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Tell us your Mistletoe Moment and Win $150

By The Fighting Couple on December 15, 2012 in General, Slideshowable

We are looking for the best Mistletoe Moment from 2012! The lovely winner will be awarded a $150 Visa gift card! Wow! Finally it is OK to Kiss and Tell!

So what exactly is a Mistletoe Moment you ask?

Simply put, it’s a moment in time when you and your special someone get taken in by your surroundings, the sights, and smells but most of all, each other! You could be with 10,000 tourists in St. Mark’s Square in Venice or in the middle of the Amazon where you are surrounded by 10,000 bugs! It could be anywhere/anyone?/anytime but it MUST be magical!

The holidays are a wonderful time to remind us the importance of one another. Here at 1000Fights we believe that the greatest gift we give is each other. We celebrate all of you couples, especially those of you that get out and explore the world together.

The Kahles our 2011 Winners

To get your creative juices going, here is the winner from 2011 :

The Kahle’s from Wanderlivin

“A wedding can mean many different things to different people. To the bride it’s the most important day of her life. That’s why when I was told my hairdresser canceled on me the day before the wedding I tried to shake it off. When half of my family couldn’t come because of Hurricane Irene I tried to shake it off. When my photographer didn’t show up – I couldn’t shake it off. Walking down the aisle in distress I saw my husband and the way he looked at me as I walked down the aisle. When I reached him I pulled his face down for a kiss before the minister could even start as the waves of Monterrey Bay crashed around us and bridesmaids giggled at the ministers disapproval.”

You can read the other great entries from last year HERE.

How to enter? Just two easy steps:

1) In 50-ish words or less, tell us about your “Mistletoe Moment” in the comments section below. We want all the details: when, where and why.

2) Give us a “like” 1000Fights on Facebook here. Then leave a comment,: “I had a Mistletoe Moment!” Here.

Stay tuned we will soon announce our celebrity Judges.

The Fine Print (sorry, but it’s really not that bad.)

1) Mistletoe Moment must have taken place in 2012.

2) Entries will be accepted till midnight December 24th, 2012.

3) Final selections will be made by our awesome panel of judges. (To be announced soon!)

4) We will announce the winner on our webpage on December 26th, 2012.

5) This contest is not valid where prohibited. (What a terrible place to be!)

6) Please keep Mistletoe Moments rated (PG-13 or PG, no G’s allowed!)

7) Prize will be delivered via Paypal, or another agreeable method.

8) The last one we promise…remember its OK to Kiss and tell!

Please share our little contest with your friends!!! Just click below to share on Facebook or Twitter. (Thank you!)

Passports with Purpose

By The Fighting Couple on November 27, 2012 in General

How would you like to get yourself a $100 shopping spree and support a great cause?

If you had to make a list of things you could not live without, what would it include? Wifi? Iphone? Diet Coke? Those are all worthy and necessary. But how long could you live without clean water? Not long. That’s why we the Fighting Couple have teamed up with a community of travel bloggers called Passports with Purpose. This year the group has elected to support Water.org.

For more than two decades, water.org has been at the forefront of discovering and delivering solutions to the global water crisis. As a part of these efforts, Passports with Purpose has selected Water.org’s certified local partner: Haiti Outreach to build and rehabilitate wells in Boucan Carre and Mirebalais, serving more than 7,400 people with clean water, sanitary toilets and hygiene education. Passports with a Purpose’s goal is to build five wells as a part of an 18 month program. We can do it!

How would you like to win a prize AND help out a cause?: Win a $100 Shopping Spree.

So we thought long and hard on what we would contribute as a prize to our loyal readers that support the effort. What do couples want most??? What brings them together?…. Yep. That’s what we thought. So we are offering up a lovely $100 shopping spree. Buy yourself or your sweetie something wonderful.

A $10 donation will allow you to put your name in the drawing to win one of the awesome prizes our fellow bloggers have pulled together for this year. For every $10 donation, you get to nominate one prize to win (or put it all into one prize should you wish – every $10 gives you another chance). Please give.

What to Do Next

Visit the Passports With Purpose donation page.
Choose the prizes you’d love to win and enter your donation amount. Remember, for every $10 you donate you get to pick another prize or gain multiple entries for your most coveted prize. It’s up to you! Cool huh? Please contact us if you have questions.

Other ways to support the cause

Follow Passports with Purpose on Facebook.
If you’re a fellow blogger with ad space to spare, host the Passports With Purpose widget on your site. It looks great and will help spread the word to your readers about this awesome fundraiser and all the fabulous prizes they can win with a small donation.
Promote the #PWP hashtag on Twitter and use the buttons for your Twitter avatar and in any free 125×125 space you have free on your site.

Disclaimer: 1000 Places to Fight Before You Die is not affiliated with Water.org nor Passports with Purpose (They are super cool.) Our site is the sole provider of described winning prize, which will be delivered as an online gift certificate.

7 Questions with Here, There, and Elsewhere

By The Fighting Couple on August 29, 2011 in General

Do you ever get a kind of insight when you meet someone for the very first time? You say to yourself, this person is going places? Is it charisma? Well we feel this way about our 7 Questions featured couple this week. They are really destined for some great adventures! So… meet: Bryan and Laura.

Blog: Here, There and Elsewhere

Twitter: The DeLuca’s (follow them as they have hit the “2000 barrier”)

1) How many countries visited between the two of you?

Team DeLuca has been to 22 countries collectively…Bryan having visited 12 and Laura ten. Not too shabby for a pair of (strong to quite strongly attractive) amateurs.

2) If you had to travel with someone else besides your travel partner, who would it be? (this person can be living, historical or mythical?.)

He Said: Morgan Freeman, so he could narrate my entire journey.

She Said: I would travel with one of my best friends, Katie. She and I met six years ago at an alumnae gathering where I proceeded to unknowingly make fun of one of her high school acquaintances, and we’ve been friends ever since. She and I have similar interests – could sight-see one day, then watch a Real Housewives marathon the next while ordering room service in our PJs – and get into quite a bit of trouble when we are together.

3)What has been your favorite destination in your wanderings?

He said: Switzerland because it’s so tranquil and picturesque. And the sheep are cute, too.

She said: I feel like such a typical girl when I say this, but definitely Paris. The sights, the smells, the random men in their underwear splashing around in fountains. It’s just delightful.

4) If you had to eat one last meal, what/ where would you eat?

He said: This is a tough one, but I’d have to pick steak and lobster at a really nice steakhouse. You know, man food.

She said: Hands down, I would have a Tex-Mex feast. A little queso here, some sour cream chicken enchiladas there, and a nice margarita to wash it all down.

5)How do you pick the places you visit? Spontaneous vs. planned?

He said: A little bit of both. I like knowing what I’m doing but I like getting lost, too.

She said: I spontaneously let Bryan plan most things.

6) If you could solve one problem in the world what would it be?

He said: Cancer, that bastard.

She said: Human trafficking, those bastards.

7)You knew it was coming….What has been your greatest travel fight/disagreement?

She said: Well, I was working until the 11th hour prior to a weekend jaunt to New Orleans. Apparently I was the cause of us not only almost missing our flight, but also our bags having to travel on a later one. Then I got food poisoning and my husband went to a vampire party without me. I’d say that was quite the travel adventure and fight. Oops!

He said: Fighting about the fight Laura just mentioned.

1000Fights: Wow! This couple has spunk! Ok, lets get the obvious out of the way. We know that they are likely the odds on fav for our Hot Blogger Contest. Luci says that they are going to make beautiful babies…I am not really sure what that means. Anyway. H T & E are headed on a whirlwhind trip and we wish them the very best in their travels and adventure together. As a parting shot, we want to share one of their recent tweets:

HTandE The DeLuca’s
30 minutes ’til our guests arrive, and my hubs and I just slow danced in our kitchen. #lovebirds
5:27 PM Aug 27th

Bryan and Laura-Come back and tell us when the fighting starts!

The Hottest Travel blogger of 2010?

By The Fighting Couple on January 5, 2011 in General

Congrats to our friend Keith! http://www.traveling-savage.com

“A hunter, oft-stubbled and bleary-eyed, driven by an insatiable hunger for exploration and experience – and perhaps a chance to thin the herd of caffeinated and alcoholic beverages. From distant locales around the world to local spots in the neighborhood, I recount the triumphs, trials, and tribulations of life on the road and in the new.”-http://www.traveling-savage.com

Keith writes an impressive blog. He delivers very tight writing and catchy and timely topics. He is as widely traveled as any adventure blogger out there. I think what makes his site the most interesting is his personal story. His compelling story of how he came to the road makes for a good read. We highly, highly recommend following his blog and twitter feed.

Twitter: @travelingsavage

Congrats Keith!

Guest Post: Ever thought about global volunteering?

By The Fighting Couple on October 30, 2009 in General

You may have heard now about short-term international volunteer opportunities, where you’ll have the chance to soak in a new culture while giving back to your host community. You also might have looked into different programs – figured out where you’d like to go, what you’d like to do, how much it costs, and more. It sounds like a fun trip, so what are the pros and cons?

Pros

– You’ll help an underserved community! There are so many options out there, whether it’s education, health care, orphanage work, wildlife sanctuary assistance, business startup, and more.

– Many organizations charge very little for your assistance. My website, for example, lists hundreds of groups who ask their volunteers to pay only $15 per day for their food and accommodations.

– You’ll experience a new culture, and in many cases, live with a local family. Depending on the type of trip, you’ll be immersed in the host community’s way of life – from working alongside them to living with them.

– Many new opportunities are short-term, allowing those who only have limited vacation time to help others and explore a new area.

– You’ll meet new people – both in the local community, and from around the world.

Cons

– Is the group helping or hurting the community? Unfortunately, some organizations may have the best intentions, but aren’t going about their “help” in ways that are sustainable, or that involve the host community in the best capacity. Try to find one that actively involves locals, giving them the tools necessary to help themselves.

– Costs can pile up. The first organizations you’ll find in Google searches charge upwards of $5,000 per week, not including your airfare! Look around until you find something affordable, and don’t become discouraged. Find people who have volunteered before, and see what they recommend – many can be found through Facebook and Twitter.

– Immersing yourself in a new culture will take you out of your comfort zone. Perhaps you’ll be in a community that views women’s rights differently than your own; are you comfortable adapting to and being respectful toward it?

– Short-term isn’t always the best. My general rule of thumb is that if you’re working with animals, children, or victims of violence, disaster, or neglect, it may be best to go for at least one month. A revolving door of one-week-workers isn’t exactly the best plan for vulnerable people or wildlife.

– It’s work! And it can be tough, uncomfortable, frustrating, and you probably won’t see the effects of it by the time you leave. But if you understand that before you go, and prepare yourself for it, you’ll have a great time.

Are you up for it?

As you can see, there are pros and cons for embarking on international volunteer projects. They can be frustrating but rewarding, and as long as you prepare yourself and know what you’re getting into, I can almost guarantee you’ll love it. And by “almost” I mean, I’ve only met one person who didn’t.

I’ll sign off here with one last bit of advice: Figure out whether you want your trip to emphasize “volunteer” or “vacation”, and then find a group that’s on the same wavelength. Once you do, you won’t be disappointed – and probably want to go again and again!

A huge thanks to our friend Sarah Van Auken for a great guest post! Sarah runs a website called www.Volunteer Global.com. Her site highlights the ins and outs of volunteering! Volunteering is the next best thing to fighting!

Surviving the Talkative Airplane Seatmate

By The Fighting Couple on October 30, 2009 in General

(CNN) — All I wanted to do was to fall asleep in my tiny seat on the last leg of a grueling day of air travel, when I was cornered by the Talkative Airplane Seatmate — a species oblivious to yawns and one-word answers.

My chatty neighbor was a forklift accident expert — a job he described in great detail as my eyelids grew heavier and heavier.

I mentioned that I was barely functioning after an 11-hour flight from China to California, followed by a six-hour layover at San Francisco International Airport.

Still, he recounted his life story, showed pictures of his family and listed his hobbies. I finally fell asleep, but when I opened my eyes, he opened his mouth again.

Most travelers have crossed paths with the Talkative Airplane Seatmate at some point, discovering that even lackluster responses and chilly body language can’t stop the stories or personal questions from coming.

“As soon as the guy beside me sat down in the aisle, I knew he was itching to strike up a conversation. I avoided eye contact like the plague, but he wasn’t a master of social cues,” wrote an air traveler this month in a post on Flightsfromhell.com, a Web site where passengers vent about their horrible flight experiences.

“I grabbed my book and made the mistake of turning my light on, an action that inspired him to break the ice. Immediately, he was completely facing me, leaning into my seat and asking me questions.”

Twenty-four percent of business travelers like talking to people on planes, according to a survey by the corporate travel management company Egencia. When trying to signal they want to be left alone, half said they start reading, 38 percent listen to music and 15 percent pretend they are sleeping.

Gregg Rottler, founder of Flightsfromhell.com, said he tries to stop talkers in their tracks by bringing a bag full of newspapers and reading throughout the flight.

Randy Petersen, editor and publisher of Inside Flyer magazine, flies up to 70 times a year on business. He said his favorite defensive strategy is to put on headphones immediately.

“I never want to be a curmudgeon,” Petersen said. “[But] there are plenty of people out there who find 11 o’clock at night on the red-eye from LAX to JFK to be a perfect time to be talking. I take the red-eye because I need to get some rest before I go immediately to a meeting.”

Nervous, nosy or networking

Why do these overly aggressive talkers do it?

“I think most of them are clueless, to be honest,” said etiquetteexpert and author Anna Post, who is also a spokeswoman for theEmily Post Institute.

“They’re not thinking about how their chatting could be affecting someone else. They’re just thinking that they want to talk, so they’re talking.”

Some also may be trying to network — especially during tough economic times.

If you’re not sure how much to talk with your neighbor or are faced with a Talkative Airplane Seatmate, Post offers the following tips:

To chat or not to chat? There is no obligation to talk with the stranger seated next to you, but some eye contact, a smile or a nod can serve as basic acknowledgment of that person. If you’d like to start a conversation, remember that some people may be shy or exhausted.

Stick to basic subjects. “Avoid things that are overly personal,” Post advised. “Avoid hot button things like politics. … You’re in a small space, you don’t want to set off any fuses.” Good topics? Your destination, the movie that just played or the book the person is reading.

Early clues that your neighbor has had enough. When people begin answering questions with a question or respond with “uh huh, sure, mmm hmm,” it’s time to back off, Post said.

Signaling you’ve had enough. “I like to do the long, slow unwinding of my iPod ear buds,” Post said. “It gives them plenty of time to recognize where I’m going without just cutting them off short. Then when they take a break, I say it’s been great chatting, I’m going to turn on the movie for a bit or I’m going to go back to my book now.”

Be polite but firm. Post advises against telling the person directly that you don’t want to talk. Instead, turn your attention to another task such as reading or doing work.

Networking in the air. Looking for business contacts is fine, as long as you’re not pushy. Being overly aggressive can damage a potential business relationship.

Talking with a colleague. When sitting next to a co-worker, a boss or someone you supervise, chat at least a little, Post said. “If they’re senior to you, follow their lead. Let them set the tone for how much to chat. If you’re on more equal footing, it’s going to be a bit more give and take.”