In July of 2010 we watched the fireworks from a rooftop of an office building in Washington, DC. The surreal experience was perfect for experimenting with Fireworks photos as the colors decorated the national mall and lit up the monuments. Maybe 1 in every 10 photos turned out, but the ones that worked were pretty amazing. While I'm not sure when I'll be in our nations … [Read more...] about Happy Fourth of July!
Travel Blogging
Reflecting on Travel Stats for the First Half of 2014
A few days ago I looked the calendar and said to myself “holy cow, we’re already half way through 2014… I feel like I haven’t gotten anything done!” This is especially true for my life as a travel blogger - I have not done a great job of sticking to a regular posting schedule, and I’m not sure exactly when that will happen again. … [Read more...] about Reflecting on Travel Stats for the First Half of 2014
My Annual Porkapalooza BBQ – Bringing the South to the North in Minnesota
Not everything I do is about travel, although I have been on the road my fair share since late March. Sometimes the best times are had at home, as was the case when I hosted the 8th (and final) rendition of my annual BBQ that we lovingly refer to as Porkapalooza. … [Read more...] about My Annual Porkapalooza BBQ – Bringing the South to the North in Minnesota
Adjusting My Approach to Travel Blogging
While I have been posting my trip reports on the web since as early as 2005, it wasn’t until late 2012 that I decided to create an official travel blog called Jeffsetter. When I decided to publish a dedicated travel blog and spin it off of from my personal website, I thought it would help me stay focused on a single topic and grow an audience. I also thought that I might … [Read more...] about Adjusting My Approach to Travel Blogging
A Not So Luxurious Travel Day… or Why Can’t Airlines Just Be Honest?
Today was supposed to be a leisurely travel day. A midday flight from one polis to another (Minneapolis to Indianapolis), 90 minutes in a plane, a time zone shift and a wonderful dinner at St. Elmo steakhouse before heading to the Kentucky Derby tomorrow. Then I got to the airport and realized that I was missing something: Tickets to the Kentucky Derby. Sure, I had … [Read more...] about A Not So Luxurious Travel Day… or Why Can’t Airlines Just Be Honest?
Live From FTU Seattle – The Final Launchpoint Competition
All the way back in April of 2013, I participated in an event at Frequent Traveler University in Washington DC called Launchpoint. At that time, 10 startups pitched their ideas to the audience at FTU in order to win $50,000 in funding for their business. A winner and runner up was chosen from the presentations to move on to the final round of entries. While my idea of Free … [Read more...] about Live From FTU Seattle – The Final Launchpoint Competition
Twin Cities Points and Miles Enthusiasts Meetup – April 3, 2014
One of the things that I have learned in writing this blog is that there are a lot of fellow points and miles enthusiasts right in my back yard! That makes the Twin Cities a center of music, arts, biking, med-tech and frequent flyer miles. A few readers in the Twin Cities area have reached out to ask me if there were any meet up groups or gatherings to talk about our hobby, … [Read more...] about Twin Cities Points and Miles Enthusiasts Meetup – April 3, 2014
Seeking Inspiration from the Countryside? Maybe a Free Ride on Amtrak Will Help!
Last week a friend posted an article to my Facebook timeline that details how Amtrak gave a writer a free ride from New York to Chicago to New York to work on her writing. This "writers residency” was designed to be a way to block out the noise of life and focus purely on writing. It sounds like the ride was a tremendous success and may set the table for other writers to get … [Read more...] about Seeking Inspiration from the Countryside? Maybe a Free Ride on Amtrak Will Help!
Is it Rational to Move Across Country to Avoid Delta?
I’m asking for a friend of course... Longtime readers of Jeffsetter know that I am a Platinum Medallion with Delta and based out of Minneapolis. You also probably know that with every change Delta brings to the table a piece of me dies. This change has me wanting to move away from my home state just to get out of the chokehold I find Delta has me in. The most recent … [Read more...] about Is it Rational to Move Across Country to Avoid Delta?
14 Signs You’re Obsessed With Earning Points and Miles
This morning I was setting up a new online account with a credit card provider and I had the biggest sense of deja vu. It occurred to me that I have done this many times before as I used my 10-key to pound in my bank routing number in about 0.002 seconds. Many of you are in the same boat - you are proudly obsessed with earning points and miles! While obsession can become a … [Read more...] about 14 Signs You’re Obsessed With Earning Points and Miles