Feeling Jazzed and Hopeful; How about you!? (and sometimes frustrated)

Life is heavy sometimes, so here are 5 tips to ease the load and also more about how to navigate politics today (very important!)

This week I have a lot to say. I feel a bit raw on the insides for lots of reasons, so you’re going to get some of my “real talk” that I haven’t shared in a while. Yes, I have fun travel stuff too, but that has to take a back burner for a moment. If you’re paying attention to what’s happening in the USA, and in particular Florida, you know why I’m ablaze with indignation. But I’m also my fun happy self, and I think that adds to the discourse around watching the world go up in a kitchen grease fire around us.

Before I start firing off with poetry of the highest caliber regarding the current state of affairs, here’s what’s new on 2TravelDads.com:

• Quite a lot about Alaska - we spent three weeks there this summer and I’m heading back for two weeks next month.

• Arizona road trip plans - it only took me eight months but I’m finally writing about our December trip through Arizona’s National Park sites, including the Grand Canyon and Yavapai Lodge, Saguaro National Park and more!

Thank you for hearing me out about all the things that are important to me, from travel to parenting to politics. Each one of those topics is an element of living in our world and to be detached from them (yes, even detached from the life of parenting, meaning that you’re not conscious of other’s worlds that include children) is limiting what you get out of life. Choosing to explore is political. Choosing how we educate through travel is a parenting choice. And parenting our kids to grow up to shape the politics that make the future better for others, well, that’s just straight up a key element to being a parent. So thank you for being here for that ride.

And if you’re one of the people who doesn’t like to talk about politics, well, how nice for you. Please enjoy that peace you must find in your privilege while the rest of us are on the ground working to ensure a future we can both exist in and be proud of. But more on that later.

Life’s Tough. Here are 5 tips to make it a bit better

Before sharing about what’s happening politically in the USA right now and how to navigate conversations, I have (what I think) are some helpful tips for daily life.

Today one of my good friends checked in with me just to see how life was going. My response was: “Life drudges onward at the pace and cadence of a Costco shopping cart falling down stairs made of crumbling concrete.” And yeah, that’s how life can feel sometimes. I know right now I’m in a place of the kids being back at school, the husband traveling for work for the last two weeks, business being a rough frontier, and my physical self feeling the signs of aging. That’s a lot at once. I mean, I know I’ll get by (I always do), but it’s still hard.

Here are the things I’m doing right now to get through this rough patch of life:

• walking outside - I get up early to make the kids’ lunches and breakfasts, but if I’m lucky I can either still score a run or walk before they’re awake. If not, once they’re at school I force myself to go for a walk, even if it’s just through our neighborhood.

• coffee is king - Yes, I know I should just enjoy water and green tea and kombucha and communion with the doves, but that’s not a realistic expectation for most of us. For me, I’ve cut out drinking Coke with all of its caffeine and sugars. Yes, I’m still drinking coffee, and cold coffee is a great option for me when I’m wishing I had a Coke. I know it’s not the healthiest choice on the block, but it’s a BETTER choice that brings me joy.

• look at water - it’s been studied and it’s a known fact that looking at water helps to lower your heart rate and calm you down. I’ve got it good because we live between a beach and a pond (full of turtles), and we’ve got swimming pool access, so looking at water just happens. If you don’t live in a moist place it may be more difficult, but when you’re having a rough day it’s a welcome distraction to break the pace and find some peace.

• embrace birdwatching - people: BIRDS ARE AWESOME. You don’t have to be on a wilderness adventure to enjoy birding. Unless you’re in the most densely populated urban area, you probably have birds all around you. If you don’t, make a plan to drive 15 minutes away to find birds. They are fun, happy, and such a great way to chill out.

• GO TO BED - as I talk with different friends, it breaks my heart when I head them say they can’t sleep. I can always sleep (and love naps) and find that they help me so much. If you’re a slow faller-asleeper, here’s how I’ve gotten myself into the fast sleep zone: medium-loud sound machine, dark bedroom, quiet television show with the brightness turned down, and a little Vick’s vapo rub on my chest. All together this helps me recharge each day and feel like I can do it all again.

I know we’re all different, but this is what helps me when life feels extra tough. And now for how the US political landscape is impacting our world…

UPDATE: Rocky the Cat

As you may have saw, we lost our kitty, Bijoux, in May and have since welcomed a rescue Bengal into our home. Rocky is an intense cat, to say the least. He really does want to be loved and he’s got some form of love to give, but he’s stingy with it… and it usually comes with a surprise attack.

It’s very difficult adjusting to having Rocky around. I feel very on-edge around him because he seems to have it out for me. He attacks me both when I pet him and when I just am walking by. He’s difficult to love and I’m trying. I’m sure it’ll get better, but in the meantime, he’s a beautiful jerkface.

What happened to VISIT FLORIDA’s LGBTQ webpages?

Yep, something is afoot. I realized something was wrong when I was updating the page on our website that has the links to our partner work and media interviews and such, and our VISIT FLORIDA article was no longer live. So I went to the tourism board website and couldn’t find any of the work I’d done… or anything else LGBTQ related. Read about why LGBTQ marketing is important here!

The next morning the LGBTQ arm of NBC’s social media shared the story of LGBTQ content being removed from the whole VISIT FLORIDA website. Sure, there are some paid business listings that have individual business information provided by the business that notes “LGBTQ friendly” or something, but actual travel information and articles were all gone. We’ll see what happens here. This is one reason being publicly strong and celebrating Pride is important.

In light of the state tourism website no longer feeling the need to share gay travel information, because yes, we look for specific indicators that imply where we’ll be welcome and safe, there are Florida destinations that continue to be intentionally welcoming and loud about it. Visit Miami, Visit Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Sarasota, and Orlando all intentionally make efforts to create safe and welcoming tourism experiences and share those in their marketing. Good for them for keeping a backbone in our crumbling state.

WITH THAT, I’m happy to say that even if the state tourism board no longer stands behind our community or the work that we’ve done for them, we still have lots of recommendations for where in Florida you can confidently spend you tourism dollars and feel solid about the destination being a welcoming place with good support for the LGBTQ community. Top picks are:

• Pensacola on the Gulf Coast (very LGBTQ inclusive)

• Orlando and the Parks (we just completed a project with them too)

• Miami (South Beach is a lot to take in, but fun)

• and the Florida Keys

First, some inspiration - I see a bright future!

As I’ve been watching the people rally around the themes of hope, protection and positive progress with the Democratic National Convention, it really brings to light the difference in how people view America. As I read platform pieces from the Republican party and listen to so many of them talk, they’re so set on control and “states’ rights.” It’s wild that the action they take or say they want to take is so different from the Democratic platform.

It’s not all “same evil different face” or the “lesser of two evils.” Right now we’re really seeing the difference between a group of people wanting to help our country no matter your gender or beliefs and another group that literally wants to impose their religious or bigotous views on our country. You’re seeing a group of people that are excited to protect rights and make life better for the people in the USA and then you’ve got a group that’s literally chanting and cheering for mass deportation of people who’ve come to America trying to make a better life. And I want to talk about that for one moment, as it is such a talking point that people bring up in conversation with me.

The Border Crisis Talking Point

I am not a sociologist and I’m not a border patrol administrator, but I am an actual human who has known and worked with many people who came into the USA both legally and illegally. I have actually gotten to hear the stories from my friends of fleeing to the USA from across the ocean and across the southern border. People don’t just up and leave their homeland because they are feeling the itch to roam.

Why the “border crisis” is nonsense if you’re an actual caring human:

• if you were in a situation so bad that you had to flee to another country faster than or outside of the legal process, would you not hope to find refuge and maybe even, dare I say it, support?

• the jobs people crossing the border are able to get are rarely the ones border-complainers think they are. People aren’t crossing the border and walking into a school demanding to be the teacher without the proper documentation or certifications. People aren’t sneaking across the border to tighten you kid’s braces or step into the role of the F&B manager of your gated community Michelin Star restaurant… People are accepting work on farms, day laboring, cleaning, fixing equipment; they’re being hired by those who can help them and need the work done.

• if you’ve gotten yourself to think that crime rates rise with immigrants, you’re just wrong and probably significantly racist. It’s actually a known fact backed up by academic research that immigrants are SIGNIFICANTLY less likely to commit crimes than US born folks. So if that’s where your mind is, check yourself and think about why you think this.

Anyways, I would love to read something that shows why we cannot welcome people in need that ALSO explains why corporate and super-wealthy tax breaks are imperative for the American way of life. I’ll wait.

Real Talk: Do you know what’s ACTUALLY up or are you just trying to sound like it?

As I actively engage with people, both online and in person, I can tell when a person is well informed and has taken the time to consider the different points of view and has looked at both data and their feelings before opening their mouths. That’s called “knowing your s***.” When I peep into a conversation or somebody comes for me about a border crisis or says that LGBTQ people need to just exist without drama cuz they themselves aren’t a part of the drama, well, that’s when you can look at somebody and think “You don’t have a clue what’s up.”

You need to have some background knowledge or experience to be able to make a solid case in a hot button discussion. If your life experiences and reading bills, laws and individual statements from the people governing our land have informed your opinion, great. You know what’s going on and if you have a sense of awareness AND you understand that all people are human with valuable lives and life experiences, then you’ll most likely be speaking truth, peace and progressive kindness.

Also, keep in mind that some people just want to be the opposition. They don’t want to see another point of view if it’s not going to directly and immediately benefit them. They just want to fight sometimes. Today I said to somebody “Some people wake up dying to take umbrage with ridiculousness” and I think that’s actually what got us here in the first place.

How to Get Information and Be INFORMED

For the people just getting their opinions from the news or a broadcast like FOX News and not actually engaging with the real world or reading what’s actually happening or potentially happening, well, they’re more in the zone where they should know “they’re” vs “their” sh-bleebidy-bleep.

Something that is interesting in terms of those who watch or listen to the FOX News talking points and hold onto them like Rose should’ve held onto Jack, well, they aren’t actually getting the “fair and balanced” reporting they have told themselves they are. If one checks the Fox website under Terms of Use, you will find in the first sentence of the second paragraph the statement that Fox News provides entertainment. Nowhere in the document is news actually mentioned as a service provided… and hence a whole population of people allow their prejudices to be entertained and enlivened.

Ultimately, what I’m saying is that it’s very worthwhile to spend time understanding what’s happening in the world and reading the information available to us all. Whether you’re reading the actual records from Congress or reading Supreme Court opinions, reading a candidate’s declared platform and policies or reading the documents they affiliate and associate with (I’m looking at you, Project 2025), understanding our world is complex, but going back to the source of the confusion can really strengthen one’s own understanding and help speak with others.

Why We Can’t Shy Away

If you know me in real life, you know that I ride a high horse and I stay on it. The reason for this is because if I’m riding high, it’s because I really have taken the time to learn something and paid attention to the details and nuance. I’m not grabbing an opinion and waving it around cuz I’m bored. If you think I’m on a high horse for a topic and you want to take me down, go for it. I’ll dismount if I learn that I’m incorrect or have it all backwards. But if you come for me and I’m speaking from a place of experience and knowledge, get ready to chat… because I will not be gaslit.

Gaslighting became a big term with COVID and the 2020 election. If you don’t know what it means, it’s basically when somebody tries to rewrite history in your mind. EX: “No, I didn’t want this; you did” or “That didn’t happen because of X, but you’ll see that it was actually because of Y (but really it was X).” As we see laws and policies being tossed around, you have to separate the talking points from reality and data. Hopefully the data is easy to understand, but often when it comes to economic and employment it’s not. When it comes to marginalized people, data tends to be incomplete for many reasons. If you’re hearing about a crisis, is there hard data that is valid and suggests an actual crisis? Staying strong in looking for the truth in what’s presented is so important.

And talking to people about this, not shying away, is important. When people show you who they are, believe them… and then explain why it’s important to proactively become a better person in society. Hopefully that’ll be a part of the change we need to see… Anyhooo…

Upcoming Travel: Heading Back to ALASKA!!

I’m so excited to head back to Alaska in a few weeks. Being back this summer really made me remember just how much I loved living there, and I can’t believe I get to return again in the same year! For this upcoming trip, I’m doing some tourism projects and attending a conference, but even though it’s 92% work, it’s the best kind of work.

Here’s what’s on my docket for my Alaska trip:

• dog sledding

• reindeer farm

• ATVs and hiking

• helicopter tour with glaciers

• wildlife explore in Knik Arm and Blackstone Bay

• Glacier hiking at Matanuska Glacier

• the Alaska Railroad

• Seaplane to Lake Clark National Park for bear photography

• Hatcher Pass (one of the prettiest dirt roads in AK)

• Whittier and more glaciers…

I know that at the end of it I’m going to be exhausted, but between living in Alaska, this project, and our own trip earlier this summer, I feel like I’ll be able to talk about every type of Alaskan adventure. I know it’s going to be amazing and I can’t wait to write about it!

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That’s all for now. I know it was a lot and I have some heavy thoughts and themes in my life right now, so thank you for listening. And thank YOU for doing your part to reach those who don’t see how our country is hanging in the balance. I appreciate the hard conversations we all have. I know we have amazing things to look forward to in the future.

Have a wonderful week ahead!