WHAT’S 10 CITIES/10 YEARS?

Welcome. I’m Joseph Lyttleton, this is my website. I am a freelance writer and editor who dabbles in photography and tends to go on political rants. I write novels and can write articles on a range of topics if you’re in need of that sort of thing.

~~~

In 2005, I began a life-changing journey: 10 Cities/10 Years. I challenged myself to live in a new city every year in order to gain a varied experience, see more of the United States, and maybe pick up some good stories along the way. Partly a travel blog, partly a social experiment, 10 Cities changed my life.

On September 1st, 2015, I reached the conclusion of the project, having lived in the US’s most renowned and idiosyncratic cities. In each new home, I experienced America’s diversity as well as its defining homogeneity. The United States is a nation built on differing perspectives and driving passions that still, somehow, breeds a thriving whole, even in the midst of hardship.

From 2005 to 2015, I called these 10 cities home:

The 10 cities of 10 Cities/10 Years

In 2017, I relocated to Madrid, Spain, where I’m writing, taking photos, and gaining an even broader perspective. To keep you up to date with my ongoing journey, I regularly use Twitter and Instagram. I continue to use 10 Cities/10 Years as an ostensible travel blog, but don’t be surprised to find my thoughts on politics, religion, art, and culture mixed in there too.

If you are a publisher or publication looking for a writer/editor with a wide range of experience, feel free to contact me at 10cities10years[@]gmail.com.

~~~

You can buy my original novel, Yahweh’s Children, in the following formats:
Paperback or Kindle Edition

Yahweh's Children (New Cover) - Joseph Lyttleton
A novel about who we are, who we’ve been, and who we will become, Yahweh’s Children is a sharply satirical but entirely plausible alternate history of what’s yet to come.


All pages and original content © 2009-2023

46 thoughts on “WHAT’S 10 CITIES/10 YEARS?

  1. Your poems and the way you tell stories always reminds me that I do enjoy reading and sets a higher standard for me as far as my own writing. So many people I know (and surround myself with) have become so predictable, and even some of them have declined in their ability to write – which is an odd phenomenon to say the least. I can honestly say I could never predict anything in what I’ve read of yours in the last three years or anything about you that I’ve ever claimed to know.
    I regret that I didn’t get to know you better when I had the chance, but maybe I got to know what everyone gets to know in passing. I’m bookmarking this page in hopes that you’ll put more up.

  2. What a cool idea for a blog prompt: I love traveling too. Based in Chicago now, how about you? I blog alot about the people and places that make city life worth living, and the more I see, the more I want to see 🙂

    • I get work wherever I can, retail for the most part. I’ve been known to participate in a medical study or three, and to write papers for college students. Whatever it takes to pay the bills.

  3. Come to Spain, get out of America, Great Idea, love it it will be the future, travel work live. I love to travel but it costs, i am now tied slightly

    • I’m so envious!!! You are living my dream. I will make it happen soon-trying to figure out how to do it with numerous pets. Happy to follow your journey-enjoy your writing and your take on life. Especially like your sense of humor and matter of fact approach to nay sayers.

  4. hmm…you’re not exactly “on the road” if you’re living in each city for year. don’t get me wrong i love living in different cities for longer periods too but i mix it up with 6 months new city, 6 months travel. do you get a chance to travel much??

    • “On The Road” is an inspiration, but I’m not trying to repeat it. I travel by getting to know cities like the locals. 6 months is fine, and if that works for you, more power to you. But I like experiencing all 12 months in a place. If that doesn’t qualify as traveling to you, it really doesn’t matter to me. These are my travels, no one else’s.

  5. Intriguing concept. I’m a much slower-moving animal it seems: I’m giving Seattle two years. So far I guess it’s okay. I liked your notes on doing the touristy stuff with an out-of-towner. I can relate. Seems like my whole summer was like that.
    -j

  6. Yeah, I recall people used to do this a lot during the last Great Depression. I believe they were called “tramps” and “hobos”.

  7. I am probably not your usual ‘demographic’, being, well, older, but I find your take on life refreshing and interesting. I found you through the King 5 news report tonight. You are taking your life into your own hands and turning your experiences into something of substance and meaning. Not many people even think about what they are doing in life. I wonder, what will your focus be for your book? People- places- individual experiences-something else? I have a completely different lifestyle; settled, married, grown children, but with that said, I have not lost my interest in the world around me, especially unique perspectives. I will continue to follow you along…..best of luck.

  8. This is such an interesting concept. I’ll definitely be skimming the pages to see how your making this a reality. It is definitely something I would love to do (I am currently giving myself a 1 year timeline on my current locale) but am afraid there aren’t enough interesting cities in Canada and I think I would have a fear of being friendless for long bouts of time.

    • It can be tough to leave friends behind in each city, but you always make new ones. I’m not sure I’d recommend doing what I do (at least not for ten years), but it has definitely been the most interesting and educational way I could think of to travel.

  9. Live to Roam is currently looking for quality blogs to represent themselves alongside some of the most unique and well known places in the world. Based on the quality of the content on your blog, we would like to offer you a location on one of our maps. Support the lifestyle, Live to Roam.

  10. Coby here, just stopped in to say Hi! and stretch my legs….ah, that’s better. “Talk” to ya soon, have a great day in Nawlins! As for me, I’m already daydreaming of spring! and one day retiring to some island with blue waters…

    • I hope you get that island sooner than later. I’ve got your most recent letter but I haven’t replied yet. I think I’ll be moving out of my current apartment into some place new soon, so I’m waiting until I know for sure so I can give you my new address. Hope all is well.

  11. Very good article .i belive in faith and i love to travel also but travelling 10 cities in 10 years it maybe or maynot be, I have inspaired by reading your blog and starting to travel new palces from this new year

  12. Been following along, since Seattle – are you tiring of ‘the road’ or are you still enthused? Have you started writing your book yet? I did a column for The News Tribune for a year in Tacoma, but now just blogging. Writing does take energy…. Love your essays. Hope all is well. xx

    • I have been worn down by this project, though I’m sure most anyone would say that they don’t feel as revved up as they did a decade ago, so I guess that’s just living. I’m working on the book sporadically, but mainly that just involves making notes and writing down anecdotes. I won’t really know how the whole thing will piece together until I’ve finished all 10 cities.

      Thanks for reading and commenting, Karen.

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. Log Out /  Change )

Connecting to %s