Rockin’ the Olympic Ski Jump in Oslo, Norway!

With the XXIV Olympic Winter Games beginning, we decided to take a look back at our visit to the site of the 1952 Games in Norway to contemplate jumping off the side of a mountain with skis strapped on our feet… CONTINUE READING >>

With the XXIV Olympic Winter Games beginning, we decided to take a look back at our visit to the site of the 1952 Games in Norway to contemplate jumping off the side of a mountain with skis strapped on our feet… CONTINUE READING >>

Fear Conquering & Writing A Will

My biggest concern was to have our affairs in order, in the event of my certain demise. It’s essential for me to be sure that the kids are not burdened when I go down in flames in a hang gliding / bungee jumping / snowboarding / street food eating episode… CONTINUE READING >>

My biggest concern was to have our affairs in order, in the event of my certain demise. It’s essential for me to be sure that the kids are not burdened when I go down in flames in a hang gliding / bungee jumping / snowboarding / street food eating episode… CONTINUE READING >>

A Bloodcurdling Buffet – 12 Frightful Foods of the World


How about a terrifying tour of the globe just in time for Halloween?

We’ve consumed these dozen frightening foods from around the world… so you don’t have toCONTINUE READING >> 


How about a terrifying tour of the globe just in time for Halloween?

We’ve consumed these dozen frightening foods from around the world… so you don’t have toCONTINUE READING >> 

Traveling is Not a Competition, or is It?

We just heard about a new idea, Competitours.
The idea is to make each tour a competition, à la The Amazing Race, while discovering new places in a unique and exciting manner. Honestly, we can hardly think of anything more up our alley…

CONTINUE READING >> 

We just heard about a new idea, Competitours.
The idea is to make each tour a competition, à la The Amazing Race, while discovering new places in a unique and exciting manner. Honestly, we can hardly think of anything more up our alley…

CONTINUE READING >> 

What’s Really Important: A Black Friday Antidote

Last year, in our post-turkey bloat, we grabbed the remote and settled into something we rarely do. We vegged in front of the boob-tube. Immediately we felt bombarded.
The blaring onslaught of Black Friday ads was funny at first, but after an hour or so, being yelled at to BUY! BUY! BUY! the commercials didn’t seem so funny anymore…

CONTINUE READING >> 

Last year, in our post-turkey bloat, we grabbed the remote and settled into something we rarely do. We vegged in front of the boob-tube. Immediately we felt bombarded.
The blaring onslaught of Black Friday ads was funny at first, but after an hour or so, being yelled at to BUY! BUY! BUY! the commercials didn’t seem so funny anymore…

CONTINUE READING >> 

The “Cottages” of Newport, Rhode island

It was called the Gilded Age, a time when robber barons built excessive tributes to their self-proclaimed awesomeness. Newport was the epitome of this unbelievable excess, aptly dubbed Conspicuous Consumption…
CONTINUE READING >> 

It was called the Gilded Age, a time when robber barons built excessive tributes to their self-proclaimed awesomeness. Newport was the epitome of this unbelievable excess, aptly dubbed Conspicuous Consumption…
CONTINUE READING >> 

Fear Conquering & Zip Lining 300 Feet High

I have to wonder who thinks up things like zip lining? What kind of sick mind muses – “hey, lets launch folks across a gaping canyon on a wire – that’ll be awesome!”

Zip lining, in my mind, falls into the bungee-jumping, rodeo-clowning, leaping-off-buildings-in-suits-with-wings category of antics. Better off left to the fearless young whippersnapper types.

Not something I’d ever… CONTINUE READING >>

I have to wonder who thinks up things like zip lining? What kind of sick mind muses – “hey, lets launch folks across a gaping canyon on a wire – that’ll be awesome!”

Zip lining, in my mind, falls into the bungee-jumping, rodeo-clowning, leaping-off-buildings-in-suits-with-wings category of antics. Better off left to the fearless young whippersnapper types.

Not something I’d ever… CONTINUE READING >>

Grandchildish Behavior

I’ve had two unexpected conversations recently that have given me pause for reflection. The first was with my father-in-law while dining over Mexican food in Kansas. While catching him up with our kids’ lives, he asked me if they were dating anyone of note. I told him that at the moment there were no significant others. Then, the bolt out of the blue,”Oh, you must be sad that you won’t be having grandchildren anytime soon.”

The next exchange was with my daughters, The Piglet and Decibel.

“All of our friends’ mothers are on crazy grandma patrol. How come you aren’t nagging us about having babies?”

It started out as gentle teasing, but… CONTINUE READING  >>

I’ve had two unexpected conversations recently that have given me pause for reflection. The first was with my father-in-law while dining over Mexican food in Kansas. While catching him up with our kids’ lives, he asked me if they were dating anyone of note. I told him that at the moment there were no significant others. Then, the bolt out of the blue,”Oh, you must be sad that you won’t be having grandchildren anytime soon.”

The next exchange was with my daughters, The Piglet and Decibel.

“All of our friends’ mothers are on crazy grandma patrol. How come you aren’t nagging us about having babies?”

It started out as gentle teasing, but… CONTINUE READING  >>