Dart Strikes Map: An Interview with Tony and Thomas
Not long ago, I had the pleasure of conducting an interview with Tony and Thomas of ContemporaryNomad. They are a bi-national gay couple and have experienced numerous hurdles over their 17+ year relationship. Those obstacles have contributed to, but have not controlled, their ‘out of the box’ approach to problem-solving. Those same obstacles have also kept the nomadic fires burning. Once, they traveled because they felt they had to… Not anymore. They may not know the next port of call or what tomorrow will bring. But, they do know where they have been and where they want to be – together.
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No matter where, when, how or why we travel, there is always someone willing to give us unsolicited advice. We may just listen to what is being said to us, depending on our mood. Then again, we may turn a deaf ear because we did not ask for the information or suggestion. It is being given to us whether we like it or not.
I was curious how others respond to receiving such advice and if anything is ever gained after the fact. Keep reading to find out what advice thirteen contributors have gotten, from whom and if anything has “stuck with them” or not. Maybe yes, maybe no.
The Wheat from the Chaff
The Travel Blog Exchange 2010 Conference (TBEX10) may have come and gone (in a blur), but it surely has not been forgotten. By deliberately waiting two weeks before sending out this discussion question, it gave everyone’s mind time to separate the “wheat from the chaff”.
Here’s what attendees had to say…
Why Are They All Talking At Me? (The TBEX10 Experience – Day Two)
Morning Talk – Travel Porn: If that isn’t a title to start off a morning, not much else is… Gary Arndt (Everything-Everywhere) captivated the audience because he has presence, speaks dynamically and cuts to the chase. The true topic dealt with photography – the use of photos to increase traffic to your site. (It isn’t all about video – pictures have purpose.) Ultimately, the use of photographs allows your reader to travel to places they may never experience for themselves. It was equated to reading National Geographic: you buy it for the images first, the stories (behind those images) second.
Why Are They All Talking At Me? (The TBEX10 Experience – Day One)
Pre-Conference Jitters: The end of June (June 26th & 27th, to be exact) had me quaking in my proverbial boots for a few weeks prior – mentally trying to digest what a conference dedicated to bloggers would actually entail. Though an editor and a blogger, I had not attended a function such as this in the past. I was filled with excitement and trepidation simultaneously. Listening to Hayes Carll’s “I Got A Gig” during the flight to NYC washed away all of the anxiety. I had a gig: Look, Listen & Learn. Period. I looked, I listened and I learned.
New York City: Why Are We Here?!
Recently I, along with my husband and 298 or so others, attended the Travel Blog Exchange 2010 Conference (TBEX10) in New York City. I was advised to approach this gathering with an “open eyes, open ears and an open mind” philosophy. I hope I succeeded in heeding said words of wisdom. Though I have attended/presented at conferences ranging from 20 to 20,000 participants over the years, none have pertained to travel and/or the industry itself. So, for me, this one was unique, very informative, suffered a small case of the hiccups (from which there was recovery) and was ultimately a rather sizeable success in my mind.
#2: Visit The Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Plant
At the urging of a couple books and online articles I’ve read in the past months, I finally started a Bucket List, or a list of things I want to do before I die. One of the reasons for starting this list was to re-energize; to remember that feeling of being a kid and wanting with abandon because it’s inspiring. There’s a certain amount of harm we cause ourselves always being grown up and tampering our desires with reality. That’s why most of us travel: to escape the everyday and feel like we’re checking off some of those things on our own Bucket Lists.
Step Back from the Baggage Claim: Business Leader Edition
“The scene is all too familiar. A couple hundred people, weary after their flight, bunch around the cold metallic baggage claim, waiting for the first bags to appear. Minutes pass. The conveyors start turning. More minutes pass. Finally bags start falling on to the conveyor. Everyone edges a little closer to the carousel.”
Those words were taken from the review of Jason Barger’s original book. Not much has changed except Jason’s take on the concept. In the Business Leader Edition, he adds a new twist to the “Step Back” movement.
Lost Language Department – Up The Stairs
It’s been sort of a rough week for my head. It seems as though I’m not only losing my English but simultaneously sucking at Spanish. I guess the English started slipping over time and with such immersion, it’s only a matter of time before the grammar starts to go. According to my dad, my blogs are getting sloppier and sloppier. I now speak no language well.
Last week when I spent the afternoon at an estancia with my job, assisting Canadian tourists, I could see how my English was exaggerated and forced. It seemed like I was subconsciously speaking with a slight Spanish accent. But why?
Un-Schooling And Other Neat Stuff: An Interview With Theodora and Zac
A single mom, a nine-year old son and a 12 month trip. Add them all together and you have the “Adventures of Theoroda and Zac Conquering the World!” Did you know the universe might just be a computer program designed by big, powerful, super-intelligent aliens? No? Well, that’s what these two are out to discover.
I had the opportunity to interview mother and son not long ago. I do believe you’ll find the replies quite amazing. It may not convince you of the alien program but you will be convinced that traveling with kids is a good thing.
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