Passing Thru | The best journeys are the ones we share.

Location Independence: Road Trip Version

During the build-up to Christmas last month, we blew right through the anniversary of our first six months of location independence. Things are working out great! We are extremely happy with our decision overall, and are excited to build further on this preliminary foundation.

Last year as we were planning for Pete’s departure from his job, we set some travel objectives: we wanted to visit all 7 continents and all 50 states together. Where we had each individually been previously didn’t count. So when Pete resigned in June of 2011, we had a fairly comprehensive travel plan for our first six months of location independence mapped out. Continue Reading

Reality Check: Spending Doesn’t Make You Feel Better

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Betsy Wuebker | 4 Comments

A long time ago a bunch of people reached a general consensus as to what’s real and what’s not and most of us have been going along with it ever since. – Charles de Lint (Celtic folk musician and story teller, b. 1951)

It wouldn’t have been fair to publish this post before Christmas, with many in the spending frenzy that takes hold despite countless good intentions. “Just an extra little something,” I’ve said to myself, “it’s Christmas.” Getting caught up in the moment can add up rapidly, and you wind up spending more. But emotional triggers that govern consumer behavior occur throughout the year. A reality check about your consumer spending can lead to more intentional decision-making with enjoyment and true peace of mind the result.

As modern consumers, the biggest thing most of us have bought is a bill of goods. Spending isn’t going to make you feel better in the long run. Continue Reading

My Three Words for 2012

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Betsy Wuebker | 6 Comments

Image Credit: sethneal.com

Continuing with a tradition that is now several years old, in 2012 I’ll again focus on my three words. The value of mindful focus into a narrow niche has been powerful, more so than any goal setting theory I’ve tried throughout my life. Here’s why: smart goals are specific destinations, and smart goal setting requires focus to weed out attractive distractions that might detour progress. Continue Reading

At the Crossroads of Blues and Rock’n’Roll

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Betsy Wuebker | 14 Comments

If God had made a day to explain what the blues is all about, it would have been Sunday, December 4, 2011 in Memphis: cold, constant dreary rain pouring out of melancholy skies, the kind of damp that gets under your skin and drags your mood into what might be a dangerous place if you stay with it too long. Continue Reading

Business Creativity and Inspiration in Whimsy

Posted on December 1, 2011 by Betsy Wuebker | 8 Comments

Creative people are always up to something, and my former business partner, Tauron Ferguson, is no exception. This is the woman who described her sister’s seasonal business to me in glowing terms back in 1998, to which I replied, “Gee, that sounds like fun!” Next thing I knew, we had put on our entrepreneur hats, and were off to a Las Vegas seminar to learn how to build a gourmet gift basket business ourselves! When Tauron shared she had something new up her sleeve that was using her creativity, I had a moment of deja vu. Continue Reading