Author: Debbie

“R” is for Ruby Wedding-ABC Celebrations

Posted on by Debbie

Forty years we have been married!  I was just 17 when we met, he was 21.  In a nutshell, we spent every minute together of that first three weeks after meeting.  It was an intensive, accelerated summer romance. Then he proposed.

We knew we would be separated by distance.  He had a year long contract in the Middle East to fulfill.  I was about to start University.

Before he asked the question, I remember walking on the beach one night, holding hands.  I had a strong vision of an old married couple doing the same thing.  Somehow I knew it was us.  I had found my best friend that summer. Somehow I knew to trust myself and hang on.

We would spend the first year of our engagement in different countries,  We were about as far apart physically as we would ever be.

This was a time long before cell phone and facebook had made it possible to communicate.  At $8 per minute, even phone calls were a luxury, so we wrote.  Every day, we would talk about our lives, although looking back at it, it is really funny to see more “I Love You’s” scrawled across the pages than any substance to what was happening in our days.

This is what young love is, pure passion.  Yet there has always been something deeper with Alan and I.  Even in those early moments, if one of us had a headache, the other was experiencing the same.  Our roots have always intertwined until we could no longer tell where one of us starts and the other ends.  We are symbiotic.

We were married just 18 months after meeting for the first time.  Since then there have been 3 children, all boys.  We have had 3 cats and 2 dogs, numerous fish and a couple of lizards.  We have been self employed for most of these years.

So now it is forty years later and we are indeed that old couple walking hand in hand on the beach.

What would my letter look like to him today?  What do you say to someone who is your entire world?  To that person who knows you almost as well as you know yourself? What do you say to a man who has held steadfastly to love and upheld ever vow he made?

If I would write a letter today, I would still probably fill it with “I love you’s” but there would be so much more depth to the words as we both reflect what they really mean.

I often ponder what wisdom I can offer young couples.  I think the most profound thought is that the words “I do” are very simple, but you can never really understand what it is to be a committed partner.

I do means you will still cherish the person, even on the days you don’t like them.

I do means you will stand by through the most difficult of challenges…babies, teenagers, menopause/manopause, job loss, career changes, financial challenges, body changes, illness…

I do means a respect an honor of the relationship.

I do means you will endure and endear through it all.

So today, as we celebrate our Ruby Anniversary, I am told that Rubies are as precious as diamonds.  I believe this.  We are so lucky to be here.  We have been gifted 40 wonderful years together.

We skipped out of the church on our wedding day, we have overcome many of life’s challenges and somehow we came through it all.

The rest of the journey seems easy now.

Today we celebrated under the Marquee…him saying he wanted me to “see my name in lights”.  I am incredibly blessed by this man.  After 40 years, he is still my best friend. What an amazing adventure we have had together.

 

 

“T” is For Trip Insurance-ABC Travel (General tips)

Posted on by Debbie

 

I have a love/hate relationship with insurance.  I love having it when I need it, I hate paying the extra when I don’t.  However, insurance is something you hope you never need to use, but you get it anyway.

It seems there are insurance plans for everything….your car, your home, your teeth, and your health… But oftentimes people forget that their normal insurance policies typically won’t cover stolen items or accidents/health issues which occur overseas. This is where travel insurance comes in.

Actually, there are many reasons for taking out travel insurance.  Seasoned travelers are well aware that flights, hotel reservations, car rentals, cruises, land excursions and medical expenses are often not covered in the event of a trip interruption, illness, injury or even death.  Let’s not forget about the large numbers of travelers who found themselves stranded when a global pandemic broke out and the world came to a halt.

More commonly someone suddenly falls ill or is injured before leaving on a trip or while abroad. Maybe there is an unexpected job loss or a death in the family and the trip needs to be cancelled.   Without insurance, you are likely stuck with the cost of your ticket and you may find yourself on the hook for any hotel and car reservations you have made.  These expenses can really add up.

In a different scenario, maybe you made your first flight, but perhaps the plane sat on the tarmac or the flight was rerouted due to weather.  Perhaps this caused you to miss your connection or even to  miss the departure of your cruise.

If you have “missed connection coverage” on your travel insurance, you will have the option of taking another flight to the next port-of-call, or taking the next available flight to your destination,  You might even be able to stay in a nice hotel while waiting.  Without trip insurance, you may be stuck.

Imagine that you are on your dream vacation when a storm damages the area.  Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, blizzards and more can all disrupt your plans and/or cause damage to your property.  Travel insurance can protect you during these times.

Let’s say you fall or become ill during your trip.  Maybe you require emergency dental care or surgery.  Without travel insurance, you will be paying out of pocket for these expenses.  Many health and dental plans will not cover expenses out of network and even fewer emergencies may be covered when you are out of the country.

In a worst case scenario, you or your partner dies while on vacation, there will be expenses to get the body home.  Since preparations must be made to move a body, these are likely more significant than booking a seat on the next flight.

Most people think of travel insurance as a way to cover their expenses should they need to cancel, however travel insurance may offer so much more:    It may pay for replacement clothing and supplies if your luggage is delayed;  it may reimburse you for lost luggage;   It may cover medical expenses if you are injured or fall ill;   If your trip is cancelled or interrupted for any reason, your trip insurance may provide some protection and/or cover all or at least part of the associated expenses;   If you injure someone while driving a rental vehicle, your travel insurance may offer third party liability;  If you are the victim of a hotel/motel burglary, or you have items stolen while on a train (or at the beach, or while on tour or….) your insurance may replace your valuables;   If you have a death  or dismemberment while traveling, your policy may provide repatriation and/or offer liability coverage;  If political unrest suddenly breaks out and repatriation is required, you policy may provide for emergency evacuation.

Like most insurances, a small investment up front can protect you for most disruptions while offering peace of mind while you travel.

In general, the more complicated and/or expensive the itinerary, the more beneficial it is to have insurance.

For most international travel it is worth taking out insurance.

The more challenging your health history, the more beneficial it is to have additional insurance.

Trip insurance is usually less expensive the further out it is purchased.  Sometimes there are incentives to purchasing within days of finalizing your plans (such as covering pre-existing health conditions).

Always read the fine print to understand what your insurance will and won’t cover and the terms for each portion of your policy. Not all policies cover everything,

Always check with your existing policies (homeowners, auto, medical and life) to see what coverage you may already have.

Some credit cards offer additional protections based on your status.

If you will be doing high risk adventures such as scuba diving or jumping from planes, you may consider adding accident insurance to your travel insurance.

It can be overwhelming to choose a travel insurance.  There are many insurance companies to choose from and depending on your itinerary, activities, health and expenses, you may need different coverage.  We like using the website www.insuremytrip.com to help narrow down which policy will best suit for our needs.

 

“B” is for Bucket List Goals-ABC Words & Phrases

Posted on by Debbie

What is a Bucket List?  It is a list of all the things you hope to do in your lifetime.   Since we are starting our Pacific Island Adventure in a few days, I thought I would make a list of the things we hope to do while we travel around the the Southern Hemisphere.

Of course we used the alphabet to design our Bucket List,  because we love exploring “one letter at a time”!  Be sure to check back to see if we fulfilled our mission. This is just a small sampling of what we plan to explore on our Pacific Island Adventure.  Here are our goals so far:

A-Admire the ARCHITECTURE of the Sydney Oprah-house

B-Photograph the colorful BUSES of American Samoa

C-Complete a CIRCLE ISLAND TOUR of Papeete, Tahiti

D-DARE TO DRIVE the streets of Los Angeles

E-Cross the EQUATOR

F-Feel the freshness of a FERN GROTTO in Kauai, Hawaii

G-Gaze at GLOWWORMS in Bay of Islands, New Zealand

H- Play at HOBBINGTON & HOT SPRINGS in Tauranga, New Zealand

I-Experience the ceremony of crossing the INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE

J-

K-Kiss the KIWIS, KANGAROOS & KOALAS in Sydnee, Australia

L-

M- Marvel at the MOSSMAN GORGE & the Daintree Rainforest in Australia

N-Capture the NATURAL BEAUTY of New Plymouth, Australia

O-Get OFF THE BEATEN PATH in Moorea, Tahiti

P-Play all day at the POLYNESIAN CULTURAL CENTER of Honolulu, Hawaii

Q- Sail on the QUEEN CHARLOTTE SOUND in Picton, New Zealand

R-Marvel at the ROAD TO HANA in Maui, Hawaii

S-Take in as many SUNRISES and SUNSETS as possible.

T-Travel by TRAIN in Cairnes, Australia

U-Get UP in the air in Kauai, Hawaii

V-View the sunrise over a VOLCANO in Maui, Hawaii

W-Witness one of the WONDERS OF THE WORLD (Great Barrier Reef) in Port Douglas, Australia

X the International Dateline

Y-Say YES again, as we renew our vows

Z-ZIPLINE above a forest in Auckland, New Zealand

“X” is For Xenomania-ABC Words

Posted on by Debbie

X is often one of my more difficult letters to represent when we are designing an ABC Adventure.  I was so excited when I realized there are over 400 “X” words to explore!  I was even more excited to find the word “Xenomania” as one of them.

Xenomania is found in the Urban dictionary.  It is defined as “a passion for all things foreign and the customs associated.”  This seemed really fitting to begin a new year.

Since our mission for this year is to stretch ourselves, we will soon be setting out on our Pacific Island Adventure.

We also needed an “X”, to represent our purpose.

Travel opens our minds to the differences between people. What better way for us to discover the Southern Hemisphere than to allow ourselves a full immersion in cultures and customs!  We are excited to share the journey with you.   In the coming days we will be exploring new foods, seeing new sights and fully embracing all things foreign.  We plan to become “Xenomaniacs”!   Tomorrow I will share the Bucket List of goals we have created for this trip.

“G” is For Getaway-ABC Relationships

Posted on by Debbie

It’s snowing in our part of the world.  Winter is my least favorite time of year.  This sounds like the perfect time for us to “get away”.

  • Where should we go?  Somewhere warm.
  • What do we want to see?  Something exotic and culturally different.

These were the criteria we used for planning our next adventure.

The ability to get away and travel has been hard for the past couple of years.  With the shutdowns caused by a Pandemic, the regulations around Covid and the subsequent supply chain and employee shortages, it has seemed easier to just stay home.

We love to travel.  Even during our early marriage, when we had no money, we  prioritized getting away.  For nearly each of the 40 years we have been married, we have traveled “somewhere”.

It has always been Alan’s desire to visit New Zealand and Australia.  It was suppose to be his retirement gift, but that was two years ago, before the world shut down.

Now that things are opening up again, I have begun to dream.

When I found a super deal on a Pacific Island Cruise, I knew immediately that we would be booking it. At 29 days, this would be our longest cruise to date. We added on an extra couple of weeks of land exploration and suddenly realized we would be going on a two month journey.  This was the longest we have ever been away from home and our family.

There were times that we questioned our own sanity about getting on a cruise ship (these saw some of the greatest challenges during the outbreak) but as the snow began to pile up, we grew more and more excited to travel to somewhere warm and exotic.  Part of the travel experience is taking risks and overcoming challenges.

Vacations are a way to reset.  Did you know there is actually a National “Plan For Vacation Day?”  It is January 28th.  It is humorous to me to realize that vacations are so important that there has been a full day set aside, to do nothing but plan for them!  This trip has taken me six months to prepare for!

Vacations are so important that Alan and I prioritize them as part of our life.  This is a big reason we became ABC Explorers.

Maybe your vacation will be to stay close to home, or perhaps you will visit someplace far away.  Maybe you will camp, or travel by train.   One thing is for sure, travel will have an impact on you.  Here are a few things we have found to be true through our experiences:

  1. Getting away breaks up the monotony of our days.  Routine can lead to predictable (and boring) results and relationships.  “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy (the same is true for Jill).
  2. Travel gives us something to dream about, to aspire to save for.  It gives purpose to earning money.
  3. Travel creates stories.
  4. Travel helps us to bond with family and form lasting memories.  When days are busy with school activities, work responsibilities and day to day chores, there is little time to really “see” each other or to spend quality time together.
  5. Traveling is a great way to make new friends.  Travelers often have a lot in common.  The bonus is you then have an excuse for visiting new people and places.
  6. Travel gives you photos. Photos capture a tiny bit of life.  They allow you to revisit your memories over and over.  Remember, without a photo, it never happened!
  7. Travel allows us to be creative in “how” we experience the world…we can sail, fly, or ride a train.  You can go by tuk tuk or ride an elephant.  You could choose to visit art galleries or hike a mountain.  Our journey is really only limited by our imaginations.
  8. Travel allows us broad introspection as we experience different cultures and traditions. We are more open to the differences in people as we understand the world which they live in.
  9. Many parts of the world are impoverished, yet I have often found the people to be extremely welcoming and happy. We can return from a vacation with a great appreciation for what we have.
  10. History, geography and anthropology come to life as one travels.
  11. Travel allows the mind, body and soul to rest.  Working can be very stressful.  Sometimes we don’t even realize how much pressure we are under.  Stress leads to illness.  Sometimes you just need a moment to let some steam off.
  12. Travel can allow you experiences you could never get at home.  I do not live by oceans.  I do not have penguins or elephants nearby.  I do not have mountains to ski or climb.  The USA is a young country, there are few monuments or buildings which date back to the period of the Roman’s or earlier.
  13. Travel allows us to learn new languages. Communication is universal, language is our only barrier.  There may be great humor and humbling moments in learning to ask where a bathroom is.
  14. You don’t have to go far to “get away”.  In fact there is always plenty to do, see and discover, even in your own back yard.  Much of the time, this is an unexplored place.
  15. Life is short.  We have known so many elderly people who wish they had seen and experienced more.  They waited too long until they “had time”, then found they were unable to travel due to illness (or the loss of a partner).  There are only two things guaranteed in this life…taxes and death.  Travel while you can.

So what is stopping you from designing your next adventure?  Isn’t time to “Get Away”?

Continue checking back often as we get ready to set sail on our Pacific Island Adventure!

 

 

“A” is For Art at the Airport-ABC Air Travel

Posted on by Debbie

Airports are busy places.  Often we rush around and miss much of what is offered there.

Have you ever been stuck at an airport and/or had a long layover and wondered how to pass time?   Why not design a self paced art tour while you are waiting?

This was how we created our next ABC Adventure.   Our mission would be to see as many art installations as we could, while traveling through airports. We wondered if we could complete an entire alphabet. The next time we find ourselves with some time, it will be a great excuse to walk around and get some exercise.  On this day we passed 2 hours walking from terminal to terminal at Chicago O’Hare Airport.

In our quest to complete the alphabet, we have found paintings, sculptures, fiber art and so much more.  Airport art rivals that of any gallery.  The long walls, high ceilings and open spaces lend themselves to bigger installations of art.

The next time you are stuck in an airport, take a look around.  Can you complete a full ABC adventure with art as your theme?

As we try to complete the alphabet tour, we will continue to add photos as we travel and the airport locations which we find them, so be sure to check back often.

A is For

Adler Planetarium Exhibit (Chicago O’hare Airport)

The Adler Planetarium has an exhibit in the Pedestrian Walkway on the way to the CTA O’Hare Blue Line Station. The Exhibit features many posters such as the one above offering views of beautiful constellations in the night skies.

After School Matters Benches (Chicago O’hare Airport)

Located throughout the Terminal 1/2 Bridge and Terminal 5, the After School Matters Benches depict various designs. All benches are hand painted by teen apprentice artists in the After School Matters art program. After School Matters is a non-profit organization that offers Chicago teens high quality, hands-on, project-based apprenticeship programs in a variety of content areas, including the arts, communications and leadership, sports, and STEM.

 

B is For

Beacons by Steven Heyman

A large square “Blue Beacon” and a large circular “Orange Beacon” suspended above the “Meet and Greet” area in the lower level of Terminal 5. Illuminated with fluorescent lamps, they measure 16′ x 16′ x 4′. The artwork was commissioned in collaboration with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs Public Art Program.

Boeing Mosaic

This mosaic piece, created by After School Matters teen apprentice artists, celebrates aircraft manufacturer Boeing’s 100th anniversary in 2016. The piece hangs in Terminal 3, in the hallway between the Rotunda and H1. After School Matters is a non-profit organization that offers Chicago teens innovative out-of-school activities through science, sports, technology,creative writing and the nationally recognized gallery program.

 

C is For

Chicago Sister City Flags (Chicago O’hare Airport)

Representing the nations of Chicago’s Sister Cities, the flags are presented with help from Chicago Sister Cities International. Public art in and around Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport; January 2020.

City Windows by Qiao Xiaoguang (Chicago O’hare Airport)

Created using ancient Chinese paper cutting techniques, City Windows depicts iconic sites from Beijing and Chicago. The piece commemorates the friendship and cooperation between China and Chicago. It is located near Terminal 1 Gate B19.

 

D is For

 

E is For

The Evolution of O’Hare (Chicago O’Hare Airport)

This gallery of aerial photos offers travelers a look at how the O’Hare airfield has evolved since it opened in 1945. A timeline of historical events accompanies each photo. The gallery can be found in the Terminal 3 L Stinger (Gates L20-24).

 

F is For

G is For

H is For

Here and There by Mitchell Egly (Chicago O’Hare Airport)

Created as a part of the City of Chicago’s 50 x 50 Neighborhood Arts Project and initiated during the Year of Public Art, Here and There is a visual representation of the many neighborhoods that comprise the 41st Ward, the Ward O’Hare is within. This piece was sponsored by by 41st Ward Alderman Napolitano’s office. It is located within the airport’s Bus Shuttle Center.

 

I is For

I’ve Known Rivers by Alejandro Ramero and Gallery 37  (Chicago O’Hare)

A 208-foot long mural painted in acrylics, that brings to life the words and spirit of the Langston Hughes poem of the same name. The mural, created by teen apprentice artists from After School Matters, is located in the CTA Pedway. After School Matters is a non-profit organization that offers Chicago teens high quality, hands-on, project-based apprenticeship programs in a variety of content areas, including the arts, communications and leadership, sports, and STEM.

 

J is For

Jet Trails by Guy Kemper (Chicago O’Hare)

This sculpture measures 50 feet in length and 12 feet in height and consists of hand-blown painted glass in cool shades of blue, green and violet. The sculpture is suspended onto the window mullions directly across from Security Checkpoint 3 in Terminal 1 (past security).

K is For

L is For

M is For

N is For

O is For

On The Wings of Water (Chicago O’Hare)

A 35,000-piece Venetian glass and tile mosaic shows how air travel and water link cultures across continents and between cities, towns, and rural areas. It was completed with the help of After School Matters student artists and can be found in the Rotunda between Terminals 2 and 3 (past security). After School Matters is a non-profit organization that offers Chicago teens high quality, hands-on, project-based apprenticeship programs in a variety of content areas, including the arts, communications and leadership, sports, and STEM.

 

P is For

Palimpsest by Nick Cave (Chicago O’Hare)

A dimensional tapestry constructed of hand-strung, beaded shoelaces woven with memory-steeped iconography and patterns through a nylon fishing net base layer. The piece represents a travel to understanding, the web of humanity, and future memories. Its colors come directly from Chicago’s unique skyline and is a continuation of the greeting a visitor takes in through their airplane’s window as they begin their decent for landing. It is located within the airport’s Multi Modal Facility.

 

Q is For

 

R is For

The Runners by Theodoros Papagiannis (Chicago O’Hare)

The Runners, a 16-foot sculpture, is located along the I-190 south side embankment and can be seen by motorists and CTA Blue Line riders exiting the airport. Donated by the Athens Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International and supported by Chicago’s large Greek-American community, the sculpture depicts five runners emerging from antiquity into the modern world. A maquette of this same piece is located within Terminal 5, behind the Arrivals Level information desk.

S is For

77 Neighborhoods (Chicago O’Hare)

This photo exhibit, located in the Terminal 5 corridor approaching the US Customs and Border Protection Federal Inspection Services area, showcases architecture, life, and popular scenes from across Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods.

Skies The Limit (Chicago O’Hare)

A multi-sensory sculpture which extends above the walkway connecting concourse B and C in Chicago’s O’Hare Airport.  The artist, Michael Hayden was commissioned by the airport in 1987 to design the 744 foot-long, neon kinetic sculpture which changes color in time to music.

Sister Cities by After School Matters (Chicago O’Hare)

Inspired by Chicago’s numerous Sister Cities, the mural depicts scenes from cities across the globe. Teen apprentice artists from After School Matters created the piece. After School Matters is a non-profit organization that offers Chicago teens high quality, hands-on, project-based apprenticeship programs in a variety of content areas, including the arts, communications and leadership, sports, and STEM. It is located in the hallway between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.

Student Frontiers by After School Matters (Chicago O’Hare)

Teen apprentice artists participating in After School Matters programs created this mural in 2016. After School Matters is a non-profit organization that offers Chicago teens high quality, hands-on, project-based apprenticeship programs in a variety of content areas, including the arts, communications and leadership, sports, and STEM. This mural is located in the CTA Pedway.

 

T is For

Treasury of Petra by Sonia Twal (Chicago O’Hare)

A limestone and marble mosaic donated to the City of Chicago from its sister city Amman, Jordan.  It can be found in Terminal 5 near Gate M14. The mosaic was inspired by the carved rock and stone facade of the red-rose city of Petra in the southern Jordanian desert. The limestone and marble used in Twal’s representation were obtained from the Petra region.

U is For

V is For

W is For

X is For

Y is For

Youth in the Loop by After School (Chicago O’Hare)

Teen apprentice artists participating in After School Matters programs created this mural in 2015. After School Matters is a non-profit organization that offers Chicago teens high quality, hands-on, project-based apprenticeship programs in a variety of content areas, including the arts, communications and leadership, sports, and STEM. This mural is located in the CTA pedway.

Z is For

ABC World Travel-A List of Continents and Countries to Explore

Posted on by Debbie

We are on a mission to see the world!  This ABC list is a great way to begin your own alphabet tour.

If a location is highlighted, it means we have visited the area and you can find the stories about that country or continent within the blog.  You may also use the search bar to navigate to our adventures.

Where will you visit on your next adventure?

General World Tour

A is for Africa, Asia, Antarctica, Australia,  American Samoa, Antigua and Austria

B is for Bahamas, Barbados, Barbuda, Belgium, Belize and Brazil

C is for Canada, Chili, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba and Cyprus

D is for Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic and Dubai

E is for Europe, England and Egypt

F is for Fiji, Finland, France and French Polynesia

G is for Germany, Greece, Grenada, Grenadines and Guatemala

H is for Holland and Hungary

I is for Iceland, India, Ireland and Italy

J is for Jamaica and Japan

K

L is for Laos

M is for Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro and Morocco

N is for  North America, Nevis, New Zealand and Norway

O is for Oman

P is for Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland and Portugal

Q is for Qatar

R is for Russia

S is for South America, Saint Kitts, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland

T is for Thailand and Turkey

U is for USA, United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates

V is for Vietnam

W is for Wales

X

Y is for Yemen

Z is for Zambia, Zimbabwe

 

“W” is For Word of the Year

Posted on by Debbie

Welcome to a brand new year! I know it is cliche’ to say that today offers a fresh start and a clean slate.  I often think of my life as a book which I am continuously writing.  Today is the beginning of a brand new chapter, which is yet to be defined.  The pages are still blank.  This optimistic view is the way I think about the beginning of most years.

But, I am also realist. Yesterdays challenges soon begin to spill into today. Too many things pull at our attention, the chapters of our story become mundane, or they continue to be written in the same manner. Time, left with no direction, will fall through our hands and before we know it, years have passed and we remain stuck in the same patterns of behavior.

Today is a good day for reflection. How is your story of life unfolding so far?  Are you longing for adventure, wishing you had more money or time?  Are you in a good relationship?   Would you like to learn a new language or change careers?  Do you dream of losing weight or stopping smoking?

The New Year always seems hopeful.  Most people make resolutions at the beginning of each year;  to lose weight, to give up bad habits, to learn something new and to spend more time doing things they love, seem to be the most common.   By the end of the second week of a new year, most resolutions have already been forgotten as we slide back into old routines.

By the end of the year, when we realize we have not met our goals (again),  we think back to our resolutions and feel like failures, yet every year we return to the same pattern of goal setting.  This self deprecating behavior has a negative influence on our psyche.

What if a small shift in attitude could redirect how you experience your days? What if we no longer set resolutions? How freeing would that simple act be?

Years ago our family gave up this New Year tradition, instead we began choosing a single word on New Year’s Eve. This word would still be reflective of the things we wanted to change, the growth we aspired to and the direction we hoped to go.

The word would touch all areas of our lives (relationships, personal growth, goals etc). Our word could be carried with us throughout the year.  We could interpret the word in any way which made sense to us.  By choosing just one word (or a few), we could focus on change. Anytime we honored our word, we would succeed.

The word of the year is a positive, inspirational and hopeful message, that change is possible. These little words simply focus our intentions, inviting more of what you need or what you hope to achieve.  They can reflect your ambitions, give you purpose, set goals and more.  These little words define and lead you to your best self.

I see the word as a kind of compass for the coming year.

For example a resolution might be to lose weight but our word choice instead became “healthy”.  How much more positive it became as we shifted our focus just a little.  With this tiny word in front of us,  we could give ourselves credit for every action we took throughout the year towards healthy living.  Maybe we drank an extra glass of water, or took a walk, or went to bed at a reasonable hour, or chose to skip dessert.

When we offered ourselves this positive feedback, we wanted to continue.  Perhaps the next day we did a little more, perhaps in a week we noticed we had lost a pound or two.  The goals were being met, but there was no pressure…just a little word reminding us of our intentions.

Intentional living is the underlying mission of this site.  Living your best life will always be the goal, it does not require a single day to begin, however New Year’s Day is the perfect time for change.  If you are reading this today and it doesn’t happen to be New Years Day, then just jump in.  Small incremental changes, lead to lasting results.

 

How to choose your word

1. Ask yourself questions.  What is it you want to change, learn or discover?  What would you do differently than last year?  Is there something you want to continue doing?  What do you want more of in life?  What do you want less of?  What is holding you back?  (Think of an opposite word.  For example fear becomes brave.)

2. Brainstorm.  Jot down as many words as come to mind.  These should be positive and affirming.  Think about where you want to direct your life this year.  It is okay if you have several or many words at this point. If you are stuck, there is a list of over 450 words below.

3. Narrow your list down.  If you are left with more than one word, consider breaking the year down into quarters or in half. You could even choose a different word each month!

Keep your word visible

Keep your word in front of you and make sure you can see it every day.  Make a cute graphic and put it on your phone.  Write it out in big letters and post it on a wall.  Put your word next to a place you use routinely…the coffee maker, a mirror or the back door.  Write it on a small pebble or piece of paper and carry it around in your pocket.  Make a plan(s)to bump into your word frequently.  Each time you do, it will remind you to live your word.

Put your word into affirmations.  Affirmations are powerful messages.  They are written, spoken or meditated upon in the first person.  For example, my word in 2019 was “expand”.  Every decision I made in that year, I asked myself if I was expanding.  This year in particular was a year of mental growth, as I immersed myself in learning.  I was focused on learning to:  garden, preserve food, write and improve my photography.  Here are a few of my affirmations:

” I am expanding my knowledge.”

“My relationships with people are expanding”.

“As I expand, I feel connected.”

 

Rules

As with all our word games, there are no rules, except those we define for ourselves.  If you want to choose a new word each month, go ahead and do so.  If you want to use more than one word at a time, that is okay too.

Our words

Here are the words I have chosen for the past few years:

2019 Expand

2020  Embrace

2021 Adapt

2022 Revive

After years of being stuck at home, not seeing family, missing celebrations, struggling with shortages of every kind and numerous challenges we have developed a bit of negativity about how the years are unfolding.  We have been very blessed in this life so we have decided it was time to find the silver lining in the moments.   We have worked hard throughout our lives and now have the means to travel and rest in our retirement.  We are surrounded by good people.  Our 2023 word gives us an opportunity to reflect on all the many, many things we still have to be thankful for.

Our word for this year is “Appreciate”.  We move forward into the unknown with an appreciation for all which we have, all which we create and an abundance of joy.

What word will you choose this year?

 

450+ Word of the Year Ideas

  • Absolve
  • Abundance
  • Abundant
  • Accept
  • Acceptance
  • Achieve
  • Act
  • Action
  • Adapt
  • Add
  • Advance
  • Adventure
  • Affect
  • Affluence
  • Alert
  • Align
  • Alignment
  • Alive
  • Allow
  • Amaze
  • Amazing
  • Ambition
  • Amplify
  • Anchor
  • Appreciate
  • Articulate
  • Ascend
  • Aspire
  • Attention
  • Awake
  • Awaken
  • Aware
  • Awareness
  • Awe
  • Awesome
  • Bad ass
  • Balance
  • Balanced
  • Be
  • Beautiful
  • Beauty
  • Become
  • Begin
  • Behold
  • Believe
  • Belong
  • Best
  • Better
  • Big
  • Birth
  • Bliss
  • Bloom
  • Bold
  • Boss
  • Bounce
  • Boundaries
  • Boundless
  • Bounty
  • Brave
  • Breath
  • Breathe
  • Bridge
  • Bright
  • Brother
  • Build
  • Calm
  • Capable
  • Captivating
  • Capture
  • Care
  • Caring
  • Celebrate
  • Center
  • Centered
  • Challenge
  • Change
  • Charisma
  • Chase
  • Cheer
  • Cheerful
  • Cleanse
  • Clear
  • Comfort
  • Commit
  • Committed
  • Communicate
  • Communication
  • Community
  • Compassion
  • Complete
  • Completion
  • Compose
  • Compromise
  • Confidence
  • Connect
  • Connection
  • Conquer
  • Conscious
  • Considerate
  • Consistency
  • Consistent
  • Contemplation
  • Contribute
  • Courage
  • Create
  • Creation
  • Creative
  • Creativity
  • Cultivate
  • Daughter
  • Declutter
  • Decrease
  • Dedicate
  • Dedication
  • Deliberate
  • Delight
  • Depth
  • Determination
  • Determined
  • Devote
  • Diligence
  • Direction
  • Discipline
  • Discover
  • Dream
  • Ease
  • Ecstasy
  • Education
  • Elevate
  • Elevation
  • Embody
  • Embrace
  • Emerge
  • Empathy
  • Empire
  • Empower
  • Encourage
  • Energize
  • Energy
  • Engage
  • Enhance
  • Enjoy
  • Enjoyment
  • Enlighten
  • Enlightenment
  • Enough
  • Enrapture
  • Enthuse
  • Enthusiasm
  • Enthusiastic
  • Environment
  • Epitome
  • Escalate
  • Examine
  • Excite
  • Excitement
  • Expand
  • Expansion
  • Experience
  • Exploration
  • Explore
  • Extraordinary
  • Faith
  • Family
  • Fast
  • Father
  • Favorite
  • Fearless
  • Finish
  • Fitness
  • Flourish
  • Flow
  • Fly
  • Focus
  • Force
  • Forgive
  • Forgiveness
  • Forward
  • Foster
  • Foundation
  • Free
  • Freedom
  • Friend
  • Friends
  • Fulfill
  • Fulfilling
  • Fun
  • Future
  • Gain
  • Generosity
  • Generous
  • Gentle
  • Gently
  • Give
  • Giving
  • Glisten
  • Glorious
  • Glow
  • Glow-up
  • Go
  • Goals
  • Grace
  • Gracious
  • Gratitude
  • Grounded
  • Grow
  • Growth
  • Habit
  • Happiness
  • Happy
  • Harmony
  • Heal
  • Health
  • Healthy
  • Help
  • Helpful
  • Heart
  • Here
  • Higher
  • Hold
  • Home
  • Honest
  • Honesty
  • Hope
  • Humble
  • Humility
  • Hustle
  • Ignite
  • Imagination
  • Imagine
  • Immerse
  • Improve
  • Improvement
  • Increase
  • Indulge
  • Infinity
  • Influence
  • Innovation
  • Insight
  • Inspiration
  • Inspire
  • Integrity
  • Intent
  • Intention
  • Intentional
  • Intimacy
  • Intimate
  • Intuition
  • Invest
  • Journey
  • Joy
  • Jump
  • Kind
  • Kindness
  • Laugh
  • Laughter
  • Lead
  • Leader
  • Leadership
  • Learn
  • Less
  • Liberate
  • Life
  • Light
  • Limitless
  • Listen
  • Live
  • Love
  • Luxury
  • Magic
  • Magical
  • Manifest
  • Maximize
  • Meaning
  • Meditate
  • Memories
  • Metamorphosis
  • Mindful
  • Mindfulness
  • Mindset
  • Minimize
  • Moment
  • Moments
  • Monetize
  • Money
  • More
  • Mother
  • Move
  • New
  • Nature
  • Nirvana
  • No
  • Nourish
  • Now
  • Nurture
  • Observe
  • Open
  • Optimistic
  • Organize
  • Overcome
  • Pardon
  • Partner
  • Passion
  • Patience
  • Pause
  • Peace
  • Permission
  • Persevere
  • Persist
  • Perspective
  • Play
  • Playful
  • Pleasure
  • Positivity
  • Possibilities
  • Possibility
  • Possible
  • Power
  • Powerful
  • Practice
  • Pray
  • Presence
  • Present
  • Prime
  • Prioritize
  • Priority
  • Process
  • Probable
  • Progress
  • Progression
  • Prosper
  • Purpose
  • Question
  • Quiet
  • Radiant
  • Re-brand
  • Receive
  • Reclaim
  • Reflect
  • Reflection
  • Relax
  • Release
  • Renew
  • Renewal
  • Reset
  • Resolve
  • Respect
  • Rest
  • Retreat
  • Revive
  • Rich
  • Rise
  • Rise
  • Romance
  • Satisfaction
  • Satisfy
  • Seek
  • Self
  • Self-care
  • Selfish
  • Self-love
  • Self-worth
  • Serene
  • Serenity
  • Service
  • Share
  • Shift
  • Shine
  • Siblings
  • Simple
  • Simplicity
  • Simplify
  • Sister
  • Sisterhood
  • Slow
  • Small
  • Smile
  • Soar
  • Son
  • Soul
  • Soulful
  • Space
  • Spark
  • Sparkle
  • Speak
  • Spirit
  • Steady
  • Still
  • Stillness
  • Strength
  • Strengthen
  • Stretch
  • Strive
  • Strong
  • Succeed
  • Success
  • Successful
  • Support
  • Surrender
  • Surround
  • Surroundings
  • Survive
  • Sympathy
  • Teach
  • Tempest
  • Think
  • This
  • Thoughtful
  • Thoughtfulness
  • Thrill
  • Thrilling
  • Thrive
  • Today
  • Touch
  • Transcend
  • Transform
  • Transformation
  • Transparent
  • Travel
  • Treasure
  • Trust
  • Truth
  • Try
  • Unchained
  • Understand
  • Unleash
  • Unique
  • Unlimited
  • Unstoppable
  • Value
  • Vibrant
  • Vision
  • Visionary
  • Vitality
  • Voice
  • Vulnerability
  • Vulnerable
  • Wake
  • Wander
  • Wealth
  • Wealthy
  • Wellness
  • Whole
  • Wholehearted
  • Why
  • Wild
  • Win
  • Winning
  • Wisdom
  • Wise
  • Wish
  • Wonder
  • Work
  • Worth
  • Worthy
  • Wow
  • Yes
  • Zenith

     

     

     

 

ABC Adventure-“Island Princess”- ABC’s of Cruising

Posted on by Debbie

This ABC Exploration Guide is specific to the Island Princess cruise ship.  Use the following list to create your own adventure.  Below you will find an alphabetized list of all the spaces on board.  Within each space there are numerous activities which may be being held.  Can you complete an entire alphabet as you discover what your ship has to offer?   If an item is highlighted it will link to another article.

A

Amuleto (Deck 14)

B

Balcony Stateroom

Bar & Grill (Deck 15)

Bayou Cafe & Steakhouse (Deck 7)

Beauty Salon (Deck 14)

Bordeaux Dining Room (Deck 5)

C

Camp Discovery Youth Center (Deck 12)

Captain’s Circle Loyalty (Deck 5)

Card Room

Center Court (Deck 16)

Churchill’s Cigar Lounge (Deck 7)

Conservatory (Deck 15)

Crooner’s Bar (Deck 7)

D

Decks

E

Explorer’s Lounge (Deck 6)

F

Fine Arts Gallery (Deck 7)

Fitness Center (Deck 6)

Future Cruise Planning/Sales (Deck 8)

G

Good Spirits at Sea (Deck 5)

Guest Services (Deck 5)

H

Horizon Court Buffet (Deck 14)

I

Interior Stateroom

Internet Cafe (Deck 8)

J

K

L

Laundromat

Lawn Court (Deck 15)

Library (Deck 8)

Lido Bar (Deck 14)

Lido Pool & Hot tubs (Deck 14)

Lotus Bar (Deck 14)

Lotus Pool & Hot Tubs (Deck 14)

Lotus Spa (Deck 14)

M

Medical Center (Deck 4)

Mini Suite

Movies Under the Starts (Deck 15)

N

O

Ocean View Room

P

 

Photo Gallery (Deck 6)

Princess Casino & Bar (Deck 6)

Princess Links

Princess Pizzaria (Deck 14)

Princess Plaza (Piazza)-Deck 5

Princess Theater (Deck 7)

Promenade

Providence Dining Room (Deck 6)

R

S

Sabatini’s Italian Trattoriea (Deck 7)

Sanctuary (Deck 15)

Shopping Concierge (Deck 6)

Shore Excursion Desk (Deck 8)

Shuffleboard (Deck 16)

Splash Pool (Deck 16)

Suite

Swirls Ice Cream (Deck 14)

T

The Beach House Teen Lounge (Deck 14)

The Shop’s of Princess-Calypso Cove/Essence/Facets/Meridian Bay,  (Deck 6)

Treatment Rooms (Deck 14)

U

V

W

Water Shuttle Embarkation (Deck 4)

Wedding Chapel (Deck 7)

Wheelhouse Bar (Deck 7)

X

Y

Youth Center (Deck 14)

Z

 

“A” is for Arranging Your Best Cruise Vacation-ABC Cruising

Posted on by Debbie
NCL-2008

When we choose a cruise, we always ask ourselves what we want to experience.

  • Is our goal to set foot upon each continent?
  • Is it to immerse in a single country, or do we want to experience many different ones?
  • Is it the ship itself that we want to experience, or the itinerary?
  • Do we want restful days at sea, or an action filled schedule?
  • Are we willing to take a repositioning cruise to complete any of our goals?
  • How long do we want to be away?
  • What time of year do we want to travel?
  • Is this the best season for the areas we hope to see?
  • Where does the ship depart from and return to?
  • Will we need additional travel days to get there?  Do we need to schedule transfers from a plane to the ship?

What does the ship have to offer?

  • What is the brand of the cruiseline?  Is it known to be a party ship, or luxury liner?  How old/young is the average passenger?
  • How old or young is the ship?  Has it been refurbished?
  • What are the reviews for the ship?
  • How many passengers does the ship hold?
  • Are kids likely to be on the ship?
  • Are there adult only areas?
  • How many pools are there?
  • What activities are available on board?  Are there water slides, golfing, go carts or wave pools on board?   Which of these (if any) are important to me?
  • If the weather is bad, what indoor activities are available?  Are there classes and cultural immersion opportunities?  Are there shops available?  Is there a movie theater?
  • What kinds of entertainment will be available?  Are there Broadway style performances, pianists, comedians, magicians?
  • Are there areas for quiet activities, such as a library?
  • Is internet available?
  • Is the dining schedule rigid or relaxed?  What options for meals do I have?
  • What kinds of rooms are available?

Money matters.

  • What is included in the cost? What is not?  Often alcohol, specialty coffee, specialty dining, internet and shore excursions will cost extra.
  • Are gratuities included?  Most cruise lines add $12-$15 per day and there is often an 18% gratuity for drinks.
  • Are there packages available?
  • What discounts/promotions are available?

Have a great vacation!