Travel

We’re Doing The Bump…

We’re Doing The Bump…

Our most recent trip ended a little differently than we had planned. I found myself spending the night in Fort Lauderdale and Amanda was at home in our own bed in Pittsburgh. This little story began with airplane that couldn’t fly, and was replaced by a smaller plane. The problem is when you use a smaller plane for […]

Cleveland Rocks

Cleveland Rocks

When I got the go-ahead to attend Content Marketing World in Cleveland, Ohio, one of my first thoughts (aside from the work stuff) was of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I had never been Ohio, but the Hall has been in the middle of my ever-growing to-do (someday) list since it opened in 1995. As […]

A Permanent Vacation … Someday?

A Permanent Vacation … Someday?

I do a lot of travel planning and the down-side of most of the trips are that the visits are for only a limited time. You have to go back again and again to get a real sense of what it is like to live like a local. The first trip, you are just wowed so […]

I’ve Got Your Plug Right Here…

I remember in my early days traveling the world, the concept of what kind of plug adapter to use wasn’t one that I’d thought about very much. I don’t think we took one electronic device with us on our first trip. I had a book — you know, the kind made of paper — a journal (also made of paper), and […]

Farm to Fork Frederick

Farm to Fork Frederick

Where does your food come from? I’m not one of those “it’s gotta be organic” nuts that’s always evangelizing the benefits of organic food.  I pretty much don’t mind better living through chemistry, and am willing to eat food that has been made better and protected by science. But I’m also one of the first […]

Get Crabby…

Get Crabby…

Regions of the United States all come with an attachment to food, a food they each think they do better than anyone else.  The deep south has grits and fried chicken, Texas has tex-mex, New England has clam chowder and both Chicago and New York claim pizza. We Marylanders claim crabs. We can steam, crack, pick, […]

Say Thank You, Please

Say Thank You, Please

I may have said it before, but my upbringing in manners and etiquette was quite formal.  I can still remember each time my brother and I would go to spend the night at our friend Jimmy’s house, which was often, being told by our parents “say ‘yes, sir’ and ‘yes, ma’am,’” though Jimmy’s mother Nancy […]

20 Hours on the Bay

20 Hours on the Bay

I have a pretty close relationship with my younger sister, a closer relationship the most older brothers and younger sisters, but that relationship does have its boundaries. For example, I did not attend the mentally scarring event also known as her bachelorette party. Instead of being present for that highly awkward situation, her finance Matt and […]

Harpers Ferry: A Quick Note on the Fire

Harpers Ferry: A Quick Note on the Fire

A fire that began in the early hours of July 23 in the historic town of Harpers Ferry destroyed several business and irreplaceable history. The two large buildings made of timber and stone that were gutted by the fire had stood for 200 years. I arrived on the scene at 6:30 a.m. and the fire […]

Greece: In and Out of Ruins

Greece: In and Out of Ruins

Once again Greece shouts “oxi!” (no), and it sends shivers through Europe. This time it’s not taking the moral high ground by saying no to Mussolini and the fascists, it’s to the European Union and the repayment of its debts. I’m not a going to get into the details (and this is most certainly not a financial blog), […]