Greetings from Jetlaglandia, where sleep schedules are ridiculously skewed, discombobulation abounds, and energy levels have dipped to new lows!
I returned from the States last Friday, two days later than planned because of the crazy snowstorms in Amsterdam (which I wrote about for Afar here), and I’m still a wee bit out of whack. I should be all adjusted by this weekend — just in time to go back to the States and screw up my body clock all over again, yippee!
I am amazed by (and envious of) those lucky folks who are seemingly immune to jetlag. Alas, I am not one of them — which is highly unfortunate, considering my profession — and the older I get, the harder it hits. This week has been far, far less productive than I’d hoped when I was eagerly filling out my 2026 calendar in late December.
That said, I have managed to maintain a few key ingredients of the overarching goals I have in my sights this year:
Getting some form of exercise every day (I’m a huge fan of this free workout app called FitOn)
Doing a mini-detox (Not a full-on dry January — I’ll definitely be raising some glasses with my writer buddies at IMM next week — but a nice break that feels great after all the holiday shenanigans)
Committing at least 15-30 minutes to my novel-in-progress every weekday, even if I’m not feeling inspired
What’s on your horizon for 2026? Resolutions? Bucket list trips? Goals? Objectives? Word of the year? Passion projects? Please let me know in the comments — it’s so inspiring to hear what lights other people up, and I do love the themes of fresh starts and rejuvenation around the new year, and all the energy that comes with it.
Even if I have none myself right now. :)
For a major outlet (I’ll share via email with sources who are a good fit), I’m looking to speak to the following:
US citizens who have moved (or are in the process of moving) to a less-popular European country (i.e., NOT Spain, Italy, France, or Portugal) with the goal of obtaining a second passport/dual citizenship
Relocation experts/tax advisors who can speak to the rise of people pursuing this path (if you do not have demonstrable expertise in these lesser-known/visited countries, this isn’t the fit for you!)
If this is you, please send me an email by Thursday, Jan. 22, with a few sentences about your background/credentials: blanebachelor@gmail.com. Please do NOT just respond to this newsletter, as your reply will get lost in the shuffle. Thanks as always!
Despite yet another bout of jetlag in my future, I can’t wait to attend TravMedia’s IMM North America next week in New York. It’s always so much fun catching up with my journo buddies and meeting new-to-me travel media pros at this awesome, action-packed conference. If you’re headed there too, please come say hi!
After that, I’m meeting a dear friend of mine in Salem, my first visit to this historic place, for book research. Publicists, if you have any clients there I should be aware of (the spookier, the better!), please reach out: blanebachelor@gmail.com.
One of my other goals in 2026 is to continue growing this newsletter, so keep an eye out for a poll about what you like/don’t like/want to see more of. And, as always, a HUGE thank you for all of you who keep reading, liking, and commenting (Autumn, Maggie, and Bob, I’m looking at you!). It’s so appreciated.
Shifting gears a bit, I’ve been leaning more into all things woo-woo after my big birthday in November; I find it fun, enlightening, and inspiring (and yes, occasionally eye-rolling). Along those lines, 2026 is the year of the fire horse, according to the Chinese zodiac. This imagery represents strength, power, and determination: the ability to charge through obstacles and set challenges ablaze.
Admittedly, I haven’t had much fire horse energy so far in 2026. But I’m certainly ready to saddle up and set the spark for the rest of the year.
Blane
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