Voyajer’s Log: Entry 001
Stardate: 2026 Nov. 1
Position: Unknown Vector
The Vector—>
This is the first issue of Voyajes, a newsletter I’m starting in what is a very unique year of my life. I left music, I lost my job, and I spent a year finding reasons not to write this. It’s about what I’m learning and how any of it might help you. Even if it’s just to go get the laundry done.
So what gives? I thought Voyajer was a DJ, didn’t you make music and play festivals? What happened?...
Valid question my dear reader. Don’t worry, I’m here to explain it all and shuttle you into the next creative chapter of Voyajer with this newsletter dubbed Voyajes.
Some vulnerable facts to set the tone:
I was laid off in early October from my day job where I’ve worked in robotics and technology that automate warehouses and manufacturing plants for almost a decade and a half. I’m unsure my next steps there, but I’m considering my options and what is the next best fit.
In my personal life, as many of you know, I used to DJ and produce electronic music under the name Voyajer.
Depending on when you read this, you can go see the memories of that on my social media.
I had an amazing time doing it.
I played in multiple cities, in music festivals, was a part of collectives, and got to support and work with amazing artists and of course released some of my own music (It’s still out there to listen to, don’t worry loyal fans ;) ).
In the end, I have decided the music artist lifestyle isn’t for me.
When you may ask? I’m not so sure. It was one of those slow-falling outs, and it was an internal battle that was not easy to work out. We can get into the details of that in another issue, but for now let’s suffice to say that the lifestyle wasn’t for me, and I think that maybe this writing life suits me a little better.
I’m searching for the next step, and for now that’s what this newsletter is. So thanks for reading along so far, let’s dive deeper.
The Voyaje—>
Now I know I’m not the first and I’m certainly not the last person to go through a layoff, a life change, a dramatic twist, or what Author Jim Collins likes to call “a cliff” in his book How the Mighty Fall (highly recommend). I know that and I’m here to say that obviously doesn’t make it any easier. In the past I’ve been laid off before, I’ve been at a company that shut down, I’ve left a company I didn’t want to be at, and yes I’ve even been fired (shocked face! Did he actually admit that on the internet?!).
But pause, I’m not here to unpack all that in this moment, nor is this a pity party. At one point or another, we all go through these things, and each time they can be just as jarring. If you’ve gone through or are going through any of these things please reach out, I’d love to be a sounding board and resource. It is my true belief that these are the perfect opportunities to look inward, outward, and all over to see what truly matters and what can be created out of this moment. They are a chance to start anew.
For me this newsletter is EXACTLY that. This is a genuine effort to connect more with the person I really want to be, and to connect with all of you out there. This gives me the chance to be the person who gets excited to see a plant or animal I know and learn about it. The person who nerds out over books about science, and gladiators, and history, and psychology and whatever else my ADHD brain is into at the time. The person who likes to grow and learn. The person who asks philosophical questions over a few beers and then actually researches it and presents thoughts on it. The person who likes to help his fellow human through perspective and support and by showing them what they can truly be in this life.
So now after reading that lengthy and eclectic list you may still be wondering the same thing so many of my friends asked me when I said I was starting a Substack: “So what will you write about?”
Well to be honest, that’s the fun part. I don’t fully know yet. I’m here to define it as I learn it and experience it, but here is what I do know:
The newsletter will come out weekly on Sundays to start, with bonus issues later.
The newsletter will focus on what I’m learning about: books, articles, real life experiences, travel, or really anything.
The true goal of this is to foster a space where people can connect on ideas they want to debate, on concerns someone can help them with, and on topics they’d like to hear about. A place where we can all find the vector we want to take to get us to where we want to go and get the help we need doing so to pull us out of our orbits.
If you’re someone who craves structure and a more concrete answer here are my proposed initial pillars each month will rotate around:
Pillar 1: How people think– Psychology, social psych, thinking better, growth.
Pillar 2: How the world works– Technology, history, nature, animals, current topic of interest.
Pillar 3: Real World Lessons/Ideas– Places, art, concrete life lessons
Pillar 4: Applied– Turns the past three issues into better decisions, careers, and lives, and how anyone can apply these lessons to their lives.
And if you’re someone from the corporate world or just someone who thinks big picture abstract like me then here is the Voyajes Mission Statement: “To transform ambiguity & complexity into clarity & action, so that the people around me learn, grow, and thrive.”
So, why am I here?
I could do anything with a quarter-life crisis like buy a fast car, or a dog, or pick up bowling.
Honestly, I struggled for the past year over the idea of writing and what to do. I ran out of excuses, and then made some more, and then some more for good measure, and that’s when I lost my job. AND THEN when I was out of a job for two plus weeks, and ran out of house chores, and life things to check off, and bullshit to get done, and I planned this newsletter for multiple days to perfect how it would start…I FINALLY sat down to write this.
In the end, in my job and in life I’m good at explaining complex things to people, and I thought: Maybe…maybe that’s the trick. The bridge. The teaching pathway. How I start to write, learn things, and pass them on. A way to embrace the lifelong learner I am at heart.
Truly, it’s simply the next step, the new Voyaje on the pathway of my life. So welcome.
I can’t promise perfection, but I can promise a good old college try, and I can promise a place and community where discussion can happen and questions can be asked.
I leave you with this closing idea:
We believe a return after a long gap has to be extra special, so we wait for the perfect version. We believe in demanded value. A comeback doesn’t have to be extra special. It just has to happen. The longer you’re away from something you love, the longer you put off going back. That’s the opposite of what people expect, and research has proven it’s how our brains work. This is the essence of a well known quote by Voltaire, “The best is the enemy of the good.” Jake Teeny calls that first part the demand for an extra-special comeback, and he’s the one who ties it to Voltaire. His formulation is what makes this click for me. Jake is a psychology writer I’ve been reading for years, longer in fact than most. I’ve loved his blog and he went quiet for quite awhile and recently posted this article about this exact idea.
What it made me realize is that I’d been waiting on my own extra-special version, the one where the layoff turns into a clean plan before I’m allowed to write a word. There is no such version. There’s just this issue.
In any case it certainly inspired me, or maybe I was already inspired and this was just the proper nudge to get me out of my own gravitational sink I was stuck in and vectoring toward the next journey. So I hope my article is the nudge you need. Even if it’s just to go get the laundry done.
A Big Thought from Others—>
This week’s is one of my favorites, especially for any creative person out there:
“The scariest moment is always just before you start. After that, things can only get better.” —Stephen King On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
A Sm0l Thought From Me—>
Commit to the process and detach from the outcome, show up for yourself and the world will show up for you.
The Open Discussion—>
What have you been waiting to make a comeback to? It can be something simple or complex…and if you feel like sharing, tell me what’s been holding you back.
Please feel free to reply or comment your thoughts on this (or anything in the newsletter). Excited to start this journey with all of you.
Sad no more music. Happy more writing
The adventure begins. Thank you for this piece AJ. 🫶🏽