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Selfie with Aki the Shiba Inu
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My third full year as a digital nomad involved more miles, more dogs, and more games than ever before.

After a cold holiday in Fargo, I headed to Colorado to dogsit Summer and Biscuit and have a colonoscopy. I then aimed myself at New England for a tour of my childhood vacation spots, including playing every game at the world’s largest arcade. I attended an Apple II conference in Kansas City, a balloon festival in Albuquerque, and a work conference in Colorado, where I dogsat Summer and Biscuit (again) and Evie. I spent the rest of the year in California, where I celebrated my first holiday season with family since before the pandemic.

As I did in 2020 and 2021, each of those days was captured in video, one second at a time:

There’s a philosophy behind the composition of this video. Shortly after I became a nomad, I participated in a Lutheran church service’s annual Epiphany tradition. Taped to every horizontal surface in the building that day were five-point stars, and on each star was written a word, such as “humility” or “courage” or “patience”. Whatever star I selected would be my life’s theme or lesson for the coming year… except each star was hanging with its inscription facing the wall; I wouldn’t know my theme until after I’d accepted it.

The star I chose revealed the word “gentleness”. I took this as a suggestion to temper not anger or physicality, but self-criticism. Like many people who live with imposter syndrome or low self-esteem, I can be my own worst enemy, and the tendency to victim-blame can be high. As a nomad, I spend a lot of time in my car, so I placed this star where it is visible throughout my journey, reminding me to be gentle with myself.

A five-point star with the word "Gentleness" written in the middle

My annual video is one way I practice that lesson. Last year wasn’t entirely good; there were plenty of challenges and mistakes that dented my financial and physical health and cost me dear friendships. But every day that I add to this video compilation, I do so by focusing not on the most significant thing that happened, but on the part of the day that I want to remember. This isn’t about using social media to curate a glamorous portrayal of my lifestyle; it’s about choosing to let go of the negativity by reminding myself of all the wonderful people, experiences, and memories I’ve had in my life.

Living is hard; nomading is hard. But being gentle with ourselves allows the precious moments to shine through, whether they last a second or a lifetime.

Ken Gagne

Digital nomad, Apple II geek, vegetarian, teacher, cyclist, feminist, Automattician.

4 Replies to “One second of every day in 2022”

  1. This is mesmerizing and lovely. You have a full life (and by that I mean a life full of dogs — yay!).

  2. It’s beautiful, Ken. I appreciate the ice cream theme and all those vibrant pups. If I had to pick a favorite, though, it would be you on the Bridge.

  3. So many very good pups and I do appreciate SOME kittee representation! You have the coolest life!

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