A Writer’s Winter Wanderings: Creativity, Qigong, and Their Cozy Joys
With this bitter winter weather, I’m stuck inside. I’ve been reflecting on what it means to be a blogger in 2026. I no longer need to create from a perfect writing desk or a rigid schedule. Instead, I gather bits and pieces across topics, days, moods, and places. I write from my couch with Inka curled beside me.
But wait, there’s more.
Using my cellphone, I also write from fast-casual restaurants like Dickey’s BBQ and Teriyaki Madness. Sometimes I write from independent coffee shops like Cafe Postale in Omaha’s business hub. I even write from the food court after my daily mall walks.
Today’s writer can choose to work surrounded by the soft hum of conversation. Or the scent of something warm being cooked nearby. These sounds and scents bring me comfort as I tap away on my cellphone. It’s an easy transfer between my devices. I use the same app on my cellphone that I have on my laptop at home.
This winter’s bitter cold has slowed me down almost to a standstill. But it’s allowed me time to notice small wonders I seem to find everywhere when I move.
Adding Qigong to my life has opened me up in unexpected ways. It has made me more curious, more present, more willing to explore whatever catches my attention. It’s why I admired the quinceañera dresses again as I walk by.
These radiant, glittering confections of fabric declare, without apology, “I am here to be seen.”
I’ve also tried new mall merchants in the food court. I discovered small delights I never would have found otherwise. Creativity, like Qi energy, flows better when we follow where it wants to go.
With all this, you may have noticed my blog changed. It changed because I have changed. I am no longer the artist bent over a scroll—I am a writer, a wanderer, an observer of things. An itinerant not just in travel, but in thought. A wandering mind should not be wasted. This is especially true this winter.
With this missive I remind myself our current frozen season won’t last, even though it doesn’t feel like it now. It will return to gathering friends, quiet moments and warmer weather. Soon, activity and joy will fill this winter season again. I look forward to sharing special moments with the people who matter most to me. I hope you can too.
