Husband's Crazy Frequent Flyer Mile Hobby, Marriage, Travel

Your Take On My Husband’s Surprise–You More Than Helped Me Decide What To Do

Oh, what a trip it has been! The adventure has started, even weeks before I get on the plane. For that, I have you to thank, Dear Reader. It was just a few weeks ago that I asked you for some marital advice. I shared how my husband has this crazy, geeky hobby where he collects frequent flyer miles without flying. How he’s whisking me off to a tropical paradise in the Maldives.. And.. And… That was where I was stuck. The

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Family, Parenting, The Hard Stuff

Mother’s Day Panic Button: I’m Messing Up Big Time; Help Me Fix It

You know those warm, fuzzy gushy feeling columns you read around Mother’s Day? I’ve written a few myself. (Like this and this.) Yeah, this isn’t one of those. Oh, it’s about motherhood, all right. But this one is more like hitting the motherhood panic button. A button I hit the other day while, don’t get too excited, sewing on a real button. A button that had fallen off one of my girls’ school uniforms. That’s when I realized– These children,

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Lufthansa First Class. Dubai to Milan, through Frankfurt. Two tickets would cost $10,000. MH splurged,paying $240 and 120,000 United miles for both of us. A great points redemption.
Husband's Crazy Frequent Flyer Mile Hobby, Travel

Frequent Flyer Miles Rookies–Target Your Dream Trip!

So you want to get started on this incredibly fun and lucrative hobby of points chasing. Of course, you read my last post and did your dreaming—where do you want to go with these zillions of miles you are going to collect without flying?  That’s really important because it is going to help direct how you’re going to collect. MH has put together this handy guide: —————————————————————————————————————————————— Continental US: Southwest, British Airways Hawaii: United, British Airways     Australia/Asia: Delta, United,

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Husband's Crazy Frequent Flyer Mile Hobby, Travel

Great Trick When You Have To Pay Cash For Plane Ticket

You can bet the Mad Scientist Miles Husband (MSMH) hates to use actual money to buy plane tickets. When there isn’t a great miles deal, he has been known to use the “Hidden City” technique. Simply, this means booking a longer flight than your planned destination. You get off the plane during a layover in your chosen city. Why would you do that? Because, believe it or not, that longer flight just might be cheaper than if you were to

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Marriage

Marriage Teaches Me Something I Should’ve Known About Love

I gave a little prayer of thanks this morning as I walked my dog in the still morning dark. Thanks that my husband made it home last night. Was he gone on a business trip? No. Pushing limits on a drunken bender? Oh, that’s a funny one, if you knew him. So was he somewhere I should’ve been worried about? Not at all. He was, Are you ready for this? At his first baseball game of the season. Every Spring

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Husband's Crazy Frequent Flyer Mile Hobby, Travel

Newbie Frequent Flyer Mile Collectors–You Wanna Do This First

This is Husband. The Mad Miles Scientist. He wants to set you up for success as you try to do what he does–collect millions of frequent flyer miles without flying. He’s sitting here telling me, “Folks are so excited. They want to dive into the deep end. Sign up for a bunch of credit cards, to burn the miles you already have.  But really, to make the most of this game, you need to get focused.” So listen to Husband.

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Husband's Crazy Frequent Flyer Mile Hobby, Marriage, Travel

Is Husband’s Surprise A Good Thing?

To be surprised? Or not surprised? That is the marital question I need your help with this week, Dear Reader. I’ve shared in previous columns my husband’s rather quirky, geeky hobby. Crazy, mad genius obsession, might be a better description. Husband collects frequent flyer miles without flying. Millions of them. It’s all the way we spend our money: mortgage, power bill, grocery store, clothes. No dollar goes out the door without generating miles. Make that multiples of miles. We live

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Life Lessons Took Me Long Time To Learn, The Hard Stuff

Social Media Peer Pressure: I’m Gagging. The Thing I’ll Say That I Bet You’re Thinking

I’m slow. Hopelessly behind. Out of the loop. How about that for some fine negative catty self-talk? I figure it’s not catty, if it’s true. Simply reporting. I don’t have to go far to confirm and reinforce my theory.  It’s a close as my computer. My computer, where years ago I joined Facebook. Facebook, where I post pictures of my life, links that I love, stay connected with “friends,” most of whom I don’t really know. Sounds like a huge

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Books

Book or Kindle? Where Are You In World’s Most Passionate Debate?

I wasn’t going to go, well, there. Frankly, you’ve given me no choice. Such a shame, too, as you and I were getting along so well. In fact, it appeared we were never better following my column of a couple weeks ago where I confessed to be a life-long book lover. Clearly, I’m not alone. I don’t think a column has ever generated more email. You are not shy about your love for books. Nor about recommending who you think

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Best Girlfriends Ever, Overcoming Obstacles, The Hard Stuff

New Christmas China Sets The Table For Better Times Ahead

This actually appears in my new book, “Hope Possible: A Network News Anchor’s Thoughts On Losing Her Job, Finding Love, A New Career, And My Dog, Always My Dog.” If you like this piece, please check out the book. Sometimes you just can’t fake happy. You’ve suffered a loss that’s just too big. A friend reminded me of that this week. Got me thinking back to a time a few years back when my best lady friends were gathered around a

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