Natalie's Next

Hello and Welcome to my Next! I thought I would set aside a special place to capture and share my thoughts and experiences on what is happening in Natalie’s Next: my life in retirement. There are two main things keeping me busy right now, learning to be an author and getting ready for our big boat trip, the Great Loop.

Natalie as author

One of my most frequent answers to the inevitable ice breaker in the business world “what would you be doing if you were not doing this?” was “writing a book”. I always enjoyed creative writing in school, but gave it up when I focused on engineering in college. When, almost two years ago, I was clearly no longer going to be “doing this,” I had the freedom to put my actions where my intentions were. In retirement, I have been taking classes in creative writing, working towards my goal of a novel. You will find here some the things I have been writing to practice new skills. I have been focusing on personal essays and short stories, working up to a full novel. I hope you find something entertaining, interesting, inspiring, or insightful with these posts.

Natalie as adventurer

I have always said the place I love the most is the place where I have never been. That said, it was a perfect match when I met Michael. His dream had long been to do the American Great Loop, which is boating around the eastern United States (and some of Canada). I was not a boater, but found my happy place on the water. We are targeting to start our adventure in the spring of 2025. Folks have been asking me if I am going to capture my Great Loop experiences, and this will be the place you can find them. Initially, I may post a bit about preparations. Then, I will write about where we are, what we are doing, who we meet, and how life is on the boat. My plan is to keep it engaging, hoping you will find it worthwhile to keep coming back.

Onward!

I would be honored if you choose to subscribe 🙂