This video reviews that being a responsible person can lead to success.

Being responsible raises our self-esteem, improves relationships, and increases our trust with others.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

Recently, I had the opportunity to review a photo album that my mother created in the 1940s.

This video contains some of the photos from that time which shows some of the fashion and cars from that time.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This video is about my dad which may be of interest to my grandchildren and future descendants.

My dad was a gentle soul who loved fishing. This love likely kept him grounded.

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please reach out to me.

Courage is something for my grandchildren and future descendants need to consider.

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage” is a quote from the authour, Anais Nin,

With all the challenges and potential changes we face, courage is an attribute that can affect our lives.

Please reach out to me if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions.

I am back at the location at which I recorded the first video in February 2020.

A lot has changed since then and I note some of the very noticeable changes.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This week I am in East Sooke and looking after a dog, ‘Baba’ and a cat, ‘Yogi.’

I am here for another week, and then move on again.

This week’s update is on the wildfires and Emergency Support Services call center and pet sitting four dogs.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

The wildfires in British Columbia have started with a vengeance.

This has resulted in me assisting in the Emergency Support Services call centre here in Victoria responding to phone calls from a variety of people affected by the fires.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions please reach out to me.

After over 15 months we are starting to open up and meet face-to-face. I note why I am grateful to have been on Vancouver Island since March 2020. Also, next week as people start to travel, I start the first pet/house sitting gig since we closed down last year.

In a note to my grandson, I mentioned the important art of mastering human relationships.

He is a very sociable person and this skill can lead to success and happiness.

I refer to a well-known book that most of know about.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

It appears that pet/house sitting may be opening up soon as I have not been able to that for over 14 months.

I discuss some of the things I have discovered since I started pet/house sitting over 4 years ago.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions please reach out to me.

After almost seven months on my friend’s boat, I have moved to a friend’s place for a while.

The message this time is that we cannot do everything ourselves. Having others in our lives is an important part of our lives.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This video is about avoiding competition and implementing cooperation. By finding common ground and working on solutions with others, this approach can make a substantial impact on the world’s problems.

This approach can help reduce conflicts at many levels.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

After leaving my last job in 2016, I decided I wanted to help our youth gain communication and leadership skills.

I am currently working on setting up a pilot project for a course on How to Start a Youth Club. If you know of anyone who may be interested in knowing about this project, please share this video with them.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This video ends the journey about the variety of jobs I have had. I did miss mentioning selling woman’s shoes in a shoe store in Vancouver.

My last job was selling a project management product over the internet for over 10 years.

All the changes in my life have enabled me to adapt and not fear change.

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please reach out to me.

After leaving Datagram, I moved into the recruiting or headhunting business.

I started my own business in 1989 and worked from home for 15 years and networked with other recruiters in North America.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions please reach out to me.

After leaving NCR Comten, it was off to sell Datagram’s data compression devices.

However, I and the other new salesperson discovered that we were not wanted by the local manager.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

In 1985 I left South Africa and returned to Canada after being away for 23 years.

In Toronto, I found work as a salesperson for NCR Comten. We sold front-end processors to IBM mainframe users. These devices interface peripheral units like terminals, printers, disk and tape units to the mainframe computer.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions please reach out to me.

After selling minicomputers, I was approached by two ex-Control Data employees who had the agency for SAS analytics software used for decision making.

This company is enormously successful. It is the largest privately held software company in the world. It treats its customers and employees extremely well.

It was the best sales experience I ever had.

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This video illustrates how much the world has changed since I sold PR1ME minicomputers 40 years ago in the early 1980s.

This makes us think how much the world has changed and is going to change in the next 40 years.

Please reach out to me if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions.

In 1979, when I left the gold mining industry in South Africa, I joined Control Data Corporation’s Cybernet Services to sell computer services to the mining industry in South Africa.

I share some pictures of what the million-dollar plus computer looked like in those days.

It has been one year since the COVID-19 shutdown was announced here. I review what might be happening this year and the big question is, “When should I get a haircut?”

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

Some thoughts on International Women’s Day which started around 1909. There has been lots of progress and still more needed for women’s rights.

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please reach out to me.

During the past weekend, we had a reunion of some of the overland travelers who were on ‘Rosie, the overland truck.

My daughter, Alexis, and I traveled for 4 months with this gang from Capetown to Cairo. I share a video of some aspects of the trip on Rosie.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This video is about why I wear hats, some places I have worn hats, and some of the hats I wear. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

There have been lots of cold weather including snow throughout the northern hemisphere this past week. I share the power of small choices when we are able to change some bad habits to good habits. This is what can lead to success. (This tip is especially for my grandchildren.) If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

We start with the view of the overland truck ‘Rosie’ from 2012 in Africa, then talk about the cold weather in the northern hemisphere, and why the word “Good” can be used in a positive manner.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me. I look forward to hearing from you.

This is the first anniversary of the Notes of a Nomad videos. It was one year ago that I created the first video. I was not aware of the pandemic at that time. I show the Notes of a Nomad website where you can find a list of all the videos.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me. I always look forward to hearing from you.

This video starts with a short video of me attempting to dance with some Ethiopians in 2012.

I then mention lifelong learning and some of it benefits.

You can find a 2018 posting on my website with more details about lifelong learning at http://www.ourfutureleaders.ca/blog/lifelong-learning-a-skill-for-this-century/

Please reach out to me if you have any comments, suggestions or questions. I always look forward to hearing from you.

In this video, I share how the words ‘laugh’ and ‘noise’ from two books connected with me.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions please reach out to me. I always look forward to hearing from you.

We start with a short trip to Istanbul and then end up with how the motto, “Be Useful” is great to put into practice.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me. I always look forward to hearing from you.

Today I remember being in Tasmania exactly three years ago visiting a historical penal colony where some frightful activities occurred including a more recent event in 1996 which impacted Australia overall.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me. I look forward to hearing from you

I lived in Thunder Bay in Northern Ontario, Canada until I was 13 years old when our family moved to Vancouver.

I believe this move had a very big influence on me.

If you have any comments, suggestions or questions, please reach out to me.

Today is the winter solstice. I review some of what I have been doing one this day over the years including being ‘rescued’ by the ski patrol in Switzerland.

I also discuss the mantra, “‘Discipline equals freedom.”

If you have any comments, suggestions, or questions, please reach out to me

This video gets philosophical and mentions why being a nomad is a mindset on how you spend your time.

It’s about what interests you, such as people, places, and things. that you explore.

Please reach out to me if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions. I always look forward to hearing from you.

Need your help to find a person or persons in North America who has a connection in education to help with a pilot project of introducing a simple and easy problem-solving approach to youth.

Hope to find someone before the end of December 2020. If you know of anyone, please reach out to me.

When we learn to solve problems, we can create a lot of value in the world, assist other people, and gain self-satisfaction in our lives.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me as I look forward to hearing from you.

This video has me sharing some stories about some of the meetings I attended this week, plus my thoughts about soup.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This video contains mumblings in my beard after being over two weeks back on the boat.

I review why the boat works well for me and some thoughts about what to do after the boat such as traveling and tiny houses.

In this video, I reflect on two words that can impact our lives. Having grit and knowing when to quit can be effectively applied during our lifetimes.

If you have any comments, suggestions or comments, I look forward to hearing from you.

This video is simple with no philosophical comments.

Just about what has been happening this week in my small world.

It is mainly for family and friends to know what has been keeping me occupied.

If you have any comments, suggestions, or questions, please reach out to me.

How have you coped with the challenges that life throws at you, including COVID-19?

Today the topic is about learning to navigate life’s many challenges..

We have many disruptive changes over the course of our lives and it is how we respond that can make a big difference.

If we dig deeper, we can make the world a better place. Our lives are short and precious.

It is important that we spend it being happy, so dig deeper.

If you have any comments, suggestions, or questions, please reach out to me. I always look forward to hearing from you.

It’s Thanksgiving in Canada. In this video, I present some of the reasons that I am grateful for living on Vancouver Island, on the west coast of Canada.

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions about the Notes of a Nomad videos, please reach out to me.

This video covers routines that can help us to reach the goals/dreams we have.
A recent book has helped me realize that if you have good habits, the goals take care of themselves.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

Last week, members of our old Rover Scout Crew went to visit FastEddy in Kamloops, British Columbia. We share lots of food, played cards, and had lots of laughs as always.

I think we can all learn some good lessons from FastEddy.

If you have any comments or questions, please reach out to me.

In this video, I become a little philosophical about life and show some pictures from the past.

This was triggered by a letter I recently received from the Canadian government.

If you have any comments or questions, please reach out to me.

In these interesting times, we look at surviving and thriving.

If we approach it with fun, passion, humor, and style we will not only survive but thrive. This topic gives me the opportunity to show a few pictures from Africa and wear a strange hat.

This week my scouting friends from 60 years ago went for a boat trip as mentioned in the previous video. I talk about what we did and saw and also mention some contact with Agora Speakers International for which I am an Ambassador for Canada. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

This week 3 old friends from our boy scouting days from over 50 years ago are going on a boat trip around the Salish Sea.

This is where cook for each other, play cards and reminisce about our youth and lives. The video shows some pictures from our previous trips.

This past week was an exciting week with the release of the three youth club manuals on which Ravi in Nepal and I have been working.

Since it was the 4th-anniversary 24-hour round-the-world marathon of Agora Speakers International, it was a great time to release the manuals.

It was an exciting and inspiring week. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please contact me.

In this video, I recall what I was doing in August over the past 4 years from when I started my journey as a nomad.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please reach out to me as it is always great

In this video, I start with pictures of the Columbia Icefields in the Canadian Rockies.

Then due to a project on which I am working I move on to the chaos of life and how action needs courage.

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

I look forward to hearing from you.

In this video, I show some photos from the Okavango River Delta in Botswana Africa.

I also discuss what I have learned from living a nomadic lifestyle and the attitude it genders,

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please contact me

In this video, I share pictures of the luxurious Blue Train which goes between Pretoria and Cape Town in South Africa.

The contrast between that journey and subsequent camping makes me appreciate the good things we have.

I share a few thoughts on how important it is to appreciate and show appreciation.

.

Respect which has been defined as a feeling you show when you accept that different customs or cultures are different from your own and behave towards them in a way that would cause offence.

If we all practiced respect it would have a powerful impact on the world.

Hi and welcome to Notes of a Nomad,

This video shows three spots I visited in the summer of 2019 in the southern California desert which might be classified as Good or Bad or Ugly.

They are Salvation Mountain (a folk art site), East Jesus (art from repurposed everyday items), and the Salton Sea (large environmental disaster).

These terms can be attributed to many aspects of life and I contend one of our tasks is to find the good ones.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please reach out to me.

Wishing you, your family, and friends, lots of love and laughter.

Fred

Hi and welcome to Notes of a Nomad,

I am showing a picture from 1962 in Paris. It is at the subway/metro station Havre Caumartin. It is near a large department store, Printemps or Gallerie Lafayette. You can see how the world has changed. This was 57 years ago and this station was built in 1904.

Lifelong learning is a key skill for all ages.

In one of the youth groups, a nine-year-old member gave a presentation on  Black Holes. These were unknown when I was young. There is so much more to learn and know today.

As the world is changing lifelong learning enhances the quality and satisfaction of life.

Ongoing and self-motivated learning makes us more self-confident and adaptable to change. It is also fun.

I am currently staying with my family on Vancouver Island since leaving the boat.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please reach out to me.

Wishing you, your families, and friends, lots of love and laughter.

Fred

Hi and  welcome to Notes of a Nomad,

As I have been working on a post about mentoring I found some pictures of riding elephants in Africa.

You will see that there are young elephants following the older elephants. These elephants were all orphans due to poachers killing their parents for the ivory. and the older looking after the young.

This makes me review how the older and younger generations can mentor each other.

I also review the ‘Well-Better-Best’ formula that can work during mentoring.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please reach out to me.

Wishing you, your families, and friends, lots of love and laughter.

Fred

Hi and welcome to Notes of a Nomad,

Ethiopia was the most interesting African country of the approximate twelve countries that we visited in 2012 during the four-month trip from southern to northern Africa.

There are pictures of some to the tribes in Southern Ethiopia when we visited an interesting wedding ceremony.

I also visited a couple of Toastmasters clubs which were very impressive.

The Christianity and their churches were a very interesting aspect of the country.

Also, I mention why we should ‘explore’ our inner motivation and ideas as well.

Our lives are just a blimp in history so lets explore and find things that we enjoy.

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

Wishing you, your family, and your friends, lots of love and laughter.

Fred

Hi and welcome to Notes of a Nomad,

The picture here of a youth group with which I have worked that demonstrates diversity.

They can learn to cooperate and not compete.

Working with groups of youth has shown me that diversity and cooperation are elements of leadership.

I share my favourite definition of leadership

The ‘formula’ of Well-Better-Best works well when reviewing progress on projects.

You can find the presentation on Leadership which I presented in Portugal in September 2019 at https://youtu.be/vCJV4wwppzw

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions please reach out to me.

Wishing you, your families, and your friends, lots of love and laughter.

Fred

Hi and welcome to Notes of a Nomad,

This video reviews a visit to a group of young people in Cape Town, South Africa who were learning to ballroom dance.

Ballroom dancing help them gain self-confidence. They learn persistence and resistance leading to funding of their education is a wonderful example of youth programs.

I discuss that British Columbia is still doing well with the COVID-19 under the direction of Dr. Bonnie Henry, the Public Health Officer.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please reach out to me.

Wishing you, your families, and friends, lots of love and laughter.

Fred

Hi and welcome to Notes of a Nomad,

This video takes us to the historical wildfire season in British Columbia in 2017.

During the summer, I went up to 100 Mile House in the interior of British Columbia to assist some of the people who had to evacuate their homes due to the fires.

Many lessons from the wildfire season can apply to the current COVID-19 pandemic.

It is suggested that we find like-minded people with who we can work together to solve the many problems that have been exposed in our communities.

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

Wishing you, your families, and friends,  lots of love and laughter.

Fred

Hi and welcome  to Notes of a Nomad,

This video shows a picture of a Nile Riverboat (which no longer operates) in Khartoum, Sudan.

I took this picture in 2012. It brings back memories of going up the Nile river in 1963 for 10 days to Juba in southern Sudan.

Our third class ticket meant we were on a barge towed by the riverboat for a distance of approximately 1800 km.

We had very little food on the long journey.

The theme for this video is ‘flow.’

It is suggested that we will have many changes due to this pandemic.  We have the opportunity to try new things if we find new things and go with the flow.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please reach out to me.

Wishing you, your family, and friends, lots of love and laughter.

Fred

Hi and welcome to Notes of a Nomad,

In this video, we have a few pictures from 2012 in the Western Cape of South Africa.

There are pictures of a steam engine train museum, ostriches, the Kangol caves, and wineries.

I introduce a theme for this video which is ‘outlook.’

Being a nomad requires your outlook to be independent, flexible, bold, and self-sufficient. You need to know how to negotiate, plan, and improvise.

The main asset we all have is time. It is important that we are careful about what we do with our time.

I comment that I appreciate how the officials in our area are treating us like adults during the pandemic.

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

Wishing you, your families, and friends, lots of love and laughter.

Fred

Hi and welcome to Notes of a Nomad,

This video is about how and why I ended up in South Africa.

I had no plans to go to Africa when my friend (the owner of the boat I am currently on) left Canada for Europe in 1962.

I was on my own after hitching across northern Africa and was in Cairo.

I met a fellow in Cairo who was going

I spent 22 years there working on the gold mine and then in the computer industry.

I then share some reflections on being in British Columbia during the current pandemic.

Our Public Health Officer is extremely qualified and competent and doing us proud. She is a ‘calming voice in a sea of coronavirus madness.’

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please reach out to me.

Wishing you, your families, and friends, lots of love and laughter.

Fred

Hi and welcome to  Notes of  a Nomad,

On this Earth Day 2020, a few pictures from a trip to the Arctic in 1974 during the 10th Commonwealth Mining Congress.

I was a South African delegate to the mining congress held in Canada. One of the trips was up to see some sites such as Rea Point where Panarctic Oil was drilling at that time.

Still isolated on the boat from the COVID-19 virus.

Zoom meetings have been great for social contact during this time.

Please reach out to me if you have any comments, suggestions or questions.

Wishing you, your families, and friends, lots of love and laughter.

Fred

Hi and welcome to Notes of a Nomad,

Thank you to Craig for asking about the lingua France, “Fanagalo” which was used in the mining industry in the 1960s and ’70s when I worked on the gold mines in South Africa.

Everyone working on the mines had to learn Fanagalo. This was so that with so many people speaking different languages could communicate with each other.

I read the story of Cock Robin in Fanagalo.

I am still on the boat for a while at least.

I have done 615 km on the rowing machine in the last 30 days from 15 March to 15 April for the Virtual Team Challenge. This is to support my virtual team, the Ancient Mariners.

I am still participating in multiple online Zoom meetings with many groups.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please reach out to me.

Wishing you, your families, and friends, lots of love and laughter.

Fred

Hi and welcome to Notes of a Nomad.

In this video, I share a story about a mine I worked on where there were some apparent ghosts.

The story is about the fellow that I replaced in 1968 after his death in the section of the mine in which I worked.

I share some more pictures of the marina.

I discuss some of the work on the manual for Youth Clubs with Ravi in Nepal.

Ravi and I are looking at using some surveys from a contact in the USA.

The life on the boat is going well and having lots of online Zoom meetings including with friends during Easter Sunday.

If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please reach out to me.

Wishing you, your families, and friends, lots of love and laughter.

Fred

Hi and welcome to Notes of  a Nomad,

In this video, I share some pictures of the boat and marina that I have moved to recently.

There is also a picture of me on my rowing machine that just fits inside the boat.

I am grateful to be in Canada on the way they are handling the COVID-19 pandemic.

The case level so far seems low in this part of Canada.

I am grateful for my friend allowing me to stay on his boat and that I was able to quickly move on to the boat.

I enjoy working to promote online youth group sessions.

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please reach out to me.

Wishing you, your families, and friends, lots of love and laughter.

Fred

Hi and welcome to Notes of a Nomad,

Some more about gold mining in the 1960 and 1970s in South Africa.

I discuss some aspects of labour force involved in the mining industry and their different areas of specialty.

Also that we will need to adapt to the New Normal which COVID-19 is impacting.

You can see how great Rupert looks after his grooming.

I will be leaving to stay on my friend’s boat to isolate better during the COVID-19 so it is goodbye to Rupert.

Please reach out to me if you have any comments, suggestions or questions.

Wishing you, your families, and friends, lots of love and laughter.

Fred

Hi and welcome to Notes of  a Nomad,

The COVID-19 has changed everything as there are no more face-to-face meetings. Everyone is to stay at home.

It was suggested by a friend that  I should share some of my experiences of working on the gold mines in South Africa.

I start with a few pictures from the gold mines in 1964 and talk about some of what it was like working underground.

I then talk about the changes, what is happening currently in Canada and what my current thoughts and plans are about the impact of COVID-19.

I am pleased to be in Canada as we have public health care, the national radio system, the Canadian Broadcasting  Corporation. In addition, Canadians will likely comply with the requested changes.

I likely will move to my friend’s boat when Rupert’s owner arrives back from England.

Wishing you, your family and friends, lots of love and laughter.

Fred

Hi and welcome to Notes of a Nomad,

Most people are unaware of indoor rowing competitions. I share some of my experiences over the past 20 years or so.

On March 4th I entered the World Rowing Virtual Indoor Sprints which are a virtual indoor rowing championship run jointly by Concept2 and World Rowing.

To take part you just need to row 1000 meters. My results were Time: 4:06.0 and Final Position Overall for  Men: 617 out of 862 and for 70-79 Men: 17 out of 48. There were participants from around the world.

I share some pictures from when I entered the World Indoor Championships held in Boston in February 2008 as well.

Wish you, your family, and friends, lots of love and laughter.

Fred

Hi and welcome  to Notes  of a Nomad,

I appreciate that it has been suggested that I share some pictures as well during the videos.

I am sharing photos from recent Toastmasters speech and evaluation contests.

The suggestions from viewers have been helpful in using themes for the videos as well.

It is a positive experience to be cooperating with contacts in Nepal on youth programs.

I review some of my contacts with friends and relatives.

I had a house/pet sitting contact that could work out for the end of May.

Wishing you, your families and friends, lots of love and laughter.

Fred

Hi and welcome to Notes of a Nomad,

I review what is going on with me for the past week.

This is my third week back in Canada. Had lots of contacts including the grandfather of one of the youth group members and also a contact from my gold mining days in South Africa.

I also visited my friend, Matti who was in hospital with pneumonia (update: suspect it was COVID-19) that he caught at a conference in California.

I cover some of the Toastmaster activities and even played table tennis with a young girl at the youth group on Saturday.

I review some of my rowing machine efforts and listening to podcasts.

If you have any comments, suggestions or questions, please reach out to me.

Wishing you, your family and friends, lots of love and laughter.

Fred

Hi and welcome to Notes of a Nomad,

This past week I reached out to some contacts in Australia and family in Toronto.

I spoke with Toastmaters and old friend from scouting days.

I did my 100 km this past week which meant I rowed for about .one hour and twenty minutes for six days during the week.

I joined the youth club on Friday and Saturday.

I  need to work on a couple of  websites.

Best thing that happened was Toastmasters were the speeches and I entered competitions and I came in second in the speech contest and first in the evaluation contest,

Rupert says hello and goodbye.

Wishing you, your families and friends, lots of love and laughter.

Fred

Hi and welcome to Notes of a Nomad,

In this video, I share what  I  have been doing during my first week back in Victoria on Vancouver Island, Canada after spending two and a half months in Melbourne, Australia.

I was pleased to post about the young change-makers who had attended the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

It was also my oldest grandchild’s 23 birthday. Where has the time gone!

On Monday, I helped reprogram the emergency phones for Emergency Support Services for which I am now carrying a phone in case of callouts.

I also attended a couple of Toastmasters meetings giving speeches at two clubs. These were about the Nitric Oxide Dump, which is an interesting exercise routine.

My car’s tires were checked and OK for another few months.

Best thing that happened was editing work on a manual for Agora International  Youth Programs for clubs in Nepal.

Rupert, the lovely Bichon Frise dog that I am sitting, joined it at the end to say goodbye as well.

Wishing you, your families and friends, lots of love and laughter.

Fred

Hi and welcome to Notes of a Nomad video #2.

This video is about my last week in Australia and my return to the west coast of Canada on Thursday, the 30th of January 2020.

I mention one of the highlights of my last week in Australia was visiting with Priscilla and Henry. I call them the matriarch and patriarch of the area in which my daughter and her family live in Southern Melbourne.

When asked about three main things they have learned during their lives, they each shared some wonderful messages.

During the last week, I also updated a Parent’s Guide and am looking for some additional graphics layout assistance for this guide.

On the indoor rower, I  managed 750 km for the month of January, which is higher than my normal of about 400 km for a month. That was to contribute to the virtual team to which I belong during the January Virtual Team Challenge

I updated Rover.com about my home/pet sitting services to find some accommodation whilst in the Victoria area.

I also bought some souvenirs including little koala bear stuffies, holding a boomerang.

During the long return flight from Melbourne to North America, I managed to spend a few hours editing a blog post for my ‘OurFutureLeaders.ca’ website.

Also, it was a first for me to have three seats to myself so  I was able to lie down which was better than sleeping sitting upright in the chair.

On Friday, I attended a youth group that I started about 7 years ago and it was enjoyable to see them again and hear them present and speak. I followed this on Saturday by visiting another youth group at a local recreation center which was doing the same. This was enjoyable to meet with them again.

The highlight of the week was the long trip of about 24 hours which went smoothly and I arrived on the scheduled time in Victoria.

If you have any comments, suggestions or questions, please reach out to me.

Wishing you, your families and friends, lots of love and laughter

Fred Jones

Hi and welcome to Notes of a Nomad,

After a recent long set of flights from Australia back to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada I realized that my current lifestyle is different than most 77-year-old guys.

I have been living the life of a nomad for over three years now.

I lost my job back in September 2016 I moved out of a nice penthouse in downtown Victoria. Since then I have had no permanent abode.

WHERE DO I LIVE?

So far I have been able to either visit my daughter and her family in Australia or my other daughter and her family in California. These visits can be two months or longer.

That leaves about 7 to 8 months where I have either been able to house/pet sit or stay with kind friends in the Victoria area. This can be a challenge. I counted that I had slept in twenty-two different places in 2018.

MY ACTIVITIES:

In addition, I have many interests that I pursue.

One example is indoor rowing. I average about 5000 kilometers per year on a Concept2 rowing machine. This means on average I spent about an hour and a half for six days a week on the machine.

In addition, I am a Toastmaster and currently am a member of four clubs. I am also involved with two youth clubs. This means I can attend five to six meetings a week.

I also am working with a non-profits organization to promote their youth programs to assist young people to gain communication and leadership skills. I write a blog about this and am also working with others on manuals for youth programs.

For the time that I am in Victoria, I volunteer for Emergency Support Services for a local community. I carry an emergency phone to be contacted when people have to evacuate their homes due to fires or floods, etc.

I also keep in contact with friends and acquaintances in places such as Canada, the USA, Australia, and South Africa.

MY PLANS:

This has become an enjoyable lifestyle and I hope to continue this as long as my health continues to allow me to continue.

My main project is to assist the young generation to gain communication and leadership skills to gain self-confidence to become the leaders our world needs.

Not sure how many people are interested in the videos, but at least my children will know what I have been up to.

If you have any questions or comments please feel free to reach out to me.

My email address is mqsjones@gmail.com

You can phone me and leave a voice message at the numbers below.

Wishing you and your families and friends lots of love and laughter.

Fred Jones