EAT

This is a good example - maybe a fair example - that there are intersting things "Around the Corner". With this post, I added the back story, that I hoped occured.

Just past Wakefield, Virginia on Route 460, there’s a sign outside a defunct restaurant that simply says EAT in big red, formerly-lit letters, each one a good two to three feet high. I first saw the sign while driving back and forth to Hampden-Sydney College back in the early 80s. Even then, the business had been long closed. However, the sign is there today as constant reminder to all who pass to EAT. It doesn’t offer any particular suggestions on cuisine, when or where; it just reminds you to EAT.

Somebody somewhere made a conscious decision to order that sign. I can’t help but wonder about the thought process and the discussions that may have transpired during that process. I envision a 1940’s era husband and wife sitting in a kitchen around a red Formica table strewn with sketches, budget sheets and price quotes for the sign that would one day appear outside their burgeoning restaurant as a beacon for all who travel through south central Virginia.

“Honey,” the husband says in a soft southern drawl, “I’ve been workin’ the numbers and there ain’t no way we can afford the word DINER out front. D…I…N…E…R. It’s just too many letters, just too expensive.” So with sharpened pencils and plenty of paper, the couple set out on jotting down alternatives. “Let’s see…FOOD. That’s four letters, but still too expensive,” the husband says.” “DINE. Still four letters and a little too fancy for this part of Virginia” After a few minutes the wife has an epiphany that would alter the cuisine scene for the entire area. EAT. Simple. Succinct. And best of all, within budget. Their eyes meet. She beams with pride at providing the solution, and he is reminded why he loves her so much. They hug, and a sheet of paper with the word EAT scrawled across it is taped to the Frigidaire. An era has begun.

Shortly thereafter, the couple stands in the parking lot -- arm in arm as each letter is hoisted in place. E. The excitement builds. A. Now, we’re talking. T. They kiss. The sign is finally in place and people from all around drop in to EAT. Just like the sign says. One day, I’m sure the couple received a bill from a sign company that said something along the lines of “Construction and Installation of E—A—T. Three red, lit letters at $50/ea. Total $150.” Please remit within 30 days.” I find this quite amusing. I wish I had a copy of the bill.

Next time you’re on 460 heading west, make sure you bring along a candy bar, pack of crackers or something. When you drive by, slow down and pay homage. Do what the sign says. EAT. And, somewhere a couple will be smiling knowing that their sign is still working today.

The Long Hard Climb - How Adventure Based Counseling changed a young man’s life.

It's not too often you get to write an article about the great work of a great friend, Bob Callahan. This also appeared as a cover story in the Virginia Beach Beacon in 2005.

It’s the summer of 2002. A dark-haired, wiry, fifteen-year old boy stands at the base of Seneca Rocks in West Virginia. “Barry”, not his real name, is a little out of breath from hiking up the popular West Face Trail which winds through the pine forest and rhododendrons of this wild and wonderful state. He drops his pack and begins to retool, which is climb-speak for making the necessary preparations for a multi-pitch climb. Off go the clunky hiking boots, and on go the sleek, gummy-soled climbing shoes. He meticulously lays out the carabineers, ropes and other climbing hardware like a doctor preparing surgical instruments for an appendectomy.

There are four other boys in the teen’s climbing party along with three experienced adult guides. When one of the guides asks who would like to go first, Barry declines and chooses to go last. He wants to see which routes the others choose so he can learn from their mistakes. It’s a long way from the climbing gym back in Virginia Beach where “topping out” is a manageable 32-foot route on an artificial climbing wall. Just the A to B portion of the infamous Old Man’s route here at Seneca is about 150 feet. The summit itself is a dizzying 900 feet straight up.

Barry feels confident, but he knows getting to the top will take more than individual strength and determination. He will have to put his trust in others, specifically the fellow climber who has him “on-belay”. This means Barry will be secured by rope to another climber and in the event he slips, it will be the sole responsibility of the other climber to make sure he doesn’t fall.

This level of trust is foreign to Barry. His life has been pockmarked with incidents that have conditioned him not to trust adults. He’s been in foster care since he was 10. Now at 15, he’s terribly rebellious, has a short-temper and is on the hunt for someone or something on which to take out his frustrations. Today, it just happens to be a huge chunk of Tuscarora quartzite.

Barry is part of a unique group of climbers with Encompass Adventures, a Virginia Beach-based company which specializes in Adventure Based Counseling (ABC). His foster parents requested that he be assigned to the program through the Family Assessment and Planning Team of Social Services. They hoped getting him involved in this type of counseling could, in some way, exorcise the demons of his past and improve his seditious attitude.

Encompass Adventures is owned and operated by Bob Callahan and his son Shawn. I caught up with them at their offices in an unassuming office park off London Bridge Road in Virginia Beach. Maybe the word “office” isn’t the most accurate description. Sure, there are two computer desks up front and the requisite copy machine, but just behind the door in the back is a cavernous garage full of mountain bikes, kayaks, and climbing gear. It’s every outdoor adventure-junkies dream garage. The only thing that’s missing is a Star Trek transporter room capable of whisking you away to the wilderness location of choice.

Today, like most any other day, Bob is sporting Tevas, running shorts, and a short-sleeve polypropylene shirt. He looks a little out of place sitting behind a desk, and he will be the first to tell you he’s more comfortable paddling local waterways, searching for elusive check points in orienteering competitions, or simply running through the woods with friends. He doesn’t look or act like he’s 50. Sure, there are a few random flecks of grey in his goatee, and his face shows signs of wrinkles from a life spent outdoors. But, he’s built like a 30-year old athlete: slim, fit, tan and well toned. By far, his greatest attribute is his full-throttle, youthful exuberance and a generally infectious attitude about life.

Bob explains that the concept for Encompass Adventure’s ABC program was created originally back in the 70’s when he worked for the Juvenile Court System. At the time, he referred to it as “wilderness probation,” and he has been involved in this noble profession ever since. Aside from the difference in names, the program concept is basically the same. “Adventure Based Counseling engages youth in a variety of outdoor adventure experiences as metaphors for developing everyday life skills,” Bob explains. “For example, if you are in a tandem kayak and you’re not paddling in synch, it’s hard to get to where you want to go. There’s a lesson to be learned there.”

The Encompass Adventure program is best suited for at-risk kids who are either in foster care, on probation, struggling with school or substance abuse, or suffering from low self esteem, low self confidence, or ADD/ADHD. Encompass Adventures is the only locally-approved vendor by the Criminal Justice System to operate an ABC program. There is arduous application and approval process, and the program’s strict guidelines are housed in an official-looking binder a good two-inches thick. Kids are assigned or referred to the program by the court, social services, schools, doctors or mental health organizations.

Dawn Barron, case manager team leader with Division of Mental Health Substance Abuse for the City of Virginia Beach, says that Adventure Based Counseling is an excellent way for kids to develop self esteem, learn a lot about themselves and interact with others. They’re outdoors having fun, enjoying new experiences and don’t realize they are learning important life lessons at the same time”

The ABC groups that Bob and Shawn run consists of two age groups, 8-12 and 13-18. Group sizes range from six to eight kids. Upon entering the program, the kids draft a personal goal contract (PGC) and responsible behavior plan (RBP). These two documents outline attainable goals and expected behavior during the course of the program. Each week they participate in “action-based activities” like biking, kayaking, or trips to the climbing gym as well as monthly wilderness outings to places like False Cape State Park or the Shenandoah Mountains. The program then culminates in what Bob likes to call a "peak" experience -- a wilderness outing of significant challenge to the group. In year’s past this has included climbing Longs Peak in Colorado, kayaking in Florida, and hiking the Appalachian Trial.

The activities that create the most dynamic learning for the kids are the ones where they have to give up total control and trust another person or peer. “Rock climbing, especially multi-pitch climbing is all about trust,” Bob explains. “When you have a kid on belay, he is putting his trust in you that you will help see him to the top.” Climbing is also about setting a goal for yourself and working to achieve it. Bob admits that for most people looking up at a summit can be a bit intimidating. Either it looks too hard, too far away or simply just impossible. But again, there is a lesson to be learned here. “Achieving something you think is impossible is a major self discovery event. Helping kids put that experience into a metaphor they can take home and use has always been one of our top responsibilities.”

Back on Old Man’s route, the long, hard climb continues for Barry. A third of the way up, the teen enters a sketchy part of Seneca Rocks that will test his skill and mettle – a technical traverse across the rocky wall on the west face of the north peak. His inherent stubbornness is put to good use, and he conquers the traverse. His pent-up anger serves as fuel for muscling his way up the remainder of the climb. After about an hour he summits. The teen, Bob, Shawn and the other climbers sit on the dining room table-size summit, enjoy the view, and revel in their accomplishment.

Barry’s journey of self discovery began at the foot of Seneca Rocks. In many ways, it was a turning point -- an opportunity to experience something new; to start the difficult task of putting his trust in others; and in a symbolic gesture, climb away from the troubles of his past. He went on to kayak at Cape Canaveral, hike the Appalachian Trail, and shoot the rapids in West Virginia.

Barry readily admits that he is the complete opposite of how he was before the Encompass outings. Today, he’s applying the knowledge and confidence he gained for other endeavors, and his summits now take on different forms. They include finishing high school, getting a college degree in criminal justice, and hopefully, sharing his positive life experiences with others. __________________________________________________________________

Is there a Doctor in the House?

The article below appeared as a cover story in the Virginia Beach Beacon back in 2005. It was an interesting assignment and the opportunity to meet a remarkable woman

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Oberta Jurgensen sits in her wheelchair in the living room of the house she has lived in for over 50 years. The mid-day sun shines through the front window making the white lights on her Christmas tree hard to see, but it accentuates the sparkle in her eyes; the glow of her smile. However, ninety-three years of life have taken its toll on her body, with the past few months being perhaps the hardest.

She suffers from long list of ailments: Congestive heart failure, severe osteoporosis, high blood pressure, a respiratory ailment called COPD which is similar to emphysema, and constriction of the esophagus which prevents her from swallowing, thus the feeding tube below her colorful night gown. When she speaks her voice sounds like it’s emanating from underwater, but this doesn’t prevent the stories from flowing. She tells of how she and her father took the “work train” from Alberene to Schuyler, Virginia, so she could pick up here graduation certificate; how her sister “died right there in the church pew on Father’s Day,” and how at 15 she gave her sick mother three doses of pure apple brandy a day which was prescribed by a country doctor and supplied by a local moon shiner.

Over the past few weeks, she’s been telling her stories to a welcome and much needed visitor considering her medical condition; a bright, kind-hearted, forty-two year old doctor by the name of Dr. John Patterson. It’s safe to say that Dr. Patterson is a rarity in the field of medical care because he still makes house calls.

According to the New England Journal of Medicine, 40 percent of all doctor–patient visits in the 1930’s were house calls. By 1980, that number declined to less than one percent. And as the home care business grew in the 1990’s the number of house calls by doctors continued to drop. To the best of his knowledge, he is the only doctor in Virginia Beach who brings his practice to the people. Most of the patients he visits live in Pungo, but a few live along Shore Drive, in Thalia, and near the resort area.

Oberta’s granddaughter and primary care giver Kimberly Garnes thinks “it’s wonderful to have Dr. Patterson come out and see her. She couldn’t have stood being dragged back and forth to a doctor any more because it’s just too stressful. It makes her blood pressure too high.” Getting elderly who are infirm and often bed bound into a doctors office is one of the many challenges families and primary care givers face.

“It’s really sad,” explains Dr. Patterson. “There are people I see now who have not seen a doctor in years because they couldn’t get out and see one. They end up having an illness that puts them in bed and unless the patient can physically see the doctor they can’t get the care they need. It’s very frustrating.”

It was frustration with the high volume, high-stress nature of corporate medical practices that led Dr. Patterson down the path – or, in this case the occasional dirt road – of becoming a country doctor. “Many doctors are getting disillusioned with the regular office practice and with the process,’ says Dr. Patterson. “Big offices are about volume and lose the personal touch.”

He has experienced both sides of the fence. Before going into practice for himself in June of 2002, he spent eight years with a large practice where he saw on average 30 for 40 patients a day while at the same time seeing his income drop by 40%. Today, he gets to spend more quality time with his patients which number between eight and ten a day.

All in all, Dr Patterson takes care of about 500 patients compared to upwards of 2000 for a doctor in a typical practice. Of that 500, roughly 100 are home-bound patients like Oberta. Half of his time is spent with these patients, the majority of which are in their 80s and 90s and suffer from a variety of ailments like Parkinson’s, high blood pressure, heart problems, and dementia. Medicare insurance pays for most of the services associated with a house call, and the balance is covered by other insurance plans the patient may have. For Medicare, there is a separate fee schedule for home visits which takes into account for time and travel.

“There are a lot of advantages to making a house call,’ explains Dr. Patterson. “Family medicine is knowing as much about the person as you can. You get a whole different level of insight by going into their homes. You see how people interact with them; how they are cared for emotionally and physically; and the cleanliness of the place.”

Susan Vierra, a veteran nurse of over 30 years is extremely grateful that Dr. Patterson entered their home and their lives and credits him for saving the life of her 89 year old father who suffered a stroke back in May. “I’m sure my father would not be here today if weren’t for Dr. Patterson taking the time and effort, and believing he can make a difference. And he made a big difference. Some people were ready to write my father off after his stroke, not Dr. Patterson. She refers to him as “one of a kind” (which he probably is) and commends him for his “intelligence, his bed side manner, and for being such a compassionate human being.”

While she’s happy her father is alive and doing well, she is extremely frustrated with entire Medicare system. She has to fight tooth and nail to get a hospital bed covered by Medicare despite the fact she is saving the system thousands of dollars by taking care of him at home. She’s quick to point out that Dr. Patterson also has to “jump through a lot of hoops to get paid for the service he provides.” When Dr. Patterson is not making house calls, he sees patients in his house in Pungo which sits on 75 acres. A narrow gravel road slices through the trees and leads to small wooden bridge that extends over a moat-like body of water in front of the home. A late model, brown Jeep Liberty is parked out front. The license plate reads: “CNTRY MD.”

The spacious front room, which would be normally reserved for the living room is a his combination examination room and office. While most practices spend thousands of dollars to make their offices look homey and inviting, Dr. Patterson’s place is that way naturally. There’s a large portrait of his wife taken in high school on one wall. Book shelves are lined with everything from children’s books, to medical books to a book about basset hounds, of which Dr. Patterson has four. A skeleton stands quietly in the corner.

“This is the kind of set up I grew up with in Philly,” explains Dr. Patterson. “Our family doctor at the time operated out of his basement and made house calls. Now, everyone is so enamored with this type of arrangement.” However, running a doctors office out of a home has its advantages and disadvantages.

On the upside, he’s able to spend quality time with patients and keep his overhead down because he doesn’t have to support a big office. On the down side, it’s just him. What’s more, the medical climate has been somewhat tumultuous over the past five years. “What you are paid is fixed,” explains Dr. Patterson. “It’s decided by Medicare and the pay out hasn’t increased much over the years. On the other hand, fees are skyrocketing and the only way you can make it a traditional practice is more volume. I survive because I have no overhead.” Case in point: In just three short years, Dr. Patterson’s malpractice insurance has gone up ten fold, from $1700 the first year to $18,000. Dr. Patterson thinks that many doctors could wind up doing what he’s doing or just leaving the field of medicine.

Dr. Patterson believes the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. “The fun thing about this, he explains, is there’s nothing complex or technical about it. Most of the time it’s me and the patient. It’s simple and straightforward”

Spending quality time with the patients has resulted in close relationships and a few unexpected perks. Over the years, he has received fresh eggs, fruit, baked bread, and pies from his patients. The real satisfaction for him comes from knowing that he his making a real difference in the lives of others, building a successful practice and simply doing what he loves to do.

Oberta Jurgensen offers up sage advice that apparently Dr. Patterson is following. “You make your life like you want it to be. If you want to live a happy life, you can be happy. A lot of people don’t realize that. Ain’t that right?”

Geocaching in First Landing State Park

 

 

This must be what the Amazon feels like, I say to myself as I wipe a stream of sweat rolling down my cheek.  A chorus of insects shrills constantly as I slowly make my way down a spur trail in First Landing State Park, in Virginia Beach.  I wouldn’t say I’m lost; misplaced might be better description.  Maybe I’m just a tad delirious from the heat and three mosquito bites and counting. I chose to try my hand at Geo-caching on one of the hottest days of the year.  For those who don’t know, Geocaching is treasure hunting activity where you use a GPS device to seek out hidden containers of trinkets and goodies.  At this moment, I wish my GPS would point me in the direction of a told cold one and air conditioned comfort.  But I’m a man on a mission and a little heat and -- make that four mosquito bites and counting -- won’t deter me from my quest.

 

So how did I end up in First Landing State Park armed with GPS?  Thank the Department of Defense, the Internet and Santa Claus.  Here is the abbreviated story:  Back in the day, the DOD created a satellite navigation system for the military that was made up of a network of 24 satellites.  In the 90’s, the government made the system available for civilian use, and a new hobby was born. Then along comes the Internet and increasing numbers of everyday folks like me with handheld GPS units. (I got mine as a stocking stuffer.)  As a result, sites like geocaching.com were born;  a web portal that hosts more than one million active caches, close to thirty of which are in First Landing State Park.  Here’s a little history lesson:  First Landing State Park got its name because it is the site where the English settlers “first landed” before sailing up upstream to Jamestown. Kudos to them for finding the new world, sans a GPS device. 

 

Today, I’m in search of the Long Creek cache which is located at N 36° 54.641 W 076° 03.125. I plugged these coordinates into my GPS before venturing out, and now I find myself alone in the woods, peering down at the tiny screen of my Garmin E-Trex which is communicating with at least three satellites thousands of miles above my head.  What will they think of next?

 

At the park’s parking lot off Shore Drive, I’m about .6 of a mile away from the Long Creek cache. A little black triangle on the GPS screen shows the direction in which I’m heading. A thick black line points to where I want to go. Occasionally, the triangle drifts from the line like a drunk attempting to pass a sobriety test.  I crunch my way over dried leaves and baked dirt as I make my way down the aptly named Bald Cypress Trail. Grey beards of Spanish moss droop from towering trees wading in a swamp.  Within a few minutes, I’m .47 miles away. The cache is somewhere off to my right, but I stay on the trail knowing that it circles back when I reach Long Creek. I’ve been at this for about 20 minutes and haven’t encountered a soul. That’s one of the great things about this park. Although it’s the most visited state park in the Commonwealth of Virginia, finding solitude is not hard to do among its 2,800 acres. Finding the Long Creek cache, however, is turning out to be quite the undertaking.

 

At around 400 feet way, I venture off the main trail into truly, uncharted territory. I’ve hiked and run in this park countless times, but I am being led into a section that I’ve never been to before. It’s really not much of a trail. Weeds, samplings and thorny things grab me, trying to make me one with nature. Alas, I find myself in a sandy clearing at the base of a hill. Ok, maybe it’s more like a wooded sand dune. I slowly make my way to the top and I’m greeted with a gentle breeze and a sweeping view of Long Creek. In the distance, two lone kayakers carve their way through water; a park version of an evening commute.

 

Before you know it, I’m 70 feet away, then 30.  Now, it’s 7. No wait, now it’s 14 feet.  Either the GPS is having trouble talking to the satellite or the cache is strapped to a squirrel. I walk gingerly, as if I’ve stumbled upon a mind field.  Before you know it, I’m a mere five feet away.

 

Then-- lo and behold-- behind a tree and under a scattering on pine needles rests a small Tupperware container about the size you would use for leftover lasagna. Discovering it is a lot finding the last, overlooked Christmas present.  I slowly pop open the lid, but there are no trinkets inside, just a small note book filled with page after page of  handwritten notes from fellow geocachers who have been to  N 36° 54.641 W 076° 03.125.

TKS writes: “I guess I took the long way, but it was fun.” 

Lawsome 97 sends greetings from Buffalo.

Bob C. says “Good placement, great bushwack.” 

And, the “punkinator was here again.”

 

A few of the notes are scrawled in illegible handwriting and some are just downright faded. On the inside cover, I see that the cache was first placed  back in September of 2005, and a note references “Roaming Leon” who has the “ travel bug to go out west.” Unfortunately, I’ve wandered all this way without a pen, so I am unable to sign this unique and well- hidden guest book.  However, I hope to return eventually and leave little words of wisdom like it’s a good idea to leave the “tracks” function of the GPS on and know the coordinates of where you parked your car. The sun is beginning to set, and now another adventure begins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Local Browns Backers Association

The following article was a freelance assingment for The Viginian-Pilot Beacon back in 2005.

Cheryl Workman props her injured leg up on a nearby chair, takes a drag from a cigarette, and proceeds to describe the unique décor of her family room at home. “I don’t have the pictures with me today, but my living room is done in Cleveland Browns. It’s got orange walls, brown carpet and there’s Browns memorabilia all over the place. We even have Cleveland Browns refrigerator.” But the love of the Browns doesn’t stop there. She offers to reveal a tattoo of a Cleveland Browns helmet emblazoned on her back side, but luckily it’s the same design as the one clearly visible on her husband Rick’s beefy bicep. Rick and Cheryl are just one of about 50 die-hard, rabid Cleveland Browns fans huddled at Tango’s Tavern for NFL Draft Day. Tango’s is located in a fairly generic looking strip mall on Pembroke Boulevard, just off Independence Boulevard and a good 9,908 football fields southeast of Cleveland Browns Stadium. “This is nothing today,” says Ed Miller, president of Chapter 42 of the Tidewater Browns Backers Association, or TBBA for short. “During the regular season, this place is sheer pandemonium.” He points his finger to the floor, draws an imaginary line, and references a far wall that is emblazoned with large red letters that spell out O-H-I-O. On it hangs a Buckeye’s 2002 NCAA Football Championship poster. “From here over to there, on any given Sunday during the season, this place is packed with Browns fans. It’s incredible.” Ed hails from Canton, Ohio, home of the legendary Pro Football Hall of Fame, and has been president of the TBBA chapter since 1999. Currently, they have a roster of about 110 members. Ed says that “the Cleveland Browns has one of the largest sport fan bases in the nation. No matter where you go, you’re bound to find one in just about every city.” Ed started the Browns Backers of Sand Hills in Pinehurst, North Carolina back in ‘94. A quick check of the Cleveland Browns website says there are 40,000 registered members world wide in places like Kenai River, Alaska, Perth, Australia, and Misawa, Japan. The goal of today’s gathering in Virginia Beach is to watch the draft, enjoy the company of fellow transplanted Ohioans, and recruit more Browns Backers. Membership dues for draft day were reduced to $20 person or $35 a couple. Normally, they are $25 a person or $45 a couple. Ed explains that “along with the camaraderie, you get a T-shirt, discounts on sports merchandise, email updates, a newsletter, and the ability to buy tickets to the ‘Dawg Pound.’ We go to Cleveland as a group at least once a season, and we have an end of the season banquet. Hopefully, this year it will be a Super Bowl party”. By the way, the Browns have never been to a Super Bowl. Dave Stauffer, another Browns Backer and this season’s TBBA secretary, is quick to point out “we did win the NFL championship in 1964 before they had the Super Bowl. Beat the Colts 27-0.” Aside from rooting for the Browns on Sunday and the Ohio Buckeyes on Saturdays, the TBBA raises money for the local Polar Plunge, the Mayflower Food Drive, The Ronald McDonald House and Cleveland Browns Foundation which raises money for Cleveland area youth. During lulls of the televised draft show, vice president Rick Vollmer seizes a microphone and begins quizzing the crowd on obscure Browns trivia. “How many times has Cleveland shut out the Steelers?” Four. “Which one of these running backs has not lead the Browns in rushing and receiving in the same season?” Leroy Kelly. “During their career which quarterback never had a 300 yard game passing for the Browns?” Gary Danielson. For the folks gathered today, these answers come as easy as “What did you have for breakfast?” Ed and Rick are talking football next to the Browns Hall of Fame Wall at Tango’s which emits an eerie orange glow on the nearby pool tables. Other than the obvious sea of orange, the wall sports a painting of the signature “dawg” and two lists, both of which are scrawled in black magic marker. One list is that of famous Browns Hall of Famers and the other is that of not-so-famous past presidents of the TBBA. Ed proudly announces that they renewed 50 members and signed up 10 more today. He’s optimistic about the TBBA and the Browns franchise in general. He speaks of the Browns as if he is part of the team, which in a way, he is. “We are looking for a big year this year. We were 4-12 last year. I’d be happy if we were 8-8. We have a new coach and a new GM. We’re entering a new era.” For information about joining the Tidewater Browns Backers Association, contact Ed Miller at 404-6028 or email him at spikeandmel@netzero.com. Tango’s Tavern is located at 4668 Pembroke Blvd.

First Time Visitation – Travel Marketers Gift to Humanity.

Admittedly, the headline for this blog might come across a little highfalutin. As a marketer who knows the personal transformations that can happen during travel, I am on a mission to introduce and encourage people to visit new places and experience new things. The important word here is “new.” I am perplexed that many people tend to travel to the same place year after year. There is an explorer in all of us. Find him or her.

Perhaps it’s time to redefine travel.

One of the definitions I came across said travel was “going from one place to another, as in a trip.” By this definition, going to the grocery store for a carton of milk is travel. Travel is -- and should be -- much more than that. I think it should be defined as “a journey from one place to another where you are constantly showered with all things new to the point where it changes you as a person and alters your outlook on humanity and the world.” Clearly my attempt at penning definitions will not threaten Merriam-Webster in anyway, but here is my point:

Life is short. It’s a big world out there. And, most of our lives are spent in the “familiar”. Same commute. Same local store for the aforementioned carton of milk. Same office building. Same computer. Same. Same. Same.

And guess what? Travel marketing is chocked full of the same, same, same. One more time for effect: “SAME.” How many times have we seen an ad featuring a sandy white beach, palm tree and a couple in matching white bathing suits? Or, a shot of a generic hotel room? I could go on and on. It’s no wonder that many people go to the same place year after year. If you want new visitors to your destination, hotel or attraction, you must know what makes them tick. Connect with them emotionally. Find ways to fuel their wanderlust. Help them find that explorer within. Show them that travel can-- and will-- transform their lives for the better.

The rise – and potential fall – of ad re-targeting in the digital space

Being in the advertising biz, it’s no surprise that I spend a lot of time on the Internet; researching, watching, reading, sharing, blogging, and often shaking my head. One of the reasons for my frustration is the overuse of “retargeting” in the digital space. I’m a big boy, so there’s no reason to chase me down after I’ve visited a site, simply because I didn’t do what you wanted me to do while I was there. I can make my own decisions.

Quit stalking me.

If I want to visit your site again, let me make that decision. Re-targeting is annoying and affects brand perception. Bear with me a moment: What if we applied the concept of retargeting to the real world? Let’s say you stroll into a shoe store at the local mall but don’t buy anything. In the real world, you simply move on with your life. But if the store adopted the same kind of “retargeting” found on line, a person would be waiting by your car in the parking lot trying to sell you shoes. When you pull into your driveway, the same person be sitting on your porch stoop blathering on about how “shoe X” will make you a sports demigod. He’d be in your closet, behind the shower curtain, and crammed in the refrigerator crisper; all the while hell bent on hawking shoes. In the real world, a restraining order would be, uh, in order.

How would you feel about that store? Would they be on your short list for your next pair of shoes?

“Digital restraining orders” are available if you choose to delete your cookies on a regular basis which I do. But invariably days pass when I don’t, and the stalkers emerge in the form of 300 x 250s, 728 x 90s, takeovers, etc. Advertisers insist that they are doing you a service because they are serving ads for things in things that interest you. Serving is one thing. Chasing me down in the digital world is another.
I know, marketers tend to use whatever means necessary to move the “move the proverbial needle” for a client’s business. Over targeting/ over stalking just might move the needle in the wrong direction.

Dial it back. And, I just might do whatever is you want me to do.

Vacation Planning ain’t what it used to be. Is that good or bad?

I struggle with how the vacation experience has evolved in the digital age. There is an upside and a downside to knowing practically everything about a hotel, destination, attraction, or restaurant prior to visiting.

First, the downside: Knowledge can have an inverse affect on adventure.

Back in the early 70s, my parents owned a 21-foot long Winnebago that our family of five crammed into for our annual summer vacation. Leading up to the trip, my mom used to write (pen, paper, stamps, the whole shebang) to tourism offices, campgrounds, parks requesting information for our upcoming trip. Each manila envelope that arrived in our mailbox as a result of her request gave us a sneak peak at what might lie ahead. I use the phrase “sneak peak” because color brochures and park maps back in the day only showed so much. Your imagination filled in the blanks. Or, you just approached the trip with a very open mind; with little or no preconceptions of what was over the river or through the woods. For the most part, each place we rolled into was a true surprise. We didn’t have the “luxury” of viewing multiple videos, reading traveler reviews or looking at a thousand pictures of every nook and cranny of the place. It was all new. And, many of my fondest memories were the result of my mom’s inaccurate map reading which lead us to places that I still hold dear to my heart. GPS wasn’t there to save the day, and we were better for it.


Now the upside: The digital age allows us to find places we never knew existed, and that fuels wanderlust.

“The world at your finger tips.” I know the phrase is greatly overused, but it’s true. A computer brings out the explorer in all of us. It’s no surprise that the most popular browser goes by the same name. Like most folks, it’s how I plan my vacation these days. I’ve soared over Google Earth, perused a gazillion photo galleries, and read countless traveler blogs all of which have vastly increased my “to do” / “to visit” list. In planning recent trips, I’ve found on line- - and visited in person -- WWII bunkers in Germany, a mind-blowing floating opera stage in Austria, waterfalls in Zion, a country store south of Charlottesville, Virginia, and an Arsenal Football Club friendly pub in Philly, just to name a few. On line, “a thousand places to see before you die” can quickly turn into “a hundred thousand places to see before you die.” All you need is time and money, which brings up another benefit to digital vacation planning. These days, most of us are time strapped and budget conscious. Doing your due-diligence for an upcoming trip is just plain smart.


So how do you preserve the adventure that “old school” trip planning offered, but still gather enough digital intel to make wise decisions?

Don’t over plan. The joy of travel is discovery. In person. Learn just enough online, but save room for mystery, adventure and yes, getting lost. The parts of a vacation you’ll remember will be the experiences and the places that are truly unexpected. There are few surprises in life. Travel -- by it’s very nature -- uniquely affords the opportunity for these moments to happen. Try not to spoil it.