This song, by award-winning inspirational artists Wayne Burton and Jenny Jordan Frogley, so beautifully expresses what I wish for everyone in the coming year and beyond. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
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After years of working 70 hours a week at jobs I detested, I felt like the proverbial "hole in the donut" - solid on the outside, but empty on the inside. Searching for meaning in my life, I abandoned my successful but unsatisfying career and set out on a six-month solo backpacking trip around the world to pursue my true passions of travel, writing, and photography. My blog features stories about the destinations I visit, people I meet, the crazy things...Read more here.... 
This song, by award-winning inspirational artists Wayne Burton and Jenny Jordan Frogley, so beautifully expresses what I wish for everyone in the coming year and beyond. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
When I say that the display of lights in Dunedin, Florida was moving, I’m not talking about the “bring you to tears” kind of moving. I mean they were literally moving – on the water. At Dunedin’s annual Holiday Boat Parade last night, thousands of people gathered on the waterfront to watch perhaps three dozen wildly decorated boats sail into the marina.
From Christmas trees to an American flag, boats were decked out in all manner of themes
Posted in Authentic travel, Florida travel | 
Christmas, Dunedin, events, Florida, Holiday Boat Parade, photos, Santa Claus, small town, Travel | 
17 Comments
The pure white sand on Siesta Key Beach makes for a realistic snowman
Posted in Florida travel | beaches, Christmas, Florida, photos, Sarasota, Siesta Key, snowman, white sand, wordless wednesday | 22 Comments
I have long said that our values are out of whack in this country, that we covet material things to an unhealthy degree and spend needlessly in a futile attempt to feel better about ourselves. It seems I am not alone in this belief. Reverend Billy, along with his mock-religious Stop Shopping Gospel Choir, has made it his mission in life to spread the message of evil consumerism, proclaiming that “our current financial crisis is nothing short of a shopocalypse.”
Last year the good Reverend released “What Would Jesus Buy,” a documentary film that attacked our consumer culture, in which his antics get him escorted out of the Mall of America and arrested … at Disneyland. Variety Magazine called the documentary “seriously hilarious” and the Austin Chronicle said it was “as entertaining as it is jaw-dropping.” Check out the trailer for the video below:
The Reverend isn’t a real minister. He is Continue reading
I was surprised, during my recent ‘leaf-peeping’ trip to the Northeast, to discover a plethora of travel-related bargains. Two years ago, I could not have traveled in the U.S. and stayed in hotels – even if I stuck to the more modest mom and pop motels – for much less than $200 per day, including meals. Yet on this trip I averaged around $100 per day, including food. Most rooms were priced between $60-65 per night and in a few cases I was able to find acceptable accommodations for as little as $35 per night.
That started me wondering whether the recent economic downturn has created an unexpected silver lining for travelers. The short answer is a very definitive YES!
First, consider that the dollar, which a year ago was performing dismally against almost all foreign currencies, has regained some of its former oomph! The Mexican peso has dropped to its weakest level ever against the dollar, as has the Brazilian real. The Argentine peso, which was already at Continue reading
Posted in Travel industry news | airfares, airlines, bargains, bookings, Christmas, cruises, deals, economy, fare reductions, foreign currency, Hawaii, holidays, hotels, recession, resorts, stronger dollar, Thanksgiving, Travel | 12 CommentsFor days I’ve been unsuccessfully searching for an appropriate message or video to post here on Christmas Day, but nothing seemed quite right. Then, this morning I stopped by the web site “WhereTheHellIsMatt.com.” According to Matt’s website, he is a “30-year-old deadbeat from Connecticut who used to think that all he ever wanted to do in life was make and play video games.” He embarked upon a successful career designing video games but soon realized there was more to life than making money. In 2003 he quit his job and used his savings to wander around the world until the money ran out. Along the way he came up with the idea of dancing everywhere he went and recording it on his video camera. He posted the video on his website and soon became known as “the guy who dances.” Matt dances very badly, but most people don’t seem to mind.
Now Matt and his buddies have made a video named the “Gratitude Dance,” which begins by stating that we spend so much time focusing on what’s missing in our lives that we lose sight of the many amazing things that are already in our lives. Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized | Christmas, Gratitude, Spirituality, videos, Where The Hell Is Matt | 4 Comments
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