Eye & Pen: Lifestyle, Travel, Photography and Literature
  • Main
  • Blog
  • Topics
    • Accommodations
    • Bucket List
    • Cheap Travel
    • Culture
    • Essay
    • Destinations
    • Inspiration
    • Interviews
    • Narratives
    • Personal
    • Photography
    • Restaurants
    • Reviews
    • Safe Travel
    • Travel Planning
    • Trip Update
    • Weekly Wanderlust
  • Photo Gallery
    • Photo Gallery – All Places
    • Photo Gallery – Aruba
    • Photo Gallery – England
    • Photo Gallery – Europe
    • Photo Gallery – Iceland
    • Photo Gallery – Ireland
    • Photo Gallery – Italy
    • Photo Gallery – Northern Ireland
    • Photo Gallery – Other
    • Photo Gallery – Scotland
    • Photo Gallery – USA
  • Services
    • Blog Coaching
    • Graphic Design
    • Hire Brandon
    • Advertising
  • About Brandon
  • Contact

It’s more important now than ever to buy local

12/21/2012

4 Comments

 
Picture
     We’re in a state of economic crisis that this world has never quite experienced before, which means it has never been more important to spend safely and to focus spending habits toward those who need it the most. The world is nearly split, black and white, between the ridiculously rich and those living in extreme poverty. All of the countries in the world are affected by the ‘global economic crisis,’ with the worst being that of the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and Brazil, among countless others. I run a travel blog and I don’t have much of an economical voice, however I do understand how focusing where my money goes can have a tremendously positive effect on those who are suffering.


Read More
4 Comments

A thankful rant

11/22/2012

6 Comments

 
Picture
I’d like to take a moment to thank all of my readers...
Thank you so very much!
     For without your amazing support, I would still be lost, wandering around in the dark and may never have found continued passion and fulfillment in what I do. Additionally, I’d like to apologize for not expressing my appreciation more often. Once a year isn’t quite often enough to say your thank you’s and to show your appreciation for the important things in life.
     Thanksgiving’s original purpose - like most holidays - has lost a lot of its original meaning. Instead of offer a year-long lingering feeling of gratefulness and connection with all those you love, it’s been replaced with shiny, pretty little things to distract us from the good. Football, turkey and stuffing is not how Thanksgiving started, nor what it was meant to become. Thanksgiving isn't about black friday or the competition of who can buy the most junk for the absolute cheapest price. It's about spending time with those you love and giving back to all others that need it most, and to be thankful for everything that you have.


Read More
6 Comments

Expectations and first impressions

11/13/2012

7 Comments

 
Picture
     When traveling, it’s important to keep an open mind. Especially when your destination is culturally different than anything you’ve ever experienced before. For me personally, I experienced a large cultural change once I arrived in Italy, as it was the first time I had been outside of the States. Attempting to navigate the chaos of Rome’s back alleys and Venice’s canals while being surrounded by locals and Italian only signs was a bit of a shock. If you keep control of your expectations and prior judgements, you can avoid having a negative experience while traveling.


Read More
7 Comments

5 reasons to travel

10/11/2012

67 Comments

 
Picture
-Discover enlightenment
      I do not necessarily mean religious enlightenment, moreover the enlightenment of self discovery. If you let yourself surrender and become lost in the place you’re visiting and shed all of your preconceived biases, judgements and worries; you then become vulnerable. This vulnerability is a huge step in the right direction - without it you are a tourist, going sight to sight and never changing and never growing - taking nothing from the experience. There is a very strong feeling of freedom, knowledge and understanding once you fully release yourself and connect with your travels - within this feeling you actually begin to find who you really are and whom you wish to become. This is why many (myself included) tend to preach about letting travel change you. If you reach enlightenment through travel, you are never quite the same again - it’s a wondrous experience!  (Photo from EverestUncensored.org)


Read More
67 Comments

My hometown: Columbus, Ohio

6/11/2012

2 Comments

 
Picture
     Lounging on my porch, overlooking the lake is a favorite past time of mine. A relaxing, soft drizzle permeates the air in a blissful mist - the center fountain echoes of apathetic rain. My feelings are light and my mind is at ease as I focus on the chirp chirp from the birds in the trees of the woods.
     I’ve spent the last few days writing in the comforts of home - time away from the inner city is blissful and necessary sometimes. Although, I’ve been dormant for too long. Today, it’s time to venture out along my old favorite path.


Read More
2 Comments

A soundtrack to euphoria

6/7/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
How music can transform your travel experience
     I was walking aimlessly around Paris, thoroughly lost - incidentally, my favorite travel past-time. Although Paris had me feeling a little down; with a heavy feeling of maybe wanting more. I flew right into the Charles De Gaulle earlier that day and took the metro into the heart of city. Paris has to be the #1 city in the world that has the largest expectation for perfection. The City of Light is commonly known as the most romantic place in the world - but I think their idealistic expectations fall short more often than not.


Read More
0 Comments
<<Previous
Forward>>

    Sign up for my VIP email list:

Picture
Picture

Article Topics

All
About Blogging
Accommodations
Bucket List
Cheap Travel
Culture
Destinations
Discussion
Entertainment
Environment
Essay
Fine Art Feature
Gear
General
Giveaway
Green Living
Guest Posts
Inspiration
Interviews
Lifestyle
Luxury
Narratives
Not Recommended
Other
Personal
Photography
Restaurants
Reviews
Safe Travel
Trip Planning
Trip Update
USA Road Trip
Video
Weekly Wanderlust

RSS Feed

Monthly Archive

January 2021
December 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012

*Disclaimer: All blog posts featuring products, reviews, or suggestions for products or services are governed by our Disclosure. Products were received free to review, so to provide authentic opinions and content for our readers. The opinions and ideas in this post are the writer's own and are uninfluenced by any other person or business. We receive no compensation for product reviews. Links within non-product review posts may be sponsored.
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.