Editor on the Run
by Raymond M. Coulombe
Read Part II here, Read Part III here, Read Part IV here

By the time this editorial hits press, I should be at least 1200 miles from my home base in northern N.H. I expect to spend most of the next six months living as a vagabond. Why? Because I can. At least, I think I can.

I always used to say that I could do what I do, editing and writing, with a lap top computer on a beach somewhere. Now I'm putting that assertion to the test. I've packed up the car, the wife, the dog, and a good chunk of Quantum Muse in a car and hitting the lonesome highways. Yes, a car. Not a motor home or even an SUV.

Why a car? Because I have one. If I had a motor home, or even an SUV, I'd have to get a real job. I've read about jobs, and I don't like what I hear about them. At a young age I was impressed by Walden Pond. What Henry David Thoreau did for housing, I'd like to do for transportation. He had no more housing than what he could afford, yet it was enough. I can afford the car I drive. With planning and a little luck, it will be enough.

Of course, I've done a few modifications to my poor little car Detroit would never approve of. I've got two computers and an electric beer cooler that need power. Fortunately, unlike many science fiction writers, I know which end of a screwdriver to jam into a live power outlet.

For most of its history, the human race lived a nomadic existence. That's got to be imprinted on our genes. How many of you living in cubicle land have thoughts about that? Doesn't it feel wrong to be chained to a desk all day long? Who among you doesn't at least occasionally dream of escape? Quite a few people today do live nomadic existences. They range from the highly paid consultant who jets about the world, to the 20 something, hitching rides and dumpster diving. (An honorable sport and part of the QM retirement package.)

None of this would be possible without the assistance of my lovely wife, Cindy. She actually quit her job, a real one --money, responsibility, the whole nine yards, to accompany her crazy husband. I'm a lucky man. Lucky for QM, she'll be helping out with the heavy intellectual duties. The Web Goddess shouldn't have to do it all by herself. Mike and I might be a sandwich short of a picnic, but we did marry well.

But I digress. So I loaded up the new lap top with business stuff, web site templates, submissions, three different word processing programs and over 400 music files. Can't write without tunes. My new machine, a fairly low end model, has over four times the speed of my desktop. All hail Moore's Law! It also has the capability to burn CD's for that all important data back up. Yes, I can be taught. It can also play DVD's. I refuse to leave my copy of Lord of the Rings behind.

Now on to communications. High speed wireless Internet access doesn't exist. Yes, some of you out there beg to differ, but for a vagabond on a budget, traveling through a lot of rural areas, it's not ready for prime time. It's easy enough to connect a cell phone to a lap top. The problem is that, in much of America, it's too darn slow. It would cost me $90 a month in cell phone charges just to download my spam. I'm not in that much of a hurry to dumpster dive.

WIFI networks have potential. Quite a few places are setting up high speed wireless networks, unencrypted and open to the public. I plan on tapping into a few of them. Even some campgrounds offer this service. I'm told Starbucks makes this available for a fee, but I have this allergy towards fees. Maybe I just don't care that much for over priced coffee.

I am packing my network cables, my basic tap-into-the-phone-lines modem kit, and a ready smile. The smile is for the nice little old ladies at all those libraries who let me use free public Internet connected computers. Bless them. America's libraries are one of its greatest treasures.

As you can imagine, my connection to the Internet will be a bit hit or miss. Fortunately, Mike and The Web Goddess are currently not on the run and still have broadband access. Our loyal readers will get their monthly issue, so all is well. Mike will be tied down for the next two years or so . . . unless he can get that darn electronic ankle bracelet off.

Stay tuned for the adventures of the editor on the run and his lovely and talented side kick. We'll post updates on our travels, along with photos, and high octane commentary.

From somewhere in America,

Raymond M. Coulombe
Editor/Quantum Muse

Read Part II here, Read Part III here, Read Part IV here

Discuss this editorial at our comment board

| Home | Alternative | Fantasy | Science Fiction | Artwork | Editorial | Submissions | News |
| Discussion Board | Recommended | Merchandise | About Us | Links | Webrings | Archives |