about referring to myself in the third person. I don’t mean to sound pretentious. Sometimes it just happens. The ego still requires regular care and feeding. Yes, I remain a work in progress, even at age 76.
I will punish you with some painfully personal vignettes, including a few scintillating successes built upon a whole lot more miserable failures. I’m taking this risk with you by putting myself out here like this. Be prepared for a gaggle of unvarnished disclosures, kids. My sincerest hope is that you will find the account of my ongoing journey of survival and fulfillment a fun read. Maybe more. No doubt you’ll keep asking yourself, “Was he really that stupid?” Or, “How did he survive that?” Or, “You gotta be kidding me!”
I am proud to say I served my country with honor and suffered a lifelong disability while saving lives. Others fared much worse. In short, I’ve:
- repeatedly defied death… voluntarily,
- been shot at, robbed, stalked, threatened with the death of me and my family (and my dog),
- contemplated suicide for about a nanosecond,
- even been beaten bloody—but just once,
- had friends who were cult members whose beliefs in their causes came and went. Some of those friendships and beliefs persist to this day. However, many did not survive,
- witnessed corruption and redemption as a follower, leader, and concerned citizen,
- experienced altered states of consciousness—still do regularly—and fell prey to chronic life-threatening addictions. Yes, I still struggle with a few of those.
- Over the years, I’ve been a:
- professional dishwasher,
- hippie,
- cross-country hitchhiker,
- dope smuggler,
- skydiver,
- scuba diver,
- water and snow skier,
- racing and voyaging sailor,
- electrical engineering technician,
- marine law enforcement officer, along with search and rescue responsibilities,
- audio recording engineer,
- advertising executive,
- hotel manager,
- long-term high-functioning alcoholic,
- touring motorcyclist,
- frequent international traveler,
- successful international business executive, and,
- itinerant vagabond living on the road.
- My commitment to each of these (mis)adventures further shaped my future and who I would become: an artist, published author, and full-time traveler.
It’s been an interesting ride so far, and my beliefs shaped every one of my endeavors at the time in what was possible, ethical, affordable, legal, or otherwise. For a kid with no pedigree, I still found a way to snag an advanced degree from a great school. Yet I’ve never been saddled with a single dollar of student debt. It’s likely I trust in the art of what is possible because of all this wondrous life texture.
Until a few months ago (as I write this), my only home was a 20-year-old 43-foot bus shared with my soulmate of 56 years. But we are not without means. Remember the old saw, “All those who wander are not lost?” We lived this life by choice. This was right at the time. In 13 years of living part time in a boat and another decade in a bus most of the time, we reduced life to its essentials. All while living a life most only dream of. We have been committed to this itinerant lifestyle, but now we’re ready for the next chapter.
I assure you, I am not merely some aging hippie stuck in the sixties, even though that was my street alma mater. I am a retired middle manager—a 32-year veteran of a high-tech multinational corporation. Armed with BS and MS degrees from the University of Minnesota, an adequate pension, and many passions. These include traveling and the arts, including music, painting, and writing.
Now a veteran author with 21 published titles—including 14 novels—under my ever-expanding belt, I labor under the somewhat-delusional residual self-image of a fit young man. This old dude ain’t all that smart, but I simply refuse to give up. Ever.
With all of this as my canvas, it is with some pride I can report I find great joy in life, a thrilling belief in the basic good and evil within others and within myself. I sit here typing away after completing my morning exercise and meditation rituals. Eagerly anticipating the pre-dawn of each new day, I celebrate life and everyone’s desire to seek their own passions, including me and mine.
Fair warning. Within the coming pages you will witness my most personal confessions during pivotal moments of a long and edgy life. I’ve only recently exploded in what seems like spontaneous fulfillment bursting from within. Corny? Possibly. But true. Most days, anyway.
After seven-and-a-half decades of living large, I’ve reduced my life to its essentials, and not just physically. My beliefs—and means—led me to this well-sharpened point. My journey might amuse, annoy, delight, or confuse you. I might even piss you off. But I will not bore you.
This book does not suppose to offer guidance, only personal experience and perspective. Perhaps it will open an entertaining window into a dark room where you just might find yourself staring back at you from the shadows.
I am a compulsive seeker of truth—the impossible dream. The importance of critical thinking, and the seeming epidemic of a lack thereof, consumes me at times. So, I travel and ask questions of friends and strangers in order to expand my own understanding. But only of those whom I consider credible sources.
If you seem less than credible, I am not shy about crying foul. Even if critical thinking is not your strong suit, read on. Because you won’t believe some of the shit that I got myself into over the years in search of wisdom. Yeah, wisdom… largely a fictional pile of crap most people avoid stepping into. Turns out I had it within me the whole time, but we’ll get there.
It could be this journal will only offer you a few incredulous laughs, and that’s okay by me. Or you’ll offer a nod to similar predicaments of your own. I try to stay objective about why I made certain decisions throughout my checkered past. It is not my intent to alienate anyone; however, certain biases are likely to reveal themselves. Feel free to skim over these heart flowers (or turd blossoms, depending on your perspective). Regardless, I take comfort in knowing we all share more similarities than differences.
Obviously, you dare not just take my word for anything. I will cite credible sources for all of my conclusions whenever possible. From my own experience, I will also offer meager explanations (excuses?) for each of my possibly self-delusional beliefs (at the time), and why I sometimes still struggle—my trouble with thinking. Either accept or reject my reasoning.
So, hang on to your butt cheeks, kids. Let’s go!
What do you think?
Now, about my next Aubrey Greigh Mystery. Working title is “Exodus Road – A Remarkable Journey.” I expect to publish either later this year or early 2026, depending on how many delightful distractions cause me to stumble.
Allow me to share with you a draft of this uplifting story’s synopsis:
Shane Greigh is a gifted nine-year-old Romani boy thrust into the whirlwind of his new life in America. An unusual couple—police detective Chance “Q” McQuillan and best-selling author Aubrey Greigh, who also works as an Interpol investigator—recently adopted him. Upon arriving at his new parents’ luxury apartment, Shane uses his extraordinary observational skills to uncover Q’s early pregnancy—a shocking revelation. Yet adapting to his new surroundings proves challenging. He feels out of place amidst his youthful American peers.
No sooner does Shane start attending his new elementary school in the city than his razor-sharp intuition and mature outlook, not to mention his well-rounded wit, distinguish him. He soon notices subtle but disturbing signs of a sinister plot—suspicious interactions between adults and students, unusual vehicles lurking nearby, and patterns that others dismiss or don’t notice at all. While his adoptive parents chalk up his subtle observations to adjustment anxiety, Shane is undeterred and embarks on a relentless investigation, meticulously documenting every suspicious occurrence. Yes, he is an old soul in a young body and sharp mind.
Armed with a photographic memory and exceptional puzzle-solving skills, Shane encounters dubious acquaintances who reveal pieces of a chilling large-scale human trafficking operation. A smirk here, an inadvertent whisper there, or a new friend’s worries that he’s being watched, Shane sees an obvious pattern. Is the boy psychic, neurodivergent, or just hyper-observant?
As Shane consumes local news and events with a voracious appetite, he engages in conversations with Greigh and Q about how to wield his gifts without alienating those around him. Social integration remains a struggle, but he forms a tight-knit circle of trusted friends at school who appreciate his abilities and help gather crucial information, leveraging their own unique and curious skills. Their schoolmates call them The Freak Squad.
The stakes rise as Shane and his crew uncover concrete evidence of a trafficking ring—photographs, overheard conversations, and documented suspicious behaviors. When a fellow student goes missing, Shane can no longer keep his findings under wraps. Shane shows Greigh and Q his collection of evidence. The depth of his work stuns them, transforming them from skeptical but compassionate parents into staunch believers in their son’s discoveries and champions for justice.
Parenthetically, a secondary story line introduces us to a compassionate doctor and his family as they orchestrate their escape from a violent El Salvador, arguably one of the most corrupt and violent South American nations.
We follow the Curazco family’s endearing story as they flee the city of San Salvador, where the beloved Dr. Diego Curazco is a respected ER and community medicine physician. He is mercilessly persecuted by a corrupt government and their “muscle”—a paramilitary force known as Fuerza Armada —as he provides free health care to government undesirables. Dr. Diego, his wife, and two teenage children flee to America via Ecuador, Columbia, Panama, and Mexico. They are at the mercy of human traffickers during their perilous journey. It gets even worse after they arrive in the city of Chicago, a popular destination for this human trafficking cabal.
Ultimately, the plight of the Curazco’s beautiful 13-year-old daughter, Kalilah, intersects with Shane and his friends as she is forced onto the streets of Chicago by her captors. They learn of Kalilah’s plight from her younger brother, Balbo.
Together, as an immediate family of sleuths, Greigh and Q leap into action with Shane to investigate his shocking findings. Shane’s unique perspective sheds light on a dark underground network as they race against time and powerful enemies to unveil the full extent of the trafficking operation and the damage it has already caused to both those trafficked and those extorted.
As clues reveal themselves, Shane’s new extended family from previous Aubrey Greigh Mysteries in this series also joins the fray. They include Q’s partner detective, Mac, Shane’s new Uncle Rocko, MT, who is one of Rocko’s gumshoes, and Shane’s biological grandfather and Rocko’s boss, the influential Signore Gaspari Copolla.
Each member contributes their expertise and influence while remaining vigilant to protect Shane and his youthful friends from escalating dangers as the criminals become aware of their pursuit and bring increasing pressure to bear. As a result, victims of this ring apply their considerable influence to keep their sins from the pubic eye by attempting to bury Shane’s revelations. Time is running out.
Tensions further escalate as the investigation reaches a perilous climax, with Shane facing increased threats from shadowy figures surveilling him, his family, and his friends. He worries about them all. Quite the burden for a nine-year-old, but he is no stranger to living in fear from his years as a gypsy youth living in camps across the countrysides of Hungary, Croatia, and Northeastern Italy.
Greigh and Q grapple with the challenge of keeping the boy and his friends safe as they reluctantly allow Shane continued involvement in the case while retaining some semblance of a normal life. As if they could stop him!
Ultimately, their combined efforts lead to the exposure and dismantling of the multinational trafficking ring, bringing justice to at least some of its victims. But only after crossing swords with powerful politicians and law enforcement officials who have everything to lose if exposed by the Greighs and their friends—both official and unofficial.
In the aftermath, Greigh, Q, and Grandpa Gaspari, who is also a storied philanthropist, reveal the truth about Shane’s biological parents to him, including his father’s murder, his mother’s imprisonment, and their shared gifts for extraordinary observation and deduction. To their surprise, Shane already knows much of his family’s history. Of course he does.
The victors celebrate their triumph and newfound understanding of one another, paving the way for Shane’s thrilling journey as a budding young investigator, and perhaps, as another mystery author—like dear new dad.
Embracing both his inherited abilities, his experience from this case, as well as the accompanying encumbrance of not to reveal them to just anyone, Shane begins planning future investigations with his team of young “irregulars” with zeal.
That’s it. I like how the narrative is unfolding itself to me. Watch this space!
Hey, don’t forget to listen to a free preview of my very special theatrical audiobook edition of Rogue’s Gallery, as well as the eBook and paperback editions!
Here’s what listeners to the Rogue’s Gallery theatrical audiobook edition are saying so far:
- “Your performance of the story in the audiobook edition engulfed me.”
- “The music and sound effects blended into the story so well it was as if I was listening to a movie, but better, because my imagination completed my vision of the story. So cool!”
So, until… and wherever… or maybe just in Southeastern Minnesota now….
Gene (and Kay)
