Who is Ken Gagne?
I’m a forty-something project manager for Automattic, the developers of WordPress VIP. In 2019, after living in Massachusetts my entire life, I found myself with a remote job and no property, partners, pets, or dependents. I took advantage of this rare opportunity by canceling my lease, putting all my possessions into storage, and setting out to travel the country and world as a digital nomad.
Wherever I go, many constants define me: I’m an environmentalist and thus a vegetarian (since 2002); as a feminist, gamer, and Trekkie, I host the podcasts Polygamer and Transporter Lock; I’m a cyclist of centuries; and I’m a educator and storyteller.
What is a digital nomad?
A digital nomad is someone whose primary source of income is derived from the Internet by working either independently or for a remote company. Since such a career is independent of location, a digital nomad chooses to live a transient lifestyle, doing their job anywhere there’s Wi-Fi.
Some digital nomads have permanent addresses that they reside at for several months between adventures, whereas other digital nomads travel perpetually. Some live in RVs, while others rely on planes, trains, and automobiles, booking accommodations at Airbnbs and with friends and family. They work from coffee shops, libraries, hotels, or wherever they’re staying.
What is Roadbits?
When I embarked on this lifestyle, I discovered many of my friends and family had never heard the term “digital nomad”. They had so many questions: Where will you stay? How will you work? Is it expensive? What are you looking for? When will you be back?
Whether you want to learn more about being a digital nomad or to follow my travels, Roadbits is where I’ll share my experiences and lessons and reflect on where I’ve been, what I’m doing, and why. The site’s name is consistent with my other blogs: Gamebits, Showbits, Wordbits, and Apple II Bits.
How do I learn more?
These blog posts are good starting points to answer your most common questions:
- What do you do for a living?
- What did you do with all your stuff?
- How do you decide where to go?
- Where are you headed next?
You can also follow me on Twitter — or sign up to receive email updates of new posts!
Credits
This blog is powered by WordPress and the Travelberg child theme of Blogberg hosted on Pressable. The site’s content is created and maintained using such software as BBEdit, GraphicConverter, Transmit, and Safari.
This blog uses affiliate links, in which I earn a small portion of sales generated from links to Amazon.com; these proceeds are donated to the National MS Society. I am active on Kickstarter and Patreon; my profiles and the projects and artists I’ve backed are public.
Header photo by T.J. Awrey.
All content is copyright © by Ken Gagne except where otherwise noted. The views and opinions expressed on Roadbits are my own and do not necessarily represent my employer, colleagues, or affiliates. Read the site’s privacy policy and sitemap for more information.