Must Be May - 2019 - Stream of Consciousness Saturday - Let's Roam

Quite unexpectedly the other day I got an email from a representative of "Let's Roam."  I had not heard that name before but the message said that since I had previously requested to be an affiliate, they were offering me the opportunity to join them now.  Upon researching, I found out that "Let's Roam" is the new name for "Big City Hunts." 

Indeed, I had requested to be an affiliate of "Big City Hunts" a couple of years ago after my husband and I had such a good time on the Reno Hunt we accomplished.  I had never heard back from them so I forgot about it.  Apparently, they've been undergoing some changes and now they are "Let's Roam."  Their Mission Statement is to "focus on connection through exploration, creating new ways for people to see the world, create memorable experiences and meet new people.  Our mission is to reimagine the way people explore and connect."  I like that mission!

Of course I said that I would definitely like to participate and I sent the link to the blog post I had written about our Reno experience.  I was excited to get the response back from them stating that I could be an affiliate!

"Let's Roam" is a treasure hunt experience leading you, through an app on your phone, around your chosen city with a series of hints and clues from point to point.  There are trivia questions and you really need to take a look at your surroundings to get the answer which leads you to your next spot.  Picture taking is a part of the fun as well and you earn points for solving the riddles.  You can choose to "role" play by being the "Photographer," "Braniac," or "Explorer" or you can just be tourists as my husband and I did.  There are no tour guides, reservations or time constraints, you can move along at your own pace. 


There are currently over 350 different cities in the program over four continents!  There are programs for large groups and corporate events to help with team building and there are also hunts for special occasions like birthdays, bachelor/ette parties and date night!  It is a great way to introduce the kids to new places as well.  In fact, one of the long-term plans of the company is to "launch a non-profit that helps children get out and explore the world."   The tickets are reasonably priced and once you purchase, they are good for two years.  They make great gifts too.

This is one of the spots we were taken to when we went on our scavenger hunt. 

Since "Believe" happened to be my "Word of the Year" it was especially moving for me.  

There were even some things that we found that were not part of the hunt, but we probably wouldn't have noticed them if we hadn't been looking more closely at our surroundings. 

     

Obviously the fact that I am an affiliate means that I would get some compensation for anyone who books a "Let's Roam" trip using my link but I really believe that the experience will be a great one.  If you decide to go on a Scavenger Hunt, I'd love to hear about it. 

Also, I am developing a mini-album to go along with the hunt that will be available in my Etsy shop.  If you want to have your pictures put in an album to commemorate the experience, I'll be happy to work with you on one.  There may even be a special discount!  Just send me a message with your details.   

Technically this was not a true "Stream of Consciousness Saturday" post because I didn't really just let my mind wander but I did start the post with an adverb, which was the prompt from Linda for today.  Have a terrific Saturday all.   

In Tune With June - 2017 - Vision Card Update

Every year for the last few years I've been making Vision Cards, as introduced by the wonderful Jamie Ridler.    Half the year is gone so it's time for me to check in and see how I'm doing.  Here are the ones I made for this year:

The first has to do with self-care.  I have done pretty well with my Hungry Girl eating program and have lost about 18 pounds since January (44 total since last year).  Not a huge amount but at the same time I don't feel like I am depriving myself or starving.  We eat out occasionally and I certainly don't kill myself exercising but for the most part, I am happy with the way things are going.  In the last month I have really stepped up my walking, taking a walk around the neighborhood almost every day.  I have set myself some weight loss goals and so for the next six months I am going to make a more focused effort in that regard. 

Next has to do with my creative life.  My goal is to be able to increase my income by either selling the cards and mini-albums I make and/or earn some money through affiliate programs.  I haven't really worked very hard in this area yet, although I am now an affiliate for both Blitsy (an online craft store) and Creative Live, an online education resource.  You can see both of those on the right side of this blog (if you are seeing it on Blogspot - I haven't added them to the WordPress site yet).  I have been taking some of the free courses offered on Creative Live about how to utilize my Etsy site better and be found in search engines.  In the second half of the year I hope to put all the research I've been doing into practice.  I do have one craft fair scheduled in November.   

Travel and Adventure is the next card.  I think we really covered that well with the Big City Hunt that we went on last month in Reno.  We have the voucher for one in San Francisco that I want us to do now that the weather is getting nicer.  I'd still like to hit Carmel and Monterey but I'm not sure that will happen this year.  












Finances is something that is a never ending battle it seems.  Just when I think we are getting ahead, something happens to stall us.  I'm not giving up though and will continue to work toward making our retirement less stressful.

Finally, we have our home.  The makeover it got last year did wonders and I wanted to continue the trend.  We used up our financial resources for the most part so the things we do now need to be at minimal cost.  We have made a great start in the last month in two areas.  The backyard, where I have started to detangle the jungle that has grown there and the garage where my husband has really made huge improvements on cleaning out and organizing.  It is a tricky area because I can only offer my opinion when asked as the things in the garage are mostly his.  I wouldn't want him to come and organize my craft room though, so I totally understand. 

Not too bad for half a year.  I really find making these cards more helpful than just making New Year's resolutions.  I know I am not going to get everything accomplished in every area, but having the cards and checking in with them periodically keeps me focused.  

How about you?  Make any vision cards?  New Year's Resolutions?  Have plans for the next half of the year?  Love to hear about it.