Standing on the summit of Mount Washington earlier this winter. Temps minus 20ish. Do I look maniacal?
This winter, renaming my blog has been on my t0-do list. “Random History and Offbeat Trivia” was always a placeholder for me, a starting point, since I firmly believe that it’s always better to begin a journey than to wait for the perfect moment, or perfect blog title.
Thus, as a preview, I now introduce “The Maniacal Traveler.” The next time you see this blog, “The Maniacal Traveler” will be the title (I think….). It’s still me, so please don’t banish me to your junk mail.
I’ve been making lists all winter, trying to capture the “essence” of my blog and my writing. I also wanted a title that is unique and catchy. If you google “Random History,” at least a dozen sites will pop up, none of them mine. But I haven’t found a single site called “The Maniacal Traveler.”
I don’t always have a drink in hand, but my mother, sister, and I celebrated an excellent meal together at an adventure in Boston. The drink concoction was called a “Hot Tub”and it was maniacally good.
Besides being a little bit of a pun on Maine, The Maniacal Traveler can cover a lot of ground, including travel of all kinds, time travel/history, and mind travel (as in random musings).
I also like the idea of mania because sometimes I do get a bit maniacal about organizing and planning adventures. And I think Maniacal Traveler has that “edginess” that may grab the attention of internet readers while simultaneously transforming maniacal from a sinister word (as in maniacal killer) to one that celebrates a mania for living every day to the fullest.
Plus, wouldn’t the world be a better place with more maniacal readers, writers, hikers, and travelers?
The snow is about three feet deep in the mountains, but it won’t be long before I can start doing some maniacal hiking. These steep ladders climb straight up Mt. Willey.
Right now I feel especially manic with my writing and traveling. My files are full of drafts about Thin Mints, Alaska, friendships, hiking, and history. I’m also maniacally copyediting my book, Pioneer on a Mountain Bike, which will be published later this spring by Piscataqua Press. Add in a pending visit from a Japanese exchange student, my first stress test/echocardiogram, and a good dose of spring skiing, and “The Maniacal Traveler” definitely feels right. So does a nap.
Your thoughts and feedback on this name change are much appreciated. The Maniacal Traveler promises she won’t come stalking.
