~Saying Goodbye to The Most Destructive Social Media Platform on the Planet~

Today I finally deleted my Twitter accounts. Accounts - plural - because I had two accounts… a public Twitter, and a private Twitter.

But either way - they’re both gone as of today. So, goodbye - and good riddance - Twitter. 

I have had an on again/off again sorta relationship with Twitter for a few years now. But today, we formally broke up. Forever.

Like - We are never, ever, ever getting back together babe.

The main and exact reason for my breakup with Twitter will always be private and, thus, I am not going to share that with you here today. But I am very happy, indeed, to share that the relationship is over. OVER! And if anything I have ever written is deserving of an exclamation point in my writings, it is the previously typed one word sentence.

We are divorced.

Our union - dissolved.

Irreconcilable differences - Checked.

But - THIS - is not bad news.

THIS is good news.

Very good news, in fact.

You see - I am now one less person on the vast, and seedy, and quite despicable platform. One less is a sea of millions. One less droplet of water in a vast ocean of destruction.

And gosh, the waves were strong.

Like hurricane force winds taking place. EVERY SINGLE MOMENT. OF EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

Don’t get me wrong, here. There is a whole lotta good taking place on Twitter. Like - oh, let’s just say - local weather reports. Or, maybe even announcements of the special flavor of the day at the local ice cream shop. And, maybe even a Tweet from your favorite author sharing with you the title of their next and upcoming book. 

But the loudest voices in the room seem to be filled with hate in their hearts. And I just don’t have time for hate.

My private Twitter account was the one I really enjoyed the very best, and is, sadly, the one I will miss the most. It was there, behind lock and key, that I followed all my favorite people in the world. I read their daily musings and followed along as civilized society fell apart around us all. I considered it a private diary of sorts. Where I was brave enough to declare to my private little world who I really ‘had a crush on’ at the moment, and who I ‘loved’ deeply. Who would I go to the ends of the Earth for? Only my diary knows that. And the few people whom I allowed to view that sacred, private diary.

My public Twitter account, on the other hand, was very simple. And not very exciting. I had, oh, I would say, roughly about three followers, and I followed about seven public accounts - including a few bakeries. If I read an interesting piece of news, it was here that I would tweet out a link to said article. And it was here that I would find the donut of the day, and coffee of the moment. It was here that I would be informed of a 99 cent sale on medium iced coffees after 3pm at Dunkin. For goodness sake, if there isn’t anything more important in the world than to know about that sale, I don’t know what is.

But, while the public realm of Twitter can be filled with innocent coffee and donuts, and surveys about which drink is your favorite - the caramel macchiato or the peppermint latte -  Twitter can also be filled with a lot of destruction. At the exact same time. There may even be a hate-filled answer to an innocent survey question about what your favorite drink happens to be. if there is any place in the world that can turn a simple comment (Tweet) into the end of the world - it is on Twitter. The Hate was real people. Real.

And I’m guessing that as long as you haven’t been living under a rock in recent history, then you know as much as well.

Somebody always misinterprets someone else. Somebody always hates what someone else has to say. I’m not even referring to myself or my own Tweets here. I’m just referring to what I have witnessed across the entire platform. And it seems Hate breeds Hate. And the loudest voice in the room gets louder, and bigger, while the smallest voice, or the most quiet voice, gets quieter.

My own footprint on Twitter was small. Very small.

And I’m sure not one person on Twitter will miss me there.

And guess the heck what? I certainly won’t miss that blue little bird either. Bless his little heart.

I don’t think there is one single thing I will miss by not being on Twitter - except, maybe - the weather reports.

It was Twitter that I have relied on during almost all previous hurricanes that have come through during the past few years. It was Twitter that stayed on strong, and kept going, if the internet service was bad to nearly non-existent. It was Twitter that I could pop on and see what the latest forecast was from a local or national meteorologist - up to the minute reports. What was the governor saying? What was the mayor’s latest press conference? Had the river flooded? Was 1st Street under water? Twitter would keep me updated. And help keep my mind at least a little bit at ease, as I watched a storm churn and whirl past us.

So, I guess I’ll just have to get my hurricane weather updates elsewhere. Of course all of this is easy to say right now - in March - when the ten day forecast ahead of me is ten glorious days of sun. Easy for me to say now, when the upcoming hurricane season is still a few months away.

Oh well.

Many people have survived many hurricane seasons without Twitter. I’ve been one of them before. And I guess in 2021 - I’ll be one of them yet again.

I said goodbye to Twitter for many reasons. Many, many reasons, in fact. And as I said already, I won’t name the reasons themselves here. And the reasons shall remain locked away in my very own private diary. But, I am overall ecstatic to share this news with you. The news of saying Goodbye. The news of hitting the DELETE button. And I’m happy to share this news with you right HERE. And NOT on social media.

Alrighty then - I’m gonna go eat some Munchkins. And drink my large Iced Latte from Dunkin. And I’m really gonna enjoy another blustery and wintry day on my barrier island. And I don’t need that little Blue Bird to tell me the weather forecast today either. Because I just looked up at the beacon of sunlight staring right down at me. Beckoning me to get my daily dose of naturally derived Vitamin D, as I sit down to read a good book - by my favorite author.

So, Goodbye Twitter.

Tweet Ya Later. ~

​

~Finding Peace Amidst A Simple Morning Walk~

Thought I’d post my usual (daily) Instagram image right here today - instead of actually on the social media platform I just mentioned. 

Because Christine’s Floridian Dreams lives in - well… Christine’s Floridian Dreams.

And while I do love Instagram, I also loathe all social media platforms.

So as I watch the world seemingly crumble - and desperately attempt to continue onward - around me... 

That world cannot crumble me - and I continue onward as well. 

And I remain optimistic. 

As my focus goes inward.

And I go for a walk.

Sipping my steamy, hot, morning coffee.

And I hug my furry baby.

The world is at peace. Or so... it seems.

While I enjoy a blustery, winter day on the coast.

So today’s post - including the image, caption, and any relative hashtags - lives here, and here alone. On my website. And in MY dreams.

I’ll see you again tomorrow Instagram. But for today - you don’t get even a slice of my time.

~ Cheers ~

#saturdayvibes
#christinepieper
#christinesfloridiandreams 

​

A funny thing happened last Saturday night. The Earth went through a black hole, and came out the other side, roughly an hour into the future.

Either that, or we all jumped at once, head first, into Daylight Savings Time.

Ahhh - the time change.

Spring ahead. Bleh Bleh Bleh.

Fall behind. Blah Blah Blah.

And spring ahead, once again... Is it all God’s way of laughing at us? Is he in charge? Or are we? After all, us humans are the silly ones who invented the logistics of changing the clock.

Sometimes I think the whole time change thing is the universe's way of treating the Earth like a snowglobe. Or God - he picks up the Earth, with both his large hands, and gives it a big shake, jostling everything and everybody around. And just to really mess around with us, he does it not only once, but freaking TWICE a year. Then laughs at us. All while watching the snow fall.

Personally, I think the time change is a whole buncha silly nonsense… an outdated notion - and way past its time - no puns intended - sorta concept. In this era of sheer technological innovation, and where lights can remain on all evening and then late into the morning if one wants, do we really need this twice a year time warp? To save light?

Of course some say yes. But more and more people, and many governments included, are stepping onto the #freezetheclock bandwagon. Also - are bandwagons outdated as well?

So…. yeahhhhhh. The time changed. And with that the whole world was thrown for a little loop. Household pets and animals were confused. Babies and children’s routines were abruptly interrupted. Everything changed - once again.

But I can tell you one, little, minor, insignificant detail that for sure did NOT change because of Daylight Savings Time… and that’s food.

Cause every BODY has to eat.

So, we awoke Sunday morning. To greet the new day.

The sun rose at a different time. We watched the shiny and happy orb situate itself in the sky amongst the clouds at a different angle at a different time. We adjusted the digital clock above the microwave to the new, correct time - cause, if you can’t beat em, join em, right?

And, also with that act of stepping into the kitchen… and just like every other morning on the face of this planet, our tummies got hungry. Nope - the time change did not mess with our stomachs, at least. It was then decided that going out to breakfast was going to be a fabulous way to start our new day.

We made the executive decision to finally try First Watch. A daytime, breakfast cafe, headquartered in the Sunshine State. And with locations in 26 states and still growing, we were excited to finally give it a whirl.

So our tummies lead the way.
To the Cafe.

Metro Diner has grown significantly in recent years. And on our busy, yet lovely and leisurely Sunday, hubby and I dined at the Ponte Vedra Beach Metro Diner location. However, there are many locations throughout Jacksonville.

And we’ve been to most of them. Metro Diner is a regular part of our “dining out” experience.

The one and only original Metro Diner, located in San Marco, is the perfect and very quintessential diner. And this diner became so popular that others were built around and throughout Jacksonville. And now, very recently, Metro Diner has spread throughout the entire SouthEast and is growing at a fairly rapid pace.

But San Marco is and remains probably my favorite of their locations. Old trees. Historic neighborhood. Directly next to the gateway to Downtown Jax. Yet, this past Sunday, we stayed on the island, not venturing over the bridge, for anything.

So we chose a Beaches location to dine at. Still the same food. Still the same atmosphere, service, and friendliness. Just a different area of town, very and much closer to home.

The Jacksonville area Metro Diners are so popular, that Guy Fieri found himself making a stop to Jax, FL. He featured Metro Diner on the popular cable series Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. And that stop in by Guy has only made Metro Diner even more famous.

And while it started out and is known as the place “where the locals eat” - Metro Diner has grown to be a must-visit stop on the list of business travelers, tourists, and spring-breakers, and families young and old, while they are visiting the greater Jacksonville area.

I know that I am always recommending Metro Diner to lots of out-of-town visitors. And I’ve had many a wonderful meal there myself, whether it is just with the hubby, or with lots of friends and family too.

So while I had a leisurely Sunday yesterday, it was also filled with busy and errand-filled tasks that needed to get done.

But, you know what? Life, every day, isn’t just about “getting stuff done.” Running around: doing tasks, and chores, and a list of never-ending errands…. Even if you have an errand-filled day, there’s always room for good food.

And Metro Diner was a no-brainer choice for us. We were in the Ponte Vedra Beach area, and planned lunch out at the Diner while doing my long check-list of things I knew I wanted to get done that day.

I simply added Metro Diner onto that to-do list. And it became a must-do.

And there we went.

And, in about two seconds, I chose the French Toast with a side of Bacon.

When my meal was served to me, our lovely server put it down in front of me, and before the plate even hit the table, I already smelled cinnamony goodness. My meal had the scent of a bakery. It was heavenly.

The bacon at Metro Diner is perfect, so I always recommend ordering a side if your meal doesn’t come with it.

Check out these other delicious and diner-filled stories below, why don’t ya?
16) Beach Diner ~ If You Feed Them They Will Come
19) Another Broken Egg Cafe ~ A Taste Of NOLA @ The Beach
22) Saturday On San Pablo Island

Y’all may also enjoy:
9) Sago Coffee: A Cup Of Friendly & Flavorful Florida
*Part of ~ Bean’s Coffee Shop Challenge ~
11) Eleven South Bistro & Bar ~~ Supper Club Of The South
39) The Very Official & Quite Serious Donut Debate Of 2020
40) Visiting The Florida Cracker Kitchen ~ Jacksonville
48) Love & Donuts In The Air @ Beaches For Australia

Have you been to Jacksonville’s Metro Diner? What’s your favorite Metro Diner location? I’d love to know! Let me know with a comment down below.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Or, maybe, a picture is worth just a few more words than that….

Happy Valentine’s Day y'all.

TODAY

I want you to think of love.

LOVE

I post to you each Monday and each Friday.

And today is Friday.

And as I do each and every week, I had been working all week on a post for today.

Sometimes, I write to you immediately after an experience - such as right after the Key West Half Marathon, or after Sea & Sky Jax Weekend, or Beaches for Australia, or my visit to the Southern Living Idea House, or lots of other events I attend and write about immediately thereafter...

And sometimes, what you receive from me is something else entirely. It’s something that I work at for a very long time. And it’s something that builds into what you eventually receive for publication when I deem it complete and ready.

Just like paint brought to a canvas…

I paint two ways. Sometimes, I paint long, and slow, and detailed, in many layers. And the painting builds and builds and builds over time. Over time equals hours, days, weeks, or months. Many, many months. Until I have a complete story displayed on canvas and ready for eyes to view it. To read the story of the painting itself.

But, sometimes, this idea, my story - my painting - comes to me immediately, in the blink of an eye. Literally. And I paint it, immediately. Quickly. Fast. I have to get it onto the canvas or my brain will burst from the passion coming forth.

Today, your post was going to be a completely different post than the one you are receiving and now reading. I had been diligently working and preparing the post as I always do over a matter of time. And then…

THEN, Valentine’s Day EVE came. Valentine's Day very late night EVE actually arrived.

And everything about that EVE - that YESTERDAY, and that TODAY - changed.

And EVERYTHING - means EVERYTHING.

In the blink of an eye. In the click of the camera. In the sight of a photo. Everything changed. And I had a new story to tell. A new story to write. Quick! Need to get the paint onto canvas. Brain is bursting and overflowing! Right. Now.

So today’s post that you are now reading is completely different - world’s away from the one I had planned to publish today for your reading pleasure and enjoyment.

On Valentine’s Eve, after coming home and entering my very cozy, and my very small, and my very basic, and my very, very perfect little apartment, I instantly changed once again. Merely because the LOVE I feel inside me grew bigger in that one second. That one moment in time.

I came home and received love and happiness. Something I am met with every night, the only difference is last night we took a photo of it.

I came home to my own Valentine love nest, and received love in return.

Valentine love nest.

Are you picturing two cute little feathery birdies yet? If you are not imagining birdies. Go ahead right now and queue up bird imagery in your head..

I’m waiting…...

Got it?

Ok.

Will now proceed.

Imagine a nest.

A nest with cute little adorable birdies sitting inside it.

Maybe some red birdies? Or brown birdies? Maybe those birdies are sitting in an evergreen tree? They are sitting in their nest on a branch, and they are looking down on the world right now.

Or maybe that soft and cute and cuddly and quite feathery little birdie isn’t even an actual bird by the way.

Maybe the birdie is really a doggie.

Or maybe our little, figurative, and way too cute birdie is your spouse.

Your significant other.
Your aunt.
Your cousin.
Your grandma.
Your sister.
Your brother.
Your furry critter.
Your Fish.
Your father.
Your friend.
Your friend - who lives many states away. Your friend you just had to say goodbye to. Your friend who hopped on a train to ride the rails to a far off land. That friend - who just visited you at work. Your workplace being her final stop. Her final stop on a very important visit to a very important place. And she came to your work to say goodbye to you upon her departure. And as you hugged each other. As you took one last selfie. And as she walked away to go drive to the train station…. you both yelled out “I LOVE YOU!” In front of a million strangers. But neither of you cared. Because your love for each other and the experiences you’ve shared together matter more than what any stranger could ever think of you shouting out your expression of love. Of one another. And of life itself.

Maybe, you came home last night from work, and you were met with love. That love from your turtle. Your guinea pig. That love from your critter. The love from another. The love from yourself. The love from God himself.

Love in all its forms.

Maybe, the love from our dearly departed filled your home. Maybe they were watching you eat dinner. And you felt their presence inside your warm house. Knowing full well they are always with you.

Every day.

Every night.

Maybe you came home to your dog who missed you dearly while you were away for nine hours.

Maybe you sat down with your doggie and hubby and you watched Blue Bloods and ate a quick late night dinner from Wendys. A burger with no mayo at 510 calories. Maybe you watched Danny Reagan kick a few butts. And maybe you watched Jamie Reagan change the word in 42 minutes and 30 seconds flat, as he tends to do every episode. Maybe you watched Danny Reagan eat his Sunday dinner while you ate your Thursday night dinner.

Maybe Danny Reagan had to say goodbye to his eldest son, who was leaving to go off to college in Season 9.

Maybe the Reagan family opened their home to the newest member of the family.

Maybe while the Reagan’s had to say goodbye to Jack, they said hello to Eddie. And Eddie now eats dinner with the Reagan’s each Sunday. An empty seat is filled by another. Love all around. Love in the air.

So, getting back to our love nest. And the cute birdies sitting in the tree in their own nest.

Because that’s what happened to me last night. I went home. And I was met by my own birdies in my own nest.

I came home, after a long and wonderful and blessed day, and I was met with the birdies who share that nest with me.

My birdie was brown!

It was a SHE!

Oh wait… and a HE!

My birdies in my very own nest were my very own brown doggie. And my husband.

I came home to them both - and it was Valentine's EVE.

I had a great, and a long, and a fabulous day yesterday. As I do each and every day. I told you each day is the best day of my life, right?

I worked all day. Then. My husband picked me up. He had a load of groceries in the back seat, by the way.

And we went home.

And at this home, it had been a very long day for a little doggie to be parted from her Mama as usual.

Upon walking in the door, my precious little doggie greeted me as she always does.

But one thing was different about that greeting last night. That one thing is the reason you are now reading this story instead of another one.

I sat down on the kitchen floor.

To receive the love from my dog straight on. And at her height level.

And we cuddled as usual.

But it was just so very cute.

And I became so very curious?........

So,

I asked my husband to take a photo of my doggie.

My doggie was giving me a big hug. And I always wonder. How does my little birdie in her nest look out at the world beyond me when she is hugging me? I can’t see behind me, of course. I want to know what all that love she gives me looks like from behind?

And my husband was standing in our kitchen with me and our little birdie angel. He was unloading the groceries he had brought home. Loading them onto the counter top, behind Me…. And I said to my husband… What does our little doggie angel look like when she hugs me? Here - take a photo for me would you please?

I reached into my stuffed pockets. From my heavy and thick and full and very dirty work pants.

I grabbed my iPhone out of the big pocket. And handed my phone to my hubby to take a photo.

And he did just that.

And that photo is why you are receiving this post today instead of something that’s been since erased.

Happy Valentine’s Day WORLD.

Today, I want you to love yourself. I want you to love others. I want you to love your Valentine. Love those who live in your love nest with you. Better yet, love those who live in other love nests that surround yours - all the nests sitting in the very same tree, but just sitting and resting upon different branches. Or merely different twigs.

And, maybe your nest has more than one birdie sitting inside it. Just like mine does.

After I got home. And after I received the unconditional love from a dog hug. After my husband snapped a digital picture. And after a story came to me in a flash. In the blink of an eye. There was one more surprise waiting for me at the end of the night last night.

I was gone from home yesterday all day. I was very messy and I was very dirty. I felt love and life and God himself inside me though.

So as I sat on the kitchen floor.
And as my brown doggie greeted me and hugged me.
And after husband took that photo that I requested… He said...

“Happy Valentine’s Day”

And, all three of us turned to face each other. Me. Husband. Dog.

And Hubby handed me a bouquet of beautiful pink tulips.

FLOWERS...

Flowers for HIS own Valentine Birdie. I guess I’m a bird too? I instantly grabbed the flowers. And I cried of happiness.

So there we all sat.

On the kitchen floor, of the nest, in our second story tree house villa.

Brown Birdie was hugging Mama Birdie.

Husband Birdie was handing Mama Birdie some flowers.

Mama Birdie was very hot, very messy, and very sweaty. Spills and stains and hours of that sweat all over her dirty clothes. With hugs and flowers. And lots of happiness. And lots of endless love.

And Husband Birdie took the picture.

The picture worth a thousand words… Or, 1661 words to be exact.

Happy Valentine’s Day, from my nest, to your nest. And to all birdies, and all the eggs, in all the nests, resting on all the branches, in all the trees, in all the World.~

And so with donuts in mind, if you haven’t been to the Mini Bar in Jax Beach, it’s time to seriously consider the following question:

What else on Earth are you waiting for?

In my case, I guess it was the fires in Australia that finally led me to the land of the most magical and mini donuts.

I know, I know. I live in Jax Beach. The Mini Bar is located in Jax Beach. I love donuts. I love coffee. How - How is it humanly possible that I never visited this establishment before now?

Believe you me when I say that I had been wanting to go to The Mini Bar for quite some time. I had even popped my head in back in the past. It was on a busy day, and I had been next door at the Dollar Tree running errands. And curious about this amazing looking place, I glanced inside before popping back in my car.

So I had seen, but I had not tasted. I never took a seat, and never ordered a coffee, and most importantly, never ordered the donuts, yet.

I had just never got around to it, as they say.

But when I saw the Facebook and Instagram posts telling me about an event at both The Mini Bar and Southern Swells to raise funds for the wildlife affected in the Australian fires, I knew it was finally time to officially check the place out.

On Saturday, February 8th, both The Mini Bar and Southern Swells co-hosted the fundraiser, along with a variety of local vendors set up in the outdoor courtyard area surrounding the businesses.

While all those koala bears seem so far away to me, it doesn’t mean seeing their burned hands hasn’t had me wondering what can I do to help. The images of all those homeless animals hurts my very soul. A huge animal lover in my heart, it crushes me to see our Earth’s defenseless creatures not being able to survive and thrive on their own, let alone their entire houses - their natural habitat - being utterly destroyed. And, if I can contribute even a tiny bit, each person doing their part makes a difference. So I knew I wanted to attend.

And I’m very glad I did. I love seeing all the local small businesses that attend these types of events. But mostly, I just enjoy checking out the atmosphere. Seeing new establishments and shops that I’ve never been to before. And of course, looking up at all the donuts in the sky.

I really enjoy checking out how a variety of local small business owners such as jewelers and artists incorporate local coastal treasures into their designs and wares for sale. Local honey, local seashells and oyster shells, local sea glass, local clay molded into jewelry. We even have a local dog park here at the beach y’all! Sign up to become a member why don’t ya. And my favorite item of the day, locally poured soy candles.

I purchased a very generously sized two-wick candle from Lumi Bean. Vegan, soy, and locally poured in Jax. I’ve been drawn to anything citrus scented lately; whether it’s been citrus candy, citrus all-natural household cleaning spray, or citrus body wash, etc... if it’s citrus, I’ve been wanting it. So I immediately grabbed the citrus candle, breathed in the refreshing and clean scent, and knew that’s what I wanted to purchase at the event. Candles were $18.00 or 2 for $30.00. I went with one of the 16 oz. large candles, and am quite excited about my purchase.

Have you been to The Mini Bar in Jax Beach? What’s your favorite donut they serve? Let me know in the comments down below:

If you’re enjoying my Floridian Dreams, check out some of my other adventures living and dreaming in The Sunshine State:
9] Sago Coffee: A Cup Of Friendly & Flavorful Florida
*Part of ~ Bean’s Coffee Shop Challenge ~
14] Finding Trinkets & Treasures @ The Jax Beach Vintage Flea Market
21] Cinotti’s ~ And Why Life Is Too Short To Not Eat Donuts
22] Saturday On San Pablo Island
31] Tuesday’s On First Street ~ The Jax Beach Art Walk ~
39] The Very Official & Quite Serious Donut Debate Of 2020
44] Nothing Finer Than Coffee In The Keys ~ The Coffee Plantation Cafe

Go ahead and sign up to be a Sunshine Subscriber below. You’ll never miss a story, and you’ll be the first to know of all my latest artwork too.

During my recent travels driving on down to the Florida Keys, we were lucky enough to have one, single, solitary, quick night to spend on the small island mentioned in that classic Beach Boys song.

I had been once in the past - to Key Largo - not Kokomo. However, my visit was merely for a short lunch break on our drive down toward that last Key on the map. You could say that my visit to Key Largo was a “If-You-Blink-You-Miss-It” type of visit.

So I obviously didn't have much time at all on the island to speak of… But during that short experience a few years back, Key Largo was so very intriguing enough to me that I knew we needed to come back. And I knew I wanted at least an overnight on the island.

I thought… If I couldn't stay forever, I’d at least need that.

So, we booked one night at the Hampton Inn Key Largo. Located at 102400 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037. Its location is right in the middle of it all; in the middle of everything that is Key Largo. If merely because Key Largo is so small that, to me, anywhere in Key Largo is everywhere in Key Largo.

We reserved a standard king with a balcony and pool view. Our total cost was zero dollars for this stay, as we used Hilton Honors points for the entire cost, taxes, all associated fees, etc.

And let me just say, if you are not a Hilton Honors member, and you love to travel, go get yourself a Hilton Honors Membership - pronto. Like - you know, stop reading this. And go sign up my dears.

Why? You may ask me…

For the simple reason that a completely free membership will bring things into your life like the example I just named above… A free night stay in Key Largo. No darn, yucky, gunchy, stringy, strings attached. Yep, it’s that easy.

And I NEVER pay for memberships that provide rewards. I believe in making my own money work FOR me, not the other way around. Once I’ve already earned the money, why do I need to spend it again to get the benefit of something. It’s kinda like how Suzy Orman taught me a very long time ago… You know. Like on a cold winter's day back in 1987, and the snow was falling, and I had to walk uphill to school both ways… with no buses even running then... she said to me,

“Don’t pay for memberships, my dear child.”

Well, scratch that. She might not have told me that personally. Actually, she might have never even said those exact words... But in my mind she did, and in my mind she taught me that. In my head I hear her voice when it comes to spending. Because she helped teach me about responsible finances, spending, and saving too. And I do think of Suzy Orman every time I think of memberships.

So folks, you see… Why pay to have your money work for you? When you can work your money yourself?

Here’s an example: I have the Disney Visa. But I don’t have the Platinum-Gold-Shiny-Heavy-Carved-Straight-From-A-Diamond-Mine-Disney-Visa that costs $50.00 a year plus. I have the free version. And all I have to do is swipe it and my money works for me on both ends.

And as I now tend to travel outside of the Disney gated kingdoms more so than within, I also have Hilton Honors, because it’s free as well. And just by swiping at the grocer each week, and for clothes and gas etc. etc. my money paid out is earning me stays. Stays that are easy to book, without blackouts and fine print that you would need a magnifying glass and a law degree to interpret. Get Hilton Honors, and honor yourself with vacations. Or any free hotel reward program - there are quite a few to choose from.

So there you have it. Swipe and earn, my friends. Swipe and earn.

Our room was just perfect for a Hampton Inn stay. I’m a huge fan of Hamptons all around and have been to countless of their locations.

I suppose I’d say that while I’ve never been to THE Hamptons, I’ve been to plenty of OTHER Hamptons.

I actually couldn’t count my stays in Hampton Inns if my life depended on it. But let’s just say that this hotel room was as nice as all the rest of those ‘other’ Hamptons or even more so. I’m kinda biased because of the view we had:

Jerry Seinfeld once said after visiting a certain and particular bubble boy in upstate New York... “There’s nothing finer than being in your diner.” And you know what, every time I walk into a diner I think of that episode. The Bubble Boy.

But you know what else? Sometimes I tend to disagree with Jerry on that sentiment… Sometimes, I think there might be just one small thing finer on this Earth than being inside a diner. And that’s being inside a coffee shop… in The Keys.

Located @ 713 Caroline Street, Key West, FL 33040, and open seven days a week, The Coffee Plantation Cafe is a must-visit while in Key West, Florida.

What a complete and total rare gem on an island. During our recent visit to the Keys to run the Key West Half Marathon, on our first day we walked past this lovely little cafe late in the afternoon. Everything about it looked very tempting. We had just visited the Race Expo for the event we would be running early the next morning and strolled past the shop as we headed back to our hotel. Just one glance and I knew I had to go in there before our short and spectacular visit in Key West came to an end.

So, after exercising for hours upon hours that next morning at the race, my brain told me it was definitely time to get some much-needed and well-deserved coffee. In fact, toward the end of that crazy and fun and ridiculously challenging race, coffee is what held me together. Coffee kept me going. Coffee was my motivation. Well - at least the thought of said coffee.

With lots of both indoor and outdoor seating available, there’s something for most everybody. Walking in one passes cold cases of bottled drinks and such to grab and go. And then at the counter there is a variety of baked goods for sale. Fresh and tasty, and very tempting, we had to buy something. We had no choice. We were forced into it. After 13.1 miles almost anything and everything looks good, but this stuff would have looked good even if I had just rolled out of bed and hadn’t burned one calorie off my behind yet that day.

We ordered one very large cinnamon roll, to split. The hubby ate his half right away, as he doesn’t need to watch his calorie intake and can do whatever he pleases. But I saved my half for a treat that evening, as I do now watch my calories every day and had already had an amazing plate of cornbread for breakfast after the race.

Hubby ordered a large iced latte, and I ordered a large hot latte. They were perfect. I could have visited this shop every day of my visit in Key West. And I was sad when I actually did have to leave. Had I been a resident of this quaint little area of the world, this cafe would definitely be on my regularly scheduled itinerary.