We are entering the slow season for festival vendors which is nice because we can finally get off the road for a month or two and recover from the long season. While vending is an amazing experience and you see so much, it definitely takes a toll and some of the glamour wears thin. I cant tell you how many rest stop parking lots I have slept in while trying to get to the next event. I even have a favorite….looking at you state rest stop off of I-70 in western Colorado!!

Slow season does not equate to being on vacation though. Most festivals start putting out their applications 3-4 months beforehand and when you have over 100 festivals on your list, that’s a lot of paperwork and computer time, so that whole other aspect of the job is just starting up. Its an endless cycle really but once again, it beats the hell out of a desk job which was just never my calling, much to my grandmothers chagrin.

I was born to be on the road and lead an unusual existence as I made my way through the world. Living a 9-5 life was just never in the cards for me as I slipped from one unintentional adventure to the next. The trick was finding a way to pay for this unconventional way of life. I mean sure, we all want to live on a beach in Thailand and not have a care in the world but how do you get from the daydream to actually pulling it off? There is always a way if you are dedicated to your vision and willing to make sacrifices along the way. The advice that I always give and that no one follows is to just take the leap and head down that path less traveled. If you want it bad enough, you will find a way.

This mindset is what has allowed me to live in Thailand for 15 years teaching scuba diving. Thai express clothing was started 2 years ago with my life long friend as a way to see a bunch of live music over the summer months that I spend in America while at the same time, putting a few dollars in our pockets. Well things have grown and morphed into new and interesting opportunities but the foundation remains the same, a desire to live a life less ordinary and if nothing else, I can say resoundingly I have done that.