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valinreallife.bsky.social
Val in Real Life
@valinreallife.bsky.social
88 followers 100 following 120 posts
💻 Writer | 📸 Photographer | 🏍️ Motorcyclist | 🌼 Native plant gardener | 🏚️ Home renovator | 👀 Observer of life | 🤬 Cussy alter ego of @ValWestonNM

Fumbling my way through life, one #ThisWasNotInTheBrochure moment at a time. 🔗 https://valinreallife.com/
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valinreallife.bsky.social
🤗 I'm giving all my digital babies a virtual hug for National Brand Day.

😏 Our running joke around here that the OG blog is the mother ship of all our other projects so here's me being cheeky with it.

😁 Happy National Brand Day!

#ValinRealLife #ThisWasNotInTheBrochure #NationalBrandDay
Graphic reading "Happy National Brand Day" with a spaceship with multiple logos underneath it.
November 24, 2025 at 9:17 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
📰The November newsletter is out.

🤩And yes, we've officially added another website to the Val in Real Life family.

🤯Our biggest one ever, in fact.

Check it out👇
🔗https://mailchi.mp/valinreallife/2025-november

#ValinRealLife #ThisWasNotInTheBrochure #Newsletter #LaborOfLove
November 12, 2025 at 11:50 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
I *finally* hit 40K on the Adventure Beast. But it took a 💩ton of time to get there. Saddle time has not been abundant.

More on the blog.
🔗 valinreallife.com/maintenance-...

#ValinRealLife #ThisWasNotInTheBrochure #R1200GS #MakeLifeARide #WomenWhoRide
Woman kneeling next to a BMW R1200GS motorcycle on a sunny day. A motorcycle on a rural desert road with mountains in the distance on a sunny day.
November 4, 2025 at 10:13 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
The October newsletter is live. I love me some #GreatSandDunes and I finally made it back after a looooong absence.

Read more and tell me about your favorite places!

mailchi.mp/valinreallif...

PS – I hope you have a faboo weekend. 🥰
October 17, 2025 at 3:49 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
From the softer side of Val, some thoughts on the E Pluribus Unum: Mogollon project. The exhibit truly did stop me in my tracks, friends.

📖 Have a read on the blog
🔗 valinreallife.com/e-pluribus-u...

#ValinRealLife #ThisWasNotInTheBrochure #AxleContemporary #EPluribusUnumMogollon #PortraitArt
The Axle Contemporary truck parked in Silver City's Main Street Plaza during the 2024 Southwest Print Fiesta. The story of the E Pluribus Unum: Mogollon project by Axle Contemporary displayed on a museum wall. A section of the Silver City portraits in the E Pluribus Unum: Mogollon exhibit at New Mexico State University. Val Weston and J. Brandon posing by their portraits in the E Pluribus Unum: Mogollon exhibit at New Mexico State University.
September 28, 2025 at 4:04 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
Hey, y'all! I've got a question for you in the September newsletter to help us settle a long-standing debate at Val in Real Life HQ. And I mean looooong-standing.

#ValinRealLife #ThisWasNotInTheBrochure #Newsletter #LandOfEnchiliment
[1/2]

mailchi.mp/valinreallif...
September 22, 2025 at 9:38 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
This Forester has taken my abuse for 15 years! Fun Fact: I've been driving this car for 28% of my life. So it turns out I have a lot of emotional investment this beat-to-shit little adventure-mobile.

valinreallife.com/little-fores...

#ValinRealLife #ThisWasNotInTheBrochure #SubaruForester #Subaru
Val Weston standing beside her 2010 Subaru Forester with sand dunes and mountains in the background at Great Sand Dunes National Park.
August 25, 2025 at 4:55 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
Did you see the Aug. newsletter? Have a read & answer the mini survey. I'm getting some interesting responses about what socal platforms are working (or not working) for folks. I'd love to get your thoughts too.

mailchi.mp/valinreallif...

#ValinRealLife #ThisWasNotInTheBrochure #Enshittification
Val Weston waving from car-themed selfie station with graphics and text that reads August Newsletter: Battling Enshittification and a link – mailchi.mp/valinreallife/2025-august
August 19, 2025 at 4:20 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
Meet my new moss-monacled friend who may go down as the best stick in history.

He reminds you to dance like no one is watching.

He also needs a name. Any suggestions?

#ValinRealLife #ThisWasNotInTheBrochure #Paredoilia #Stickman
Stick in the shape of a dancing man with a monocle made of moss.
June 24, 2025 at 2:09 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
😅 oh voiceover captions, I shudder to think of what prickly “puppies” are but I’m on board with prickly poppies 🤦‍♀️
June 17, 2025 at 3:58 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
To say my little blog has changed a lot over its many years is a massive understatement.

Join me for a trip down memory lane while I stand on the edge of the next transformation.

valinreallife.com/evolution/

#ValinRealLife #ThisWasNotInTheBrochure #BloggerLife
Val Weston standing on rocky trail in Great Sand Dunes National Park with the dunes in the distance.
June 16, 2025 at 10:44 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
Let's talk about alternatives to the social media hellscape and a simple thing we can do to make the internet a better place.

Hint's in the blog post title. 😉

Read it here
🔗https://valinreallife.com/digital-sanctuary-start-your-personal-blog/

#ThisWasNotInTheBrochure #ValinRealLife #BloggerLife
Woman sitting on sand dunes with hiking poles by her side and snow-capped mountains in the background with text that reads "Digital Sanctuary: Why you need to start your personal blog."
June 4, 2025 at 10:31 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
Happy #NationalPollinatorMonth!

Each year our little #NativeGarden gets more and more established. We'll soon have lots of yummies for our pollinators to do their good work like this big girl did last year. 😃 #ValinRealLife #ThisWasNotInTheBrochure #PlantForPollinators
June 2, 2025 at 2:45 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
👍 As the saying goes—The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The next best time is today. (Or something like that.)
Man and woman standing in front of small tree with wire cage around it. Small, newly-planted tree surrounded but hogwire cage in front of house.
May 28, 2025 at 5:26 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
Our boy loved his sidecar rides. 😅 #RIPToby
Large dog in sidecar tub wearing red goggles with his tongue hanging out.
May 27, 2025 at 3:45 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
It's #MotorcycleSafetyAwarenessMonth.

Here's the first part of a series I wrote awhile back. I still believe creating understanding between riders and non-riders is not only possible but imperative.

🔗 valinreallife.com/what-motorcy...

#ValinRealLife #MotorcyclesAreEverywhere #LookTwice
Group of motorcyclists on a mountain road in a curve with Text that reads: What Motorcyclists Want You To Know Part 1
May 14, 2025 at 5:25 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
👣 I've been making some adjustments. It's that life cha-cha thing. (Although, I have no idea how to cha-cha for real TBH.)

👓 Catch up in the May newsletter.
🔗https://mailchi.mp/valinreallife/eval-2025-may

#ValinRealLife #ThisWasNotInTheBrochure
Graphic reading: May Newsletter with url, image of a bee on pink flowers, and a variety of images in polaroid style frames
May 7, 2025 at 2:54 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
Happy Small Business month!

Shout out to the small business owners out there working their tails off every day!

Love,
Your fellow hustlers at @valinreallife.bsky.social / @valwestonnm.bsky.social / @southwestarttowns.bsky.social / @propaneandbourbon.bsky.social / @sierrapasses.bsky.social 🤪😅🥴
Man and woman taking use in front of an alligator statue with graphic that reads "Small Business Month. Find our projects at valinreallife.com"
May 5, 2025 at 6:50 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
🏍️ "Who's riding that there Moto Guzzi?"

❓ It wasn't the first time I'd heard that question. The difference was that this time the question wasn't directed at me.

😏 A tale of southern education for my dear man.

🔗 valinreallife.com/whos-riding-...
Image of black Moto Guzzi V7ii Stone parking in gravel lot with bright yellow helmet on handlebars with text that reads "Who's riding that there Moto Guzzi?"
April 29, 2025 at 1:47 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
🌎 Happy Earth Day, y'all!

#ValinRealLife #ThisWasNotInTheBrochure #NativeGardening #UnlawnAmerica #HomegrownNationalPark
Woman in sunglasses and gardening gloves posed next to small tree. Small cholla cactus Man wearing ball cap and gardening gloves standing beside tree cage in front of house. Large tree cage with small tree inside and shovel stuck in the ground behind it.
April 22, 2025 at 10:33 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
😠 From the unhappy camper department. I'm not stoked about BMW's "solution" to the driveshaft recall. "Health check" every 12K miles and replacement every 36K?

#ValinRealLife #ThisWasNotInTheBrochure #WomenWhoRide #BMWMotorrad #R1200GS #NotAHappyCamper #MakeLifeARide
BMW motorcycle in U-Haul trailer being prepared for towing.
April 17, 2025 at 10:58 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
It's time for another round of weird search queries for the blog. And by weird I mean also possibly disturbing.

#ValinRealLife #ThisWasNotInTheBrochure #BloggerLife
Graphic with funny phrases from a blog search query report.
March 26, 2025 at 3:11 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
An oldie but a goodie from the way-back machine—the time a preppie golfer man-child tried to hit on me by insulting my beverage.

This chick does not abide.

🔗 valinreallife.com/night-in-dur...

#ValinRealLife #ThisWasNotInTheBrochure
Old-fashioned western bar with text reading One Nigh in Durango.
March 14, 2025 at 2:18 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
ICYMI, the March e-Val is live.

Have at it 👇
🔗 mailchi.mp/valinreallif...

#ValinRealLife #ThisWasNotInTheBrochure
Various images with text showing link to newsletter.
March 8, 2025 at 3:47 PM
valinreallife.bsky.social
For those of you who have been following along over the years, you'll recognize this face.
Bingo AKA "The Disapproving Beagle" was a huge part of our adventure lives back our road-schooling days. Since then, he's been enjoying retirement from the adventure life with the kids' dad in Georgia.
Full-frame portrait of a beagle looking up into the camera.
February 28, 2025 at 4:51 PM