Louisa Rogers

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The sauna that came with the Airbnb my husband Barry and I rented in chilly, rainy Bellingham, Washington. A view of both the cathedral and nature from the balcony of our Airbnb in Girona, Spain. The view of the ferries coming and going from the Airbnb we rented in Stromne...

Maybe you’re fully employed but love to paint. Your friends say you should be selling your watercolors; they’re that good. Maybe you’re retired but could use some extra cash. Maybe you work part-time but can’t save on your current income. Maybe you’re okay financially, but, like me, you just love to earn.
The freelance, self-employment gig economy has exploded in the last 20 years, and now everyone’s taking advantage of it. And not just from home. Wherever and whoever you are -- a retiree, a ...

Traveling seems to be in my bones. Not only was I born in a car, but my father worked for the U.S. State Department, so my family moved from country to country every few years. I met Barry, my husband, in my 20s, and 40 years later, we’re still traveling.
But we’re unusual among Americans. Many people we know traveled abroad briefly after college, and then, around age 22, stopped, except for an occasional tour or cruise in their retirement years.
This isn’t the case in other Western countries...

For the last 15 years, my husband Barry and I have lived two-thirds of the year in Eureka, on California’s North Coast, and the other third in Guanajuato, Mexico. This year we returned to Eureka in March, at the onset of COVID-19, and flew back to Guanajuato in mid-November. Here, I report on the measures underway to prevent the pandemic in both communities.
Eureka, Humboldt County, California
Eureka, the largest town in rural Humboldt County, has a population of about 30,000. Compared to man...

How living in Mexico shaped my spirituality.

People often tell me it must be easier to travel when you’re a couple because you aren’t forced to seek companionship from others. That’s true enough, but in some ways, I find it harder to meet people for that very reason -- they assume you’re not interested because you have each other! At least in Barry’s and my case, we love hanging out with folks, but it doesn’t happen without effort on our part.
We found this out the hard way many years ago, when we were stuck in Malaga, Spain, over Chris...

Anxious to get back to sleep? Here are research and techniques to soothe your busy mind

I glance at my watch: 1:30 a.m. Pulling the blanket up, I snuggle into my sleeping husband’s body, noticing the contrast between the cool night air and the warmth of his back.

Two minutes later, I’m asleep.

It wasn’t always so easy. I’ve been a patchy sleeper for years, even though I follow the recommendations from sleep experts to avoid caffeine after noon as well as to avoid alcohol, big meals, or intens...

From the day of my birth -- having been born in a car! -- I’ve always loved to travel. However, I often used to feel anxious when away from home because I had less control over my eating. Over the years I’ve developed simple ways to stay healthy and fit, no matter where I am. In fact, I haven't gotten sick in years and never gain weight on the road, an important factor for me because I grew up overweight. I recently discovered that many of my strategies, which I hit upon only by trial and err...

Every year for the last 15 years, my husband Barry and I have spent the winter at our home in the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage site of Guanajuato, Mexico.
This year, we were uneasy about air travel. But when we read on TravelAwaits and other media that flying was getting safer, we decided it was worth the risk. Ojala!(hopefully!). In this article, I’ll describe what transpired, from the first stages of planning the trip to arriving at our home in Guanajuato.
Which Airline Did We Fly?
We al...

Travel is my drug. Whether I’m in Aspen or Athens, I get a rush from the colors, the sounds, and the tastes. It’s all so exciting. But travel can also be overstimulating, when suddenly -- without warning -- the novelty and sensory input are just exhausting. The fatigue can last as little as half an hour, or it can go on for a day or two. In some intense countries I’ve visited, like India, it can last much longer.
The word “travel” is related to the word “travail” -- to engage in painful or la...

Blue skies, eagles, osprey, otters — those are the attractions that compel Humboldt caterer Lauren Sarabia to drive up to Big Lagoon and swim three mornings a week. Although as a kid she played in pools in Los Angeles, she didn't become an open water swimmer until five years ago, when a friend invited her to Big Lagoon to participate in a mikvah, a Jewish water immersion ritual. "I just wanted to swim!" laughs Sarabia.
That got her started and now she's in her fourth season at Big Lagoon, joi...

A few years ago, while visiting a small beach town on Mexico's Pacific Coast, my husband Barry and I discovered a children's library in the village. Since we planned to stay for several days, we asked the librarian if she’d like us to each give a talk.
Barry, a science writer, gave a presentation on dinosaurs. Judging by the grins on the kids’ faces as they eagerly pored over his iPad slides, the illustrated talk was a huge success. The next day, I led a workshop on freewriting.
“Write down e...