How it all began
The first day of school. All set to go for Grade 1, with my satchel and my friend Laura by my side.
Pumping the bilge on "Fri", crossing the Atlantic.
Cycling in Holland after working as a bike courier in Washington, DC and sailing across the Atlantic.
Building our house on a remote island. Lots more photos coming in summer 2021. Follow me on Instagram!
"Carolyn is very conscientious. And she excels at writing and spelling."
— Mrs. Seeney, Grade 2 teacher
Mrs. Seeney was onto something there! The word “conscientious” made its way into my report cards several times in elementary school, and I have always been pretty good at writing and spelling. It’s as if my teachers were conspiring to have me grow up to be a writer — and someone whose copywriting will blow your little white socks off.
Unsuspecting of my teachers’ plans, though, I dreamed of growing up to be a biologist, saving animals in the forest. So I shoved my belongings into my mustard-coloured Datsun and made the journey to Vancouver Island to study biology at the University of Victoria.
Although my conscientious nature and diligence worked in my favour in our demanding biology classes, my aversion to cutting up animals soaked in formaldehyde did not, and I turned my attention to Environmental Studies and appropriate technology instead.
I discovered that one of my professors had been in the same meditation workshop as I had, and I bought his manual typewriter from him, thinking that I would never give in to the world of computers (this was the early 80s, yo) and would live in the forest, writing my memoirs on his typewriter. I still have the typewriter. I haven’t written my memoirs — yet. But I do live in the forest, so the memoir could be next. I’ll probably use a computer though. Sorry, past self. You can’t have everything.
When I finished my science degree, I was working at Victoria’s only vegetarian restaurant for $3.65/hour, saving up to travel around the world with my bicycle. The only biology-related job that appealed to me at the time was that of a Park Interpreter, or Naturalist, but the requirement to put yourself out there and speak in public, or (gasp) create skits and characters was too scary. So I left town.
I set out to travel the world at human speed, and worked my way around the world for three years, taking my bicycle with me. I blasted around Washington, DC as a bike courier with a fake ID (don’t tell), worked as a crew member on a tall ship crossing the Atlantic ocean, packed tulips in Holland, and picked cucumbers in Greece. No savings, no credit card, no internet. I taught English in Japan for more than a year and backpacked around southeast Asia. Then I was ready to come home.
On my return to Canada, I had another look at that Park Naturalist job description, and said, “Oh yeah! I can do that!” And for the next seven years I was in the zone, writing plays about ecology and performing them for captive audiences. Picture gangster mosquitoes Stingerella and Buzzetta, AKA the Blood Sisters; Anastasia the Ant and her long-suffering mother the Queen; Elderwood the Elf, a wood elf who braves human contact in order to speak for the old growth forests. You get the idea.
Then on a kayak trip off the west coast of Vancouver Island, I met a guy who had retired at the age of 33 and was about to sail around the Caribbean in his own small sailboat. Did I want to join him? Hell yes! Was there a reason I’d kept myself free of all responsibilities until now? I think so! We spent two winters sailing together in paradise. Read about the day we went on a “hash run.”
After the sailing had run its course, my work in environment and communications all came together in my next job as the communications coordinator for an environmental NGO — my only office job. And it lasted for nine years — until the funding ran out. By then I’d discovered that I excelled at writing web copy, blog posts, e-newsletters, and editing print publications.
I’m now living on a remote island near Vancouver Island, building a house “at human speed” with my partner. Working online allows us to live in this beautiful place, immersed in nature, building our dream life with a garden, chickens, and a little laser sailboat for solo adventures.
It all comes together like this: I value communication that’s honest and authentic, rooted in the real desire to convey something of value to others. If you’ve got something to say and you need someone on your team, talk to me.
I want to help you have fun in your business, help you get your message across in the best way, help you be efficient with your time, and cheer you on as you rock your corner of the internet. Let’s do this. Together. We’ve all got our place in the ecosystem.