To be honest, I’m surprised this blog has survived as long as it has; over six years of over-sharing. It was fun, therapeutic, a consistent companion, and exactly what I needed at this particular time of my life. When I arrived in Portugal I didn’t know a soul and I needed something to keep my mind off of the distance between me and the people I care about. Things have changed, I’m in better touch with myself and I have a lot going on in my life. It’s easy enough to see that a lot of you are no longer engaged (the site provides stats). What that tells me is that some of you or most of you are tired of me telling you about how bad my life was versus how good it is now. You know I’m exaggerating, but you also know, there is some truth in my words. It’s time for change.
“Without change something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.”
~ Frank Herbert, Dune
The most poignant philosophy I have ever heard about living life, involved doing what you love. I love writing and I love storytelling — not so much oral storytelling, I get a little flustered when I notice people aren’t listening; my biggest pet peeve. What I have decided to do is write fiction whenever I am moved to do so. I will remain on this platform and keep this blog address. I obviously can’t get frustrated when readers of my stories stop reading, I won’t know any better. The older I get, the more I appreciate being oblivious.
Writers draw from their own personal experience; therefore, there will be bits and pieces of me and my past in my prose. I will always protect the living; however, if you see yourself in my words, that’s on you.
My stories will be short. I will try my best to entertain, provoke, and keep you wanting more. Having a provocateur in the mix will hopefully keep it interesting. Your feedback will help of course. I have found my readers to be fair and honest — sometimes appropriately candid, never mean. Well, there is this one family member, but he’s a loose cannon who hates everyone.
“Good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader – not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon.”
― E. L. Doctorow
Future Travel
Oslo, Norway with Paco for all of July (with visits from friends throughout the month), Krakow, Poland in October, Bristol, UK in December and a much anticipated trip to the Puglia region of Italy in April 2025. Booked an NCL Greece/Turkey/Egypt cruise for fall 2025. A spring MSC Mediterranean cruise out of Lisbon, mainly to ports I have never been to, will be one of my easier excursions (anyone care to join me on either? Not in my cabin, but there is room on the ship). The United States in the late fall/early winter of 2025 or 2026: Brooklyn, Florida, Portland, Maine, Baltimore, Maryland, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Lots of my peeps to see. Everyone knows, I’ll mostly be there for the food.
If you tell me you’re interested in where my travels take me, I can keep that bit in. I’m pumped about this, change is good; I think some of you will enjoy this new format.
Please forgive typos and grammatical errors. Obrigado.
Papagni Pages 
Chris, I completely understand your wanting to make a change and will support you in whatever direction you take your blog.
I will, however, miss your voice, your poignant stories, memories, your musings.
Your writing touches me and makes me think. It brings me back to what is important in life and challenges me to grow Even when we don’t see each other for a while, reading your words keeps you close.
Thank you for sharing yourself with us❤️
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Thank you Becky. I won’t go away, I promise; it will just be different. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy my fiction writing as well. I’ll share my stories in person when I see you 🙂
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Hi Chris:
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div>I wanted you to know th
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Hello Jean. You got cut off 🙂 See message above.
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just so you know, I always read your writing rarely though on this blog. Don’t stop please. And, please share more details about the Turkey/Greece and Egypt excursion looking for candidates aka friends/ acquaintances to join. ☺️🙃
love thinking of you, Paco and MB hanging together these few days. 😊😁
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Bom dia. Your sister sleeps in while I slave to prepare for a memorable day :p What Can I tell you about the Turkey/Greece and Egypt cruise? It’s in October 9, 2026. A new NCL ship called Viva. 10 glorious days 🙂
Thu 09-Oct 6:00 pm SHIP DEPARTS ISTANBUL, TURKEY
Fri 10-Oct 2:00 pm Fri 10-Oct 7:30 pm Dock KUSADASI, TURKEY
Sat 11-Oct 8:00 am Sat 11-Oct 6:00 pm Dock RHODES, GREECE
Sun 12-Oct 10:00 am Sun 12-Oct 6:00 pm Dock LIMASSOL, CYPRUS
Mon 13-Oct 9:30 am Tue 14-Oct 8:00 pm Dock OVERNIGHT IN ALEXANDRIA CAIRO, EGYPT
Wed 15-Oct AT SEA
Thu 16-Oct 9:00 am Thu 16-Oct 7:00 pm Dock HERAKLION CRETE, GREECE
Fri 17-Oct 8:00 am Fri 17-Oct 10:00 pm Tender SANTORINI ISLAND, GREECE
Sat 18-Oct 7:00 am Sat 18-Oct 7:00 pm Dock MYKONOS, GREECE
Sun 19-Oct 7:00 am SHIP ARRIVES AT PIRAEUS ATHENS, GREECE
Join me!
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Hi Christopher, my first professional boss!
Have you heard they are selling MMC? Anyway, I’m writing to offer a bit of unsolicited 😳 advice… well… maybe more a question to simply consider… Are you writing for us? Or for you?
Advice here: who cares who clicks and reads- write for you, if you want, and don’t, if you don’t 😛
Documenting your life is kinda cool… just for you!
Anyway! I just took my first solo trip August 2023 and am going on another this August Spain with a stop in Lisbon Aug 25th -will you be around? I am looking to travel more in the future and it might be fun to meet up and go together yet separately! xo
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Hi Lynne. You can give me advice anytime. The stories I will be writing will be for me, but . . . since I do have an ego (don’t we all), I will want others to read them. I’m bored with the status quo. Lisbon is 3 1/2 hours south of Faro and I would NEVER go to Lisbon in August because it will be HOT. Faro is on the ocean and a wee bit cooler and my home will be chilled. Come south, I’ll be here.
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MMC was a private not-for-profit no?
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