What is Freedom? Is freedom your -not so admirable- ability to buy what ever the f*#! you want whenever you want? Is it exercising your own free will? I would say the latter of course, but I highly doubt this comes to mind with most folks around here...Take away their ability to buy shit, and you might see a full on civil war. Pass another rule, make another law...and no one really gives a f*#! as long as they can keep on working behind their olive colored cubicle walls and continue to buy meaningless stuff.
After living in Central/south America for over a year, this post touches on the topic of how there are way too many rules in the states. How the land of the free, really isn't the land of the free anymore...
After backpacking in Central and South America for a year, my fiance and I return to the United States and are constantly answering the question, "Do you have culture shock?" We don't feel shocked in any way, but we are much more aware.
This is a blog about why I cancelled my subscription to Lonely Planet Magazine - I was tired of reading about air travel being the only option. The post became a bit of a meditation/rant about air travel, and making ethical choices around travel options.
Much has been written about the modern scourge of tourists with their camera phones, roaming galleries more intent on taking photos of (or more precisely, having someone take their photo in front of) famous works of art than actually looking at the art itself. And call me a curmudgeon, but when I see this myself I give a little shiver of condemnation. It just doesn’t seem right when people are more interested in the artefact of their travels—the photograph, the trinket, the t-shirt—than they are in the actual experience.
A passenger on my flight from Chicago O'Hare to Springfield blatantly disregarded safety protocol with regards to use of her mobile phone while in the aircraft: this is my open letter to her.
Have you witnessed similar behaviour? What did you do about it?
Or are you perhaps one of those who mirrors this lady's behaviour? Perhaps you could explain why?
6 hours and 37 minutes. That was how long my GPS was telling me our trip would take, but I knew it would more likely be 8 or 9 hours after stops and traffic and who knows what else. We were heading home last week, at the tail end of a weekend visit to my wife’s parents in Virginia – our minivan loaded down with enough stuff to undoubtedly fill at least 3 school cafeterias to the ceiling. I’ve resigned myself to the unfortunate reality that there is no easy way to manage a long northward trek with a van full of 3 kids.
As an artist and a crafter, color is very important to me. Even in my everyday life. I recently started thinking about the colors of my neighborhood, and of my favorite vacation spot, and how they made me feel.
Determine the colors of your home, and play along!
The sweetest things in life cannot never be purchased, they're created;-)
Everyday we are blessed with the sweet gift of living another day so embrace this opportunity and indulge yourself; give, love, serve, make a difference.
It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed; Napoleon Hill
Camping is always an adventure. However, on our first camping journey of the summer, we weren't expecting to get lost for four and a half hours in "Mystery Valley", almost roll our 4x4 over, get a flat tire, and not get a single day of sun or night of stars. Yet we still managed to have some amazing moments, and amongst the bickering, my partner and I grew much closer to our wonderful friends and co-adventurers. No matter what happens, getting out of the big city and sitting by a fire in silence while digging your hands into the Earth is incredibly healing.
What you give is what you get.
In this post I share about my experience on how I'm trying to help others and how it has actually turned to help me in return as well.
Why don't you share a similar experience you've had?
There's a big debate running on a travel industry blog about whether trade publications express their opinions enough, rather than report news.
It's a good question. Do people bought up in a classic business environment express their opinions sufficiently - be that trade journalist or company blogger?
The cultural differences between far North frontier country and Southern deep roots would throw anybody into shock. Memories of those Southern roots and the life that Northerners seldom see warm the hearts of those who lived before technology took over.
Manhattan offers a cornucopia of delights that keep us all up, buzzing around in search of the next great trend; basically any new thing. The City that never sleeps is a great place to wander around with friends; dashing here and there in search of good deals and discovering quaint and quality places.
On a recent sojourn through the city, I followed my muse to Chelsea Market, High Line Park, Chinatown, and Veniero’s Pasticceria. I have shared my journey in a write-up/photo journal in two parts.
Recently read in a local paper about a train company banning its employees from volunteering for the next Olympic games which are going to be held in London. The reaction from the union representative to this company that is simply trying to provide better service to their customers was hilarious and I had to write about it. While I realize that this company is probably not the saintly sort that I perhaps make them out to be, union's need to realize that this is a different world now, and customers can vote - with their feet - where they are going to spend their money and withou
Today I’m going to discus ” The W.T.O. Comes To China “. In order for you to fully appreciate the humor in this story a little background information regarding the Chinese educational system is in order. The focus of the Chinese educational system is rote learning. In order for Chinese students to be admitted into a university they must be able to pass the national standardized entrance exam.
Since the season premier of Top Chef: DC, I have been underwhelmed by both the talent and the contestants. They are an unlikable bunch, save for one or two. I have been rooting for Andrea to go home since she showed up on my TV screen a few weeks ago. Why? Good question…
Who needs a plane? Unless you have 20 Xanax I can borrow for the flight, I'm gonna spend my year abroad in Chinatown. The magic went down on the corner of Broadway and Hill, Los Angeles.
The overseas highway, the stretch of US1 from Key Largo to Key West is one of the most beautiful stretches of road in the country. Most of the 106 miles is one lane in each direction. Views of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean stretch as far as the eye can see. The Seven Mile Bridge is a wonder of engineering.
Because the stretch of road is so long and narrow, there are a few things that you can do to make the drive more enjoyable for everyone.
My memories have smells- the differentiated effusions of coffee. As a child it was the smell of all things right with the world. Apparently, researchers have found that it is also the smell of all things healthy with the world.
There is an art to living lean. It is not limited to choices over food, it is a daily life mantra. Lean living is something I painfully try to forget. Unfortunately, life has other plans for me. When you keep encountering the same trials maybe it is time to start learning from them to see what is on the other side.
Delta recently lost a traveler's dog and is getting a lot of negative press about how it handled - or rather, mishandled - the situation.
I believe that a lot of Delta's pet-loving customers will think twice before booking Delta right now - just out of principle.
Whether people are traveling with their pets or not, they might say to themselves: Delta obviously doesn't CARE about pets. Therefore, I don't care about Delta.
I am suggesting that Delta can mitigate this PR fiasco by actively seeking to partner with a pet-related charity.
Winter has come and gone and the warm breeze of summer is scenting the atmosphere; the animal kingdom buzzes with new life, recovering from the struggles of a bitter season. But in the mountain chains of Japan, high in the deciduous forests, lives a tribe who never forgets the biting chill of the days gone by: the snow monkeys.
Has anyone been to the French Riviera?? My husband and I will be there for 2 weeks with our friends. Even though we'll be there for the Cannes Film Festival, I know we won't be spending all our time seeing films (if we can even get in to see any), and I'd love to get ideas on where to go and what to see. Thanks!
