Fishing Boats in Maine

Traveling with kids can be a delightful adventure that brings the family closer together. The excitement of new places, the joy of shared experiences, and the break from everyday routines contributes to creating lasting memories. To ensure that traveling with children is enjoyable and stress-free, it's essential to plan thoughtfully and consider various aspects that can make the journey smoother and more enjoyable for everyone involved. Ready to get started? This guide shared by JourneyZing is here to help.

Craft Unforgettable Moments

Making the trip memorable starts with embracing the uniqueness of each destination. Engage your kids in the planning process by involving them in choosing activities that interest them. This not only makes them feel valued but also adds to their excitement. Look for local attractions, kid-friendly museums, and outdoor activities that can cater to all ages. By mixing educational and entertaining activities, you can create a well-rounded experience that everyone will cherish.

Preserve Special Moments

Photographs and videos capture the essence of your travel experiences beautifully. Encourage your children to take photos of what fascinates them to gain a glimpse into their perspective. Creating a travel journal where each family member writes down their favorite moments is also a great idea. These tangible keepsakes will help you relive the joy long after the trip ends, strengthening the family bond and providing a source of joy and nostalgia.

Vacation Benefits and Stress Relief

Taking a vacation together offers relaxation, rejuvenation, and family bonding opportunities. It breaks the usual routine and reduces stress. To maximize benefits, find ways to cope with stress effectively. If decisions feel overwhelming, take a deep breath to clear your mind and evaluate your choices calmly. Enjoying your time off means being present in the moment and making the most of shared experiences with loved ones, enhancing the overall enjoyment and benefit of the vacation.

Set Clear Guidelines

Traveling requires a different set of rules than everyday life. Setting clear guidelines about behavior, safety, and expectations can prevent misunderstandings and help maintain order. Discuss these rules before the trip and ensure everyone understands them. Rules about sticking together, listening to adults, and respecting the local culture can enhance the travel experience. Consistency is key, as it provides children with a sense of security and helps them adapt to new environments more easily.

Maintain Daily Habits

Maintaining a semblance of your daily routine while traveling can significantly reduce stress for both parents and children. Try to keep regular meal times and bedtimes, as this predictability helps children feel secure in an unfamiliar setting. A consistent routine can also aid in managing any travel-related disruptions, such as jet lag. Incorporating familiar activities like bedtime stories can provide comfort and stability amidst the excitement of travel.

Focus on Safety

Ensuring the safety of your family is paramount when traveling. Research your destination to understand any potential risks and take necessary precautions. Pack a basic first-aid kit and any essential medications. Teach your children what to do if they get separated from you and make sure they know important contact information. Being prepared for emergencies and having a safety plan in place can alleviate anxiety and allow you to enjoy your trip.

Honor Individual Preferences

Each family member has unique interests, and catering to these can make the trip more enjoyable for everyone. Allocate time for activities that each person enjoys, whether it's visiting a particular museum, trying out local cuisine, or spending time at a park. Balancing individual preferences with group activities ensures that everyone feels valued and engaged. This approach fosters a harmonious travel experience and can lead to discovering new interests.

Traveling with children presents a wonderful opportunity to bond and create cherished memories that last a lifetime. By focusing on enjoyable activities, maintaining familiar routines, and prioritizing safety, you can significantly enhance the travel experience for everyone involved. Embrace the adventure wholeheartedly and make the most of your time together, ensuring you create moments that will be fondly remembered for years to come.

Thank you to Jason Lewis, of Strongwell.org, for this contribution of solid family travel wisdom.

I asked in the DeClutter community on Reddit and received a number of helpful replies.  One of them included a link to a 56 [!] page outline of where and how and when to donate [or trash] - Reddit Declutter Wiki 

I hate, absolutely hate, to toss things in the garbage - unless that's really where they should go, of course.  So I recycle what I can, donate or gift what I can and hope the recipients put things to good use.  For instance, checked with the Des Moines Public Library, and within limits, it will accepted donated library-type items [make sure you're not just unloading old stuff].  So my newer books [I tend to take good care of my books etc.] and CDs and Magazines < 1 year - all went to the DMPL.  Others can go to Little Free Libraries [no doubt there's one in your neighborhood].  Posting as free on NextDoor or Trash Nothing works as well.

A BIG help with 'spring cleaning'.  Which for me tends to stretch thru the year.

Saint-Silvain-sous-Toulx

Eiffel Tower, Paris, France

Embracing the digital nomad lifestyle offers an unparalleled opportunity to blend professional pursuits with personal passion for travel. This dynamic way of working not only provides the freedom to roam the globe but also demands a unique set of strategies for success. Whether you're contemplating a shift to this lifestyle or looking to optimize your existing nomadic experience, understanding the foundational steps is essential. In this article, courtesy of JourneyZing, we’ll talk about how you can transition smoothly and sustainably into a life of professional freedom and personal adventure.

Ideal Careers for Remote Work

Embarking on a digital nomad journey begins by pinpointing careers that are well-suited for remote work. Key professions such as software development, graphic design, content writing, and digital marketing are ideal for this lifestyle, thanks to their dependence on digital tools and online platforms. These sectors not only enable you to work from any location worldwide but also are in strong demand for competent professionals. As you select your career path, it's important to weigh the job's flexibility against your personal interests to create a rewarding and successful professional life. This careful consideration ensures that your work not only travels with you but also brings satisfaction and sustainability to your nomadic lifestyle.

Self-Promotion in the Digital Realm

For a digital nomad, successful self-marketing is essential for maintaining steady work. Creating a strong online presence with a professionally designed website and dynamic social media profiles is critical. These platforms need to effectively display your expertise, showcase previous projects, and prove your capability to work remotely. Engaging in online networking via industry forums and professional groups can lead to new opportunities and partnerships often unattainable in conventional work environments. Moreover, by consistently updating your digital content, you can keep your skills relevant and attractive to potential clients around the world.

Skill Enhancement through Continuous Learning

The digital landscape continuously shifts, necessitating an unwavering commitment to skill enhancement. Pursuing ongoing education, such as taking up an online computer science degree or obtaining industry certifications can significantly boost your employability. In fast-evolving sectors like information technology and digital marketing, staying current is imperative. For individuals in technical areas, gaining advanced knowledge in specialties such as cybersecurity, data analytics, or software engineering not only increases your marketability but can also elevate your earning potential. This proactive approach to education ensures you remain competitive in a field where technology and best practices are always advancing.

Strategies for Minimizing Travel Expenses

One of the biggest challenges of a digital nomad lifestyle is managing travel expenses effectively. Adopting smart travel strategies such as participating in airline and hotel loyalty programs, opting for co-living spaces, and choosing destinations with a lower cost of living can significantly reduce your overheads. Additionally, planning longer stays in each location not only cuts down on travel costs but also gives you a chance to deeply explore each culture and community, enhancing your overall experience.

Mastering Communication with Global Clients

Efficient communication is crucial in maintaining successful relationships with clients across various time zones. Investing in reliable tools and technology to facilitate communication is non-negotiable. This might include scheduling software, project management tools, and high-quality video conferencing apps. Establishing clear communication protocols and regular updates can help manage expectations and keep projects on track. Moreover, adapting your work hours to overlap with your clients' time zones can enhance interaction and show your commitment to the project’s success.

Adopting a digital nomad lifestyle is an exciting and transformative decision that combines the freedom of travel with the satisfaction of professional achievement. By carefully selecting appropriate careers, promoting yourself effectively in the digital world, continually upgrading your skills, strategically managing travel expenses, and maintaining excellent communication with clients, you can thrive in this dynamic setting. With the right approach, the world becomes not just a place to visit, but a space to live, work, and succeed. Embrace these strategies to ensure a rewarding and sustainable digital nomad journey.

[Thank you for the Guest post Jason Lewis!! on a favorite topic of mine.]

JourneyZing offers a wealth of beautiful travel photography to inspire and inform. Take a look around the site and get in touch with artist Victoria Herring today via the contact form.

We’ve all been there, slogging through a long document or webpage trying to concentrate, but our eyes are getting tired and strained. Wouldn't it be nice to give your eyes a break and have someone else read the text to you for a bit? Well, with a built-in text-to-speech feature on a Mac computer you can. [I have a MacStudio and am running Sonoma OS but it’s a feature on other devices and earlier operating systems.

Apple includes a very useful accessibility feature that allows you to select text and have it read out loud with wonderfully natural sounding voices. This can come in handy for proofreading documents, long articles or e-books, adding in an auditory element to reinforce reading comprehension. Here's how to use the text to speak feature:

1. First, go into system settings under the Apple in the upper left corner of your screen and go to Accessibility>Spoken Content.  That’s where you set it up.
2. Highlight the text you want read aloud by dragging your mouse/cursor to select it - it can be a paragraph, page or multiple pages.  I tested it in paragraph by paragraph manner because I was proofreading an article.
3. Once your desired text is highlighted go to the Edit menu and select Speech>Start Speaking or you can use the keyboard shortcut Option + Esc.  Which is what I did.
4. To customize the voice or set other options, go to System Settings> Accessibility>spoken content.

That's all there is to it. With just a couple of clicks or keystrokes your Mac seamlessly converts text into speech. I find this tool especially useful when reviewing my own writing, to catch any awkward phrasing or spots that don't flow well.   And it's great for long online articles or e-books that you want to be hands-free with so give your eyes a break and let your Mac read to you! This accessibility feature is a productivity hack that everyone can benefit from.

Nefertiti's Tomb in Egypt, 2023

Actually, not at all.

For instance  I was reviewing items in my Junk Mailbox and came across one allegedly from our insurance company, USAA.  Looked VERY real, correct color scheme and font it appeared - BUT just didn't smell right.  So I clicked on the From line at the top and it showed the actual 'person' it was from:

Then I looked at the email and the fake-ness was confirmed == As you probably know ## don't end in X's -plus the name there is not the one USAA has for me.

First rule, don't take calls from people or ## you don't know.  If it is important they'll leave a voicemail message.  If not, you haven't wasted your time.

Second rule, if you do decide to pick up and answer the telephone do not say the word "yes". I read something just recently about how the latest scam is to get you to say the word and then they'll use that recorded word from you to do all sorts of bad things, I suppose. So saying hello is fine but I would not say "yes" unless you really knew who was calling you and why.

Third rule, if you do decide to pick up and answer the telephone, and it's a solicitor or a scammer or something that you just don't want to deal with again, almost all telephone systems nowadays have a capability of blocking further calls from that number. I hit block all the time. And I realize scammers, etc. will find new phone numbers but at least I won't get anymore from that number.  And actually since hitting block on scam calls, for those calls about timeshares or about Medicare or about anything else where people are going to try to take your money, I don't get as many.

Finally, you will never get a non-initiated-by-you call from the Internal Revenue Service, Social Security, Medicare, or other reputable government agencies. If anyone calls you out of the blue saying they're from those places, don't believe them. Besides, if you have to talk to people at those entities, you can go on the web and leave a message at their website or call them yourself. It may take some time because I'm sure they get a lot of calls, but it's certainly much more secure.

PS - I JUST received a phone call, picked up the receiver and it said "Caller Blocked". = Hurrah!!

Des Moines at Sunset

https://archive.org/    What a collection = I just signed up [free] and will probably donate $ since it’s a great repository =plus I can now donate some of my older software and CDs etc = 

I try to keep an eye out for ways to prevent phishing, scams, and identity theft. At times, I have explained them to friends, but then I thought I could post them here and if people read it, maybe they'll find something of assistance.

Today's topic is using email to block spam and questionable contacts. I use Apple Mail on my computer and SpamSieve, which is an extension to Mail & helps find junk mail easily. [I haven't used Apple's junk mail filter for quite some time but I'm sure it's fine too]. In any event, email is placed in the junk folder;  then I go in and if it is clearly junk, I delete and if it's a false positive I move it to Inbox  [happens rarely]. But I've started going into the junk box and Blocking Contact, so that the sender is quickly identified as scam and spam. I have some screenshots below of what I see when I work on this project.  

The top image is what I see when I suspect something is a scam [as this is] and click lightly on the From 'name' = and then I go to Block Contact and click that.  The second image is what I see when I've blocked a sender and something new comes in - no doubt spam too.  I just automatically delete those.  [I'm going to check with Apple to see if Blocked Contacts can even be prevented before they get to my computer]

From Jason Lewis, Strongwell

Managing a business while traveling can seem daunting, but it is becoming increasingly common in today’s interconnected world. With the need for businesses to expand globally, traveling for work is now an expected part of the job. However, it is essential to manage your business effectively while on the go. Here are some tips and tricks for managing your business while traveling.

Earn Points With a Travel Rewards Credit Card

If you need to travel for business, make sure to use a travel rewards credit card to earn points or miles for your expenses. These points or miles can then be used to reduce the cost of future trips or redeemed for other rewards. Many travel rewards credit cards offer perks like free checked bags, access to airport lounges, and even travel insurance. By taking advantage of these benefits, you can save both time and money.

Take Advantage of Travel Apps

There are many travel apps available that can help you manage your itinerary and track expenses. For example, TripIt is a popular app that automatically organizes travel plans into a master itinerary that you can access from anywhere. It also includes real-time flight alerts and updates on gate changes or delays. Other apps like Expensify can help you track expenses and create reports, making it easy to stay on top of your finances.

Use Cloud-Based Inventory Management Software

If you’re running a product-based business, cloud-based inventory management can be a lifesaver while traveling. It allows you to access your inventory information from anywhere, so you can keep track of sales and restock products as needed. Cloud-based inventory management also makes it easy to collaborate with remote team members, making sure everyone is up-to-date on inventory levels.

Invest In a Project Management Platform

When traveling, it’s critical to give your employees a full understanding of project details, tasks, and progress. Using a project management platform can help you accomplish this. This tool makes it easy to assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress. You can also communicate with your team members and keep everyone on the same page. If you’d like to learn more, this site could be helpful.

Find a Cloud-Based CRM Tool

A cloud-based CRM tool like Salesforce or HubSpot can help you manage client relationships while on the go. These tools allow you to track client interactions, store important contact information, and manage sales pipelines. By using a cloud-based CRM tool, you can access client information from anywhere, keep track of important deadlines, and always be prepared for your next meeting.

Set Aside Time to Check In With Your Team

Even if you’re traveling, it’s important to set aside time each day to check in with your team. This could mean scheduling a daily call, creating a group chat, or sending a quick email. Whatever method you choose, make sure to stay in touch and keep everyone updated on any changes or developments.

Consider Video Conferencing 

When you're constantly on the move, meeting clients in person may not always be feasible. In such scenarios, video conferencing tools like Zoom or Skype can prove to be invaluable. With these tools, you can conduct virtual meetings, share presentations, and communicate with clients in real-time, regardless of your location. 

Traveling while conducting business may seem like a challenge, but it is entirely possible with the right tools and strategies. By taking steps like using travel rewards credit cards, investing in a project management platform, and video conferencing, you can manage your business from anywhere in the world. With these tips in mind, you can continue to grow your business while enjoying the benefits of travel.

Visit JourneyZing for inspiring travel photographs and helpful travel wisdom. 

Everything You Need To Know About Traveling Solo

Lifehack notes that traveling is a great way to take a break from the monotony of your routine, gain exposure to different cultures, experience new things, and broaden your perspective. But what should you do if you don't have a travel companion? Nomadic Matt recommends embarking on a solo trip!

Traveling by yourself may feel intimidating, but the rewards of vacationing solo are plentiful:

• Valuable time for introspection
• Peaceful conditions for communing with nature
• Ability to structure a trip based solely on your preferences
• No need to negotiate or make compromises
• Opportunity to travel at your own pace

If you are interested in a solo vacation but nervous about safety, it's important to realize that there are things you can do to stay safe while traveling alone. Consider these strategies from JourneyZing! to increase your sense of security and give you the confidence you need to take the plunge.

Make a Comprehensive Plan

When you travel by yourself, it's best to have a comprehensive plan before you board the plane. The first step is determining where you want to go and for how long. If you aren't sure how to decide, look online for trip suggestions and sample itineraries.

Next, arrange for your transportation. Perhaps you need to book a flight or purchase train tickets. For competitive flight prices, consider using apps that specialize in finding cheap options. You can also take advantage of train apps that offer scheduling, pricing, and real-time updates to help you throughout your journey.

If you plan to drive, you should determine how far you can safely make it in a day. It's safer to avoid long stretches of driving since you won't have another person to relieve you if fatigue sets in.

It's also wise to be strategic about your accommodations. Prioritize safety by finding a hotel in a safe neighborhood. To do this for International travel, research your destination, ask questions on travel forums, and read online reviews for any hotel you're considering. Also look into booking a vacation where you can stay onsite, like Disney World. Staying onsite is a good choice for solo travelers because it's great for safety, plus it's convenient because you don't have to travel far from the hotel to the parks, and you may even make friends while you're there. Learn how to save when visiting the park and other attractions when using MouseLifeToday.com.

Be Prepared for Emergencies

To prepare for the unexpected, have a plan in place for handling emergencies. For example, you should take photos of your passport, travel documents, drug prescriptions, and major credit cards. Keep the images on your phone in case you lose any of these critical items during your vacation. It will make it easier to find a solution if the information is readily available.

Next, give a copy of your itinerary to a trusted friend or family member and plan to stay connected throughout your journey. Having a plan to communicate regularly can help your loved ones feel more secure about your trip and provide you with a backup in case something goes wrong. Also, research the area you're visiting so you can always find the nearest bank, embassy, and hospital.

Act Prudently

Once your journey begins, it's wise to follow your instincts, use common sense, and avoid situations that could present safety issues. For example, don't stay out after dark unless the area is busy and well-lit. You should also avoid overdrinking if you're alone and always pay attention to your surroundings.

Additionally, take precautions to ensure a safe and pleasant hotel experience. Make it a point to:

• Ask for a higher floor
• Keep your luggage locked when you aren't there
• Keep your passport, credit cards, and valuables with you when you leave
• Engage the deadlock when you sleep
• Use a portable door lock or alarm for extra protection

Traveling solo, including to a fun destination like Disney, can be an exciting and enriching experience. By planning ahead and taking the necessary precautions, you can relax and enjoy every minute of your trip!

Thank you to Jason Lewis of StrongWell.org for his guest post. Whether you’d like to take photography classes or book your next getaway, JourneyZing! can help. Reach out to Victoria Herring today for more info! Victoria@ JourneyZing.com