Wupatki National Monument Arizona

We had a nice visit to Wupatki National Monument in Arizona in 2025!

Queen Beanery Peebles Ohio 2025

Check out the Queen Beanery Coffee Shop in Peebles Ohio!

Franklin Tennessee December 2025

We had a great time in Franklin Tennessee at Christmas this year!

Fainting Goat Coffee Spring Hill Tennessee 2025

And we visited Spring Hill Tennessee AND Fainting Goat Coffee again!

Hotel Nickel Plate Fishers Indiana 2025

We had another great stay at the Nickel Plate Hotel in Fishers Indiana!

Logos Theatre at the Ark Encounter for "The Lion the Witch and the Wardr...

We have mentioned the Logos Theatre before...  we were able to enjoy their latest production at the Ark Encounter in Williamstown Kentucky recently.  They did CS Lewis' "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"!

Random Thoughts on Friday: The Concert Experience

 I was talking to my old pal James in Cleveland.  We lived in that town, as I have mentioned before, for nearly a decade at the end of the 90s.

I look at it as an adventure.  We had fun, though it could get rough at times.  We met a lot of nice people we are still friends with.

I did enjoy ( and I do miss) the concerts there.  There was a time in my life where I would go to more than one concert a week.  

There were large venues and small ones.  Big names might play the stadium or larger theaters.  Local acts, or bands that hadn't done a lot in a while might play smaller clubs.

I have a pretty cool collection of ticket stubs, flyers, signed CDs, t-shirts, and other items from my concert days.  I have just about stopped going to concerts at all at this point though.

My friend James still goes at times but not like he used to.  The ticket prices are ridiculous, and he brought up the whole dynamic pricing thing, venue security, etc.

Not to sound like a grumpy old man, but its not the same now.

Coffee Crossing Sellersburg Indiana December 2025

I love the Indiana coffee chain "Coffee Crossing".  This is the Sellersburg Location, near Louisville.

Newspaper Rock, Petrified Forest, AZ

"Halfway between the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest, nead Adamana, one of the finest specimens of ancient writings (pictographs) to be found in America.  These writings are the expressions of an unknown primitive people of long, long ago.  Signs along the highway will direct you to them."

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument 2025

In April of 2025, while on our Arizona road trip, we visited Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument!

Harpeth Hotel Franklin Tennessee December 2025

A great hotel right in the middle of everything in Franklin Tennessee is the Harpeth!  It is especially nice at Christmas!

Bailey Jaynes Bakery Williamstown Kentucky 2025

Check out Bailey Jayne's!  Its just a couple of miles from the Ark Encounter in Williamstown Kentucky!

The Fashion Mall at Keystone Indiana at Christmas 2025

We made our annual visit to the Fashion Mall at Keystone, pretty much in Indianapolis Indiana!  They have a great mall Santa, and the place is always festive at Christmas!!!!

Porcupine Show at the Ark Encounter December 2025

We enjoyed a porcupine show while we were at the Ark Encounter!

Williamstown Kentucky December 2025

The Ark Encounter is in Williamstown Kentucky,,,,,  Make sure you check out the downtown area when you visit.

Java Station 56 Scottsburg Indiana Christmas 2025

A favorite coffee shop in Indiana was decorated nicely for Christmas this year!  I love this place!

Christkindlmarkt Carmel Indiana 2025

We were able to visit the perfectly German Christmas Christkindlmarkt in Carmel Indiana again this year!

Ark Encounter in Williamstown Kentucky December 2025

And, here is a quick look at our most recent visit to the Ark Encounter!

Hampton Inn Williamstown Kentucky- Ark View Rooms!

We had an "Ark View Room" at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Williamstown Kentucky, right next to the Ark Encounter!

Ararat Ridge Zoo and Christmas Lights at the Ark Encounter 2025

Here is a quick look at the zoo at the Ark Encounter and some of the Christmas lights!

Ark Encounter Light Show 2025

Here is a look at the 2025 light show at the Ark Encounter!

Petrified Forest Arizona 2025

We had a great visit to Petrified Forest in Arizona in April 2025!

Walnut Canyon National Monument Arizona 2025

One of the many great National Parks we visited in Arizona was Walnut Canyon!

Random Thoughts on Friday (Breathe 2am)

 Anna Nalick's "Breathe (2am)" came on the other day.  I like that song.  Seems like it just came out the other day.  I still kind of think of it as a new song.

As far as songs I like go, it is a fairly new song, though I just looked it up.  It is over 20 years old.

It is one of those songs that brings back a memory.

Some songs remind me of a road trip, or a high school dance...  maybe seeing a movie with some friends when I was a kid.  "Breathe" reminds me of interviewing for a job- and as much as I hate to admit it, it was about 20 years ago.

I had a job.  Not to get too detailed, but it was a job I liked.  I enjoyed it.  I liked the people.

A professional acquaintance liked what I was doing at my job.  They set up a meeting with some people at another job.  I didn't know a lot about that job, but I knew it was similar to what I was doing.  And I knew the pay was a lot better.

Let me skip ahead a bit, because the end of the story is not the point of the story.  I had a great interview.  I took the job.  It was a good job.  I was there for a while- until I left the area.

BUT, I drove to the potential new employer's office for that meeting/interview.  I had to park in a parking garage and walk a bit to get there.  I was nervous and anxious.  I felt like I was about to cheat on my current job.  I know, I had to do what was best for me and the fam, but it felt kinda wrong at the time.  

As I pulled into the parking lot in that garage, "Breathe" was on the radio.  "Just breathe" was the best advice I could have before going to that interview.

Sometimes you just have to relax, focus, and breathe.

Hampton Inn Downtown Owensboro 2025

We watched the Owensboro Christmas Parade from the Hampton Inn Downtown!