As you have noticed, there have been some changes. These will be for the better; but I wanted to explain the whys the whats and most importantly ask for your feedback!
Why
When we switched over to a much easier to manage blog platform, we had a custom design made for us. Unfortunately, the design had so many customized areas, that upgrading became a hassle and to be honest the designer was a little less than responsive. So we have moved to a different look that will be easy to navigate and offer a different and exciting experience at Single Parent Travel.
We welcome your suggestions, because this is indeed YOUR site. Please keep in mind, that over the next few weeks it will be evolving as it is a work in progress, but please comment and let us know your thoughts–colors, layout, information, style, etc.
What
Top Bar. These are the main categories about us. History, contact info, advertising info, links to sites we feel you may like or enjoy, downloadable forms, and ultimately a method for you to book your non-SPT travel if you like.
Graphic. This will be done in a few days, but we will have a series of photos in the banner area that are snapshots from single parent vacations. My son is working on those right now!
Lower Bar. This is the main navigation bar. Do you want to read the Single Dad Blog, view our trips, or read our articles. When you click on a topic, your results will be filtered to just that topic–”trips” will not have any “blog” entries.
Center Column. This is the single place to go for updates. The center column will feature the latest information (blog, trip, or article).
Right Column. This will be reserved for our sponsors and advertisers. If you know of anyone that might be interested, please pass our name along. We have also eliminated the SPT Singles pages. There was too much confusion, and I am wondering if it is a good match for us in any event. If you are interested in an online dating service, there will be a smaller ad from Fast Cupid. We obviously do earn some revenue from the ads. Some are sponsored (paid) ads and others are affiliate programs where we earn a commission if you buy a product. If you are shopping at Amazon, you can click through our link and we can earn a little bit to help support what we do. Your clicks and purchases are MUCH appreciated. Additionally, some of our ad proceeds are donated to local charities.
Left Column. This column will have information about the site. I am not sure what will be in there yet, but typically you will have some search features, comments, popular posts, maybe a calendar of trips, the sign up form for our newsletter, and more.
And speaking of our sign up form. We get a tremendous amount of traffic to the site but relatively few new subscribers. There is a static form on the site (left column) to sign up. However, I am also experimenting with a pop up for a sign up. I know pop ups are irritating–I hate them too, but this one is designed a little differently. Once you visit the page and either close it, or sign up, you shoudl never see it again on that same computer. So yes, you may see it even though you are signed up, just close it and you shoudl be good to go. But I am VERY interested in your thoughts on that pop up. I don’t want to alienate people and scare them away!
Thank you for your patience and I look forward to your comments. Let me have it!
(Note: Thanks to others who told me it was a hoax….never mind!)
(Note: Thanks to single parent Linda S for the tip)
The Red Planet is about to be spectacular!
This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter’s gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth in the Last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as 60,000 years before it happens again.
The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest 75-power magnification.
Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August it will rise in the east at 10p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.
By the?end of August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30a.m. That’s pretty convenient to see something that no human being has
seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar at the beginning of August to see Mars grow progressively brighter and brighter throughout the month. Share this with your children and grandchildren.
My deceased aunt gave my two kids a Cocker Spaniel a few months back. The dog has been a terror and become overwhelming for me. I am a single father raising two young children. I cannot face telling the kids that the dog must go. I have found a good home for the dog, and just need someone to transport the dog, and play the villain.
Premise: You will be the dog walker hired by daddy (me) to walk Skittles. I will introduce you to the kids, and you will tell them you are going to help Skittles get her exercise when Daddy is too busy to walk her. At that point you will walk Skittles to your car and take her to her new family 20 minutes from my place. Then return holding just a leash. The story will be that Skittles broke free of the leash and took off. At this point prepare for crying, things being thrown at you, and possibly cursing. My kids are young and dramatic, their girls.
Pay will be $500. The job will take roughly 2 hours at best.
This job is ideal for an actor looking to diversify their role base, or someone who genuinely likes to make children cry. Acting experience is a plus, but not necessary. Please inform me of any prior experience in this kind of situation.
Just a fast reminder that the deadline to get the old pricing for the Rocking Horse Ranch trip (Nov 13-15, 2009) is June 1. After June 1 the price increases.
Remember, this is only a deposit and it is fully refundable up to October 15th -ish so if you have any inkling to come join us, you might as well lock in the pricing now–you can cancel tomorrow if you like! Below are the pre/post June 1 prices:
Adult and child $545/$615
Adult and 2 children $710/$815
Adult and 3 children $875/$1015
And yes, I know, this sounds like a Crazy Eddie sales pitch!
Just a brief heads up. With the economy in the tank, there are schemes that pop up all the time. One that has been around for a while is YTB Travel (yourtravelbiz.com). In a nutshell, it is a pyramid scheme where the money is made in recruiting others into the scheme.
Last week, they were essentially shut down by the Attorney General in California for being an “endless chain” scheme and for deceptive advertising and business practices. They were fined $1 million dollaras. As soon as the settlement was released, Illinois also filed a suit against them.
Being in the travel industry for many years, I am strongly opposed to these types of schemes. They work for so few and end up being a rip off for so many.
I wrote a column for The Examiner about the troubles with YTB, and invite you to read it. Believe it or not, I was able to keep most (not all) of my opinions out of it and simply laid out the facts with the resources and links.
My daughter’s parakeet died today. It is strange, no matter how many hamsters, gerbils, lizards, guniea pigs, hermit crabs and other critters you bury, it is always a sad day.
I was grilling on the deck and popped in to say hello to “Pete” who had been chirping up a storm a few hours ago. Initially, I didn’t see him and then made the discovery. I am not one to really beat around the bush so I called down and let her know that Pete had died–not really knowing what to expect this time.
She was quiet but sad. Her bother and sister made fun of her for her lack of reaciton. We found a nice box and prepared the coffin and buried him in the garden out front.
What is discouraging is that he was very healthy and active and only 2 years old. She talked with him, played with him and cleaned his cage pretty darned regularly. The water trough was full as was the seed trough. All of the internet searches say they live 12 to 20 years, so I can’t help but wonder if we did something wrong.
I suppose it is always a good lesson to learn, as we have an cat that is approaching 12 right now. But still a sad day for our house. Goodbye Pete.
As a guy of forty something years old, I have still been unable to unlock the mystery of “woman logic”. I have given up. But as a dad of 17 years, I thought I had the whole “kid logic” down till this afternoon. Maybe there comes a time when “kid logic” becomes obsolete and is replace by “woman logic”?
My teen daughter “needed” some clothes and there is a cool consignment-ish store called Plato’s Closet, that has all the hip and cool clothes that teens jus “have” to have. They buy gently used clothing and resell it at ridiculously low prices. Hollister, Abercrombie, American Eagle, Aeropostal, all the cool brands.
So, I give her a budget of $60 and we make the trek to the stroe–about 45 minutes away, but worth the ride. On the ride up, the mouth got out of control and she was talking trash to her little sister, then she just started talking trash period. I told her that one more word out of her and the budget drops to $40.
“Yeah, right.” she says. I told her I was serious and she says “Yeah, right.–in the tone only a teenage girl can utter. Well, fortunately for me, and unfortunately for her, she was right near my shoulder in the car and I slapped her cheek and told her not to back talk me.
The corcodile tears began and the lip quivering. I asked if I made my point and she said I did. Well we arrive and she decides that the best way to punish me is to refuse to go into the store.
Now here is where I am losing the logic. She does not get what she wants and my wallet is $60 to the good, and somehow this is a punishment to me? I even gave her a few chances while he sister and I were in the store to come in and buy, but she stuck to her guns determined to punish me.
Sometimes, I just don’t get it! Can anyone explain?
