Find Out Which US Dialect You Use

US Dialect Quiz at the New York Times website

As you travel around the country, you'll probably notice that people talk in different dialects.  Sure, they all speak English, but certain words and phrases will be used differently to describe different things.  As someone who has lived over 15 years on both the East and West Coasts, I have been able to fondly compare the way folks talk between my friends and family.  And it's interesting that because of my length of time spent on both coasts, I now have a mixed dialect that includes influences from California and New Jersey.

This fun quiz you can find on the New York Times website allows you to answer a few questions to figure out your dialect map.  I originally saw this study by Joshua Katz last year, and it looks like he was involved in developing this supplemental quiz as part of the New York Times.  This quiz and assessment are a fun way to personally see how the way you talk fits onto the map.  This came out pretty accurate for me it seems - my 3 cities it said were Santa Clara, CA, Irvine, CA and Newark, NJ.  While I have never lived in Santa Clara or Irvine - it's still a Southern California influence which seems pretty likely for me - and I have lived in Newark so that certainly works.

See what this comes out for you - and let me know in the comments if you find it accurate, too!

>> Take the Dialect Quiz at the New York Times website

11 Countries in One Minute

This video caught my eye the other day when I saw it on Mobiledia.  It's a pretty cool concept as this guy Rick Mereki visited 11 countries and put this one-minute video together.  A nifty way to share his experience with everyone.  Love the concept - and you may find it inspirational to "MOVE."

Pin Stops Rankings

I'm of the mindset that most places - however popular or small - are worth checking out and adding a pinstop to your map.  Everything from the small roadside oddity in a quaint little town to the most expensive landmark in a major city hold some kind of value to us as "pinstoppers."

To help you get a flavor of what I felt my pinstop experience was, I'd like to introduce you to my new Pin Stops Rankings.  To help explain a little about what I mean by each ranking, here's a quick guide:

5 Pins - Absolutely worth adding a pinstop to your map!  I found these pinstops to be completely worth taking the time to visit.  They are usually unique places with good value and a lifetime experience.

4 Pins - These pinstops are worth adding and may be better than expected.  I found these worth scheduling time to visit them, and they certainly exceeded my expectations.

3 Pins - These are solid pinstops worth checking out.  I would consider these pinstops enjoyable and may be worth seeing again.  These would not be a waste of time.

2 pins - These pinstops are okay but would probably be most enjoyed by certain people, such as fans of a specific topic, person, etc.  Probably okay pinstops if you have the time to spare.

1 pin - These pinstops are probably best enjoyed by diehard pinstoppers who try to see and experience everything they can.  Probably best to visit this pinstop only if it's combined with something else, and you're not going out of your way to see it alone.


I'll use these handy Pin Stops Rankings on each place I review going forward, so you can compare your experiences and let me know if you felt the same.  Of course, the value of a pinstop is always in the eye of the person who experiences it, so feel free to let me know what you think in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

What motivates you to travel?

So I decided to get started with this blog thing.  Over the last decade plus, I've had this growing urge to just get out and visit places I've never been to - and eat at places that were unique to the local area.  I think many people get to a similar age and feel they need to see the world.  But, of course, new limitations hold you back - work, family obligations, health, finances, etc. - the list is full of reasons why you can't travel as much as you'd like.

The solution is just to hang you hat on a few inspirations that will drive toward getting out there and seeing things - however big or small of an attraction it may be.  I thought we'd slow down after having kids, but I think it just presented an extra challenge for us to figure out we can get out more.  Here are a few experiences and thoughts that help motivate me when looking forward to the next day off, weekend or upcoming holiday:

• No Destination Too Small (or Too Popular) - of course I appreciate big trips overseas but there's nothing wrong with checking out a 15 minute drive to the next town over to see something.  In addition, some people get turned off by an attraction being too "touristy" - well, there's a reason why it's popular, so don't let that stop you either
• "I'll do it next time" - I've missed a few things on trips with this excuse.  But in reality, you just don't know when you'll be back, so take the opportunity to check it out when you are there - one of our biggest "I'll do it next time" moments was not taking a gondola ride in Venice (our consolation is the gondola ride at the Venetian in Vegas...just not the same)
• While Supplies Last - related to the bullet above - next time you get there, it may not be there.  I can tell you that we always wanted to eat at Tavern on the Green and Windows of the World.  Well that ain't happening anymore since they're gone now...
• Get Out and Go - as someone who has lived a significant amount of time on both the East and West Coasts, I realized your time in one place can be limited.  How many of us have attractions that are near us that we think we have plenty of time to visit, but we just never make it.  Who knows how long you'll live where you are, so get out and go - or the chance may be gone
• One Little Euro - while traveling with a budget is important, don't let it hold you back from missing some truly unique experiences.  My wife nearly missed see Pala d'Oro, the beautiful gold altar at St. Mark's Basicilica because she didn't want to pay one Euro.  With some coaxing, she's glad she finally paid for a chance to see it.

These are just a few things that inspire me.  So what inspires you to travel?  There's no right answer - it's truly a personal adventure to mark another pin stop on your travel map.