C.C. Chapman's Blog, page 15

Star Wars Celebration London 2016

Growing up, I always stopped in the toy isle to look at the latest Star Wars toys. I’d lust after them and check them out in detail since I rarely was able to bring one home with me.

Hours were spent playing with the toys I did have. Grand battles were fought on my bedroom floor and throughout my house.

So when Verizon asked me “Would you like to go to London with us to attend the Star Wars Celebration?” the little kid in me bounced with giddy excitement as the adult in me typed out “Yes, ple...

One Week. All The Emotions.

Last week was one of those series of days that won’t soon be forgotten.

A roller coaster of emotions brought on events close to home and around the country.

There was death, life milestones, anger and happiness.

I was shocked as I watchedtwo black Americans be shot and killed by those who are suppose to serve and protect.

I cheered onmy son as he started his first job and worked every day and quickly realized how different the world is with a job.

I gathered and cried with mycommunity as we c...

Making Sense of the Madness

It only takes a quick scan of the news to be buried in the madness of our world.

This week, I’ve been hugging my kids a bit longer than usual as neighborhood friends lost their daughter in a horrible accident.

Jackie was a GOOD kid determined to do GOOD things in the world.

I remember her and I talkingbefore she graduated about how she hoped to find a way to take her love of dance and turn it into a career. She mentioned perhaps doing dance therapy or traveling to underdeveloped countries a...

Phases of Financial Freedom

MassMutual asked me to write a post on “financial freedom.”

My first thought was that I couldn’t write a post on that topic because Laura and I still think about the bills and how to pay them all the time.

The more I pondered it, I realized over the years there have been a couple of moments when I felt financially free-er.

The first was when our kids were young.

Shortly after our son was born, we realized that something had to be done about our credit card debt. After a conversation with a f...

The Road to Yuma

Geocaching is an activity that our family enjoys doing.

When out rucking, driving or any time we are someplace new my wife will pull out her phone and see if there are any geocaches around us.

We knew we’d be visiting her parents in Arizona this summer, so when she receiveda notice that one of her trackables had been dropped off at a Travel Bug Hotel we were intrigued.

A three hour drive to drop off a piece of plastic and metal seemed a bit crazy without a few other stops. But, we knew we had...

A Savings Memory From My Youth Has Me Thinking About Saving Today

Saving is something I’ve never been that great at.

When you don’t have much more than what will pay the bills, the idea of saving is great, but it isn’t a reality.

The older you grow, the more you realize that putting away even a little bit does help. I think we get lost in thinking we have to have a massive nut of money squirreled away in order to be considered a savings.

Growing up in small town New Hampshire, I remember the local bank did something they called “The Christmas Club” every f...

Raise The Alarm for Minute Man National Historical Park

Growing up in The United States, every child learns about the start of our country and the Revolutionary War.

Growing up in New England, we learn about it on a whole new level since it happened in our backyard.

Minute Man National Historical Park is home to where some of the first shots of the American Revolution were fired.

Today it is a beautiful place to walk your dog, go for a jog or learn more about our history.

They are the only New England park in the running to receive funding as p...

The First Rays of Morning

Yesterday morning, Emily and I wokeearly to go to the flea market.

The news was reporting on a shooting at a nightclub in Orlando, but there were no details yet so we went on our way.

We hit the ATM, grabbed donuts from a local bakery and arrived to discover that the vendors were still setting up. I decided to take a little adventure and drive up the road a ways to the Old Stone Church that I had taken some photos recently with my drone and Emily wanted to explore.

My phone buzzed, but I was...

Freelance Drone Pilot

Lately when you ask me what I do for a living I respond with, “I’m a professional creative.”

It is the easiest way to quickly summarize all the freelance writing, photography and marketing I enjoy doing.

I do my work with a variety of tools including my notebook, laptop and camera.

Over the last month a new tool has been added to my workbox and that is my Chroma 4k Drone.

While seen as a toy to many, it is becoming part of my creative offering in ways I wasn’t planning for, but am excited t...

A Visual Postcard From Echo Valley

Ever since the team at Horizon Hobby gave me a Chroma 4k Drone to try out and review I’ve been eager to take it to one place in the world.

That place is Echo Valley in the hills of Vermont.

I’ve written about this magical spot before for one night escapes and Chapman family celebrations.

So when Clarence I began planning a little time off the grid together, I knew where we were headed and I knew what I’d be doing.

You’ve got to understand that my Grandfather was a pilot and loved photography....