Corporate Blogging

Take Better Nighttime Photos   Written for the Washington Trails Association blog   Visit the published article here   Learn how to take better nighttime photos with this new photography guide from Mountaineers Books. Have you ever wondered how photographers capture those amazing nighttime shots of the moon, star trails and the Milky Way? Here’s your answer. Photography: Night Sky by Jennifer Wu and James Martin (Mountaineers Books) details the tips and techniques needed to photograph the night sky, including setup, exposure and the right amount of finishing touches to turn your nighttime photos into stunning spectacles of the cosmos. Although the book is aimed at those who are already familiar with DSL cameras and processing images on their...

Backpack Review: Pack Picks from Hydration to Trekking   Written for the Washington Trails Association blog   Visit the published article here   From hydration pack to day pack to ultralight and backpacking, WTA’s gear team field-tested and rated ten new packs: the Osprey Rev 12, Outdoor Research Levitator 16, Outdoor Products Amphibian 20, Osprey Stratos 34, Gregory Z40, REI Crestrail 48, Gregory J53, GoLite Quest 65, Granite Gear Nimbus Trace Access 70. Whether you are looking for a light pack to hold your water during a run, a daypack or a full-on backpacking pack, below are ten field-tested options that WTA has put through the ringer. DAYPACK: Outdoor Research Levitator 16 Outdoor Research created the Outdoor Research Levitator 16 for...

Reinvention Is All about Resolutions—Old and New!   Written for PureHome.com   Visit the published article here   Today is the first day of 2014. All around the world, New Year’s resolutions are being committed to fridges, mirrors, and Facebook walls. Resolutions are being tested; people are flocking to brightly lit gyms and swallowing horse-size diet pills in the name of better health. With all of the excitement about the future, it’s easy to wish away the past or lose sight of it entirely. But hold on a minute! Slow down. As you jump on that treadmill, consider one thing: You can’t know where you’re going until you acknowledge where you’ve been. The first step to successfully reinventing yourself in 2014 just may be thoughtful reflection on 2013....

Reinventing Adventure in the New Year: At Home and Abroad   Written for PureHome.com   Visit the published article here   By now, most people who are traveling have made it home for the holidays. Gifts are being opened, and Christmas is in full swing. New Year’s resolutions might even be on paper. There’s promise in the air: promise of better habits, better priorities, and a better year. I’ve been thinking about my resolutions a lot lately, and I finally landed on something that makes my soul sing: travel! I used to be quite the globetrotter, but in the past few years my focus has been primarily on career and home. Time for me to get back to my roots and have an adventure! Maybe it is for you, too. If you’re anything like me, there are certain...

Reinventing the Holidays with Scandinavian Flair   Written for PureHome.com   Visit the published article here   There is something about Christmas that makes me feel like a kid again. It’s not the traditional allure of the season—sparkling lights, stately evergreens, or nostalgic music. Instead, it’s the steadfast traditions my proudly Norwegian family has always kept, like devoting entire days to making lefse and krumkake or attending the annual fete at the Sons of Norway (dressed in a bunad, of course). My attention is captivated by the wafting scent of freshly made lefse and lingonberry preserves, delivering me back to the magic of Christmases past. Family traditions seem to mean more as we establish ourselves as adults. Isn’t that always the...

Reinventing Gifting—One Indulgence at a Time   Written for PureHome.com   Visit the published article here   When it comes to gifting, my family has always been thoughtful. Recently, though, my sister took things to new heights. To celebrate my birthday, she made lunch reservations for two at a marvelous elite restaurant. The ambiance was luxe, the service was top shelf, and so was the champagne she treated me with. Needless to say, I felt utterly and completely loved! I would never have indulged myself with such a glamorous outing. That afternoon, my sister gave me a gesture more delighting and decadent than I would have ever given myself. That afternoon got me thinking: I’m not alone—there are throes of people who either can’t or won’t splurge on...