Queer and There

Category Archives for Queer and There.

FoundersCard Review 2020: Benefits, Updates, Cost – And Is It Worth It?

February 9, 2020 by Harlan 24 Comments

Time to update my FoundersCard review for 2020! I’ve been a member for 6 years by now. Each year, they add more (and more useful) benefits, keep the best ones, and refine their partnerships based on member demand and use.

The upshot is making the most of even ONE perk can outweigh the $395 membership – and the rest is gravy. And when you sign up with my link, your rate will never go up.

I’ve used the 15% AT&T discount, Hilton Gold elite status, and Caesars Total Rewards Diamond elite status (which is back this year through January 2021!) to cover and exceed the membership cost.

And there are new benefits for 2020!

Wow, has it really been 6 years? Just renewed my FoundersCard membership again as a Charter Member and yes that’s a really old picture

Here’s everything to know before you apply for membership.

FoundersCard Review 2020

Todoist Review: How I’m Using It to Organize My Life and (Travel) Goals

November 4, 2019 by Harlan 17 Comments

It’s about time I update my Todoist review. I’ve been using Todoist to organize my days since 2015 – almost five years by now! It’s an app and website I use every day and I can’t imagine life without it.

That’s because it’s a perfect place to brain dump. If I have more than a few things I want to get done, I find they form a circular loop in my mind until I put them into list format. And seeing them sequenced calms me and puts me back in control of my thoughts.

Over the years, I’ve used Todoist to keep track of:

Books I want to read
Movies and TV shows to watch
Yearly and life goals
Recurring tasks around the house and in life
Things to do when I travel
Self affirmations
Things to buy when I’m running low on something
And of course, daily tasks

To say I love Todoist would be a huge understatement

Not only is it a great place to store to-do lists, but it’s become a huge part of getting ahead in so many ways. I truly spend my life in this app.

My Todoist review

Tomorrow: Heading to Iceland + Greenland! Plus, Some Life Updates

June 18, 2019 by Harlan 4 Comments

Tomorrow, I’m flying AUS-DFW-KEF, with a looong layover in Dallas. Then flying to Iceland in a… coach middle seat on American Airlines. 😩

But it’ll be worth it, because shortly after, I’ll be off to Narsarsuaq, Greenland! I’ve wanted to travel to Greenland for so long. This really is a dream come true for me. And a huge bucket list item. ✔️

This time last year, I was in the Faroe Islands, and I tell ya, nothing compares to experiencing the Summer Solstice in 24 hours of constant sunlight.

Next year, I’d like to visit the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut – as I find myself drawn to increasingly far-flung places. And of course, I still need to get to Tierra del Fuego.

But I’m ahead of myself. Next up is Iceland and Greenland. I can’t forking wait!

Soon I’ll have my own collection of images from the shores of Greenland

I also have life updates to share.

Visit to Greenland 2019 + bric a brac

Announcing the Next DALLAS Meetup on July 11 – Meet Fellow Points & Travel Peeps!

June 11, 2019 by Harlan 4 Comments

We’ll have our next Out for Miles frequent flyer meetup in Addison, very close to North Dallas and near the Tollway, I-635, and PGBT.

This one will be Thursday, July 11, at 5:30pm – just in time for Blue Mesa’s reasonably priced happy hour. We’ll plan to hang out for a couple of hours the week after the long 4th of July holiday.

If you’re in the Dallas area, feel free to join!

The next Out for Miles meetup will be 7/11 @ Blue Mesa in Addison/Dallas

Out for Miles July event details

Good Deal: Get a Year of VPN Service for $24 – Secure Your Desktop & Mobile Traffic

May 21, 2019 by Harlan 6 Comments

I’ve been looking to get a VPN (Virtual Private Network) for a while now. While there are pros and cons to using a VPN, the good stuff far outweighs the bad.

Having a VPN:

Lets you steam content from anywhere (no geoblocks!)
Gives you a new IP address
Protects you when using unsecured public wifi (like in airports)
Secures VOIP phone calls
Prevents your ISP from tracking BitTorrent and other torrent sites
Helps you get around bandwidth throttling tied to your IP address

I primarily use a VPN to stream content from other countries (like when Spotify or YouTube says “this isn’t available in your country” – problem solved), and torrenting. Though when I’m connected to a VPN, I have to go through the whole security routine with bank logins (they want to send a text or email to confirm it’s me – which is a PITA).

That said, I found a deal to get 12 months of NordVPN service for $24 – and so far, I really like it! Particularly because they have apps for every device. So I can secure the traffic on my iPhone. Because I already use Face ID for most apps, the security is actually much easier for mobile.

I’ll show you how to stack the deal to pay $24 for a year of service.

Get a year of NordVPN for $24 – better than a sharp stick in the eye

They also have a 30-day money back guarantee, and make it super easy to cancel auto-payments.

NordVPN coupon + TopCashback = $2 a month for a year of VPN service

I’m Gonna Be a Dad! My Journey Toward Becoming a (Gay) Known Donor

March 1, 2019 by Harlan 27 Comments

Here’s a post I never thought I’d write. It’s something I’ve been thinking about the past few months, and the time feels right to say: I’m gonna be a dad!

I still can’t believe it – it happened so fast. The little bean is currently ~13 weeks along, so we’ve made it to the second trimester. It’ll be born in late August/early September.

Our arrangement is unorthodox, as in – not the norm. I’ll be known as the father, and its moms (yes, plural) will be the primary caregivers.

I’m learning there isn’t a script for this. So we have to communicate, communicate, communicate.

I know in my heart the child will be surrounded by love in a supportive, capable household.

I really thought this would never happen for me. But now it is. I say that with much amazement.

The photo that stopped my heart and changed everything

Here’s how it came to be.

Becoming a known donor

FoundersCard Review 2019: Benefits, Updates, Cost – And Is It Worth It?

February 1, 2019 by Harlan 30 Comments

I’ve been a FoundersCard member for 5 years. Each year, they add more (and more useful) benefits, keep the best ones, and refine their partnerships based on member demand and use.

The upshot is making the most of even ONE perk can outweigh the $395 membership – and the rest is gravy. And when you sign-up with my link, your rate will never go up.

I’ve used the 15% AT&T discount, Hilton Gold elite status, and Caesars Total Rewards Diamond elite status (which is back this year through January 2020!) to cover and exceed the membership cost.

And there are new benefits for 2019!

Wow, has it really been 5 years? Just renewed my FoundersCard membership again

Here’s everything to know before you apply for membership.

FoundersCard Review 2019: Overview

Just for Fun: This Cool App Tracks Your Flights & Shows Miles Flown, Countries Visited, & Hours Spent on Planes!

October 29, 2018 by Harlan 2 Comments

a map of the world with blue dots and lines

Thought I’d share a cool app. App in the Air tracks your flights, stores boarding passes, and keeps track of loyalty account balances. A couple are paid features, but I don’t pay for the app because the free features are fun on their own.

The paid features are useful for some, but I like TripIt Pro for flight updates, and use AwardWallet to track my program balances. And for free, you can see interesting facts about your personal travels.

Oh, the places you’ll go! Check out App in the Air if you like stats and maps

Here’s what the app can do!

App in the Air for fun travel stats

Mississippi on My Mind Tonight… #Gordon

September 4, 2018 by Harlan 13 Comments

I’m from Mississippi. I was born and raised in the Mississippi Delta (“The Most Southern Place on Earth” as in, characteristically Deep South) and went to one of the best public high schools in the US in Columbus before heading to Vermont for college (I went to Bennington, for the record).

The state is constantly glossed over in so many ways. I get it has a low population, little industry, and is stuck in 1950. But as another hurricane comes to shore (Gordon), I’m thinking about my home state tonight.

I grew up in Clarksdale

Just wanted to share a few thoughts.

The Mississippi weather I know

Dallas Meetup 9/14 – And Any Interest for AUSTIN Meetups?

September 4, 2018 by Harlan 11 Comments

Out and Out is hosting another Out for Miles frequent flyer meetup in Dallas, this time at Komali on Fitzhugh and Cole, right off Highway 75.

This one will be next Friday, September 14th, at 5:30pm – just in time for a fantastic happy hour! I made this one on Friday evening per a few requests. If you’re in the Dallas area, feel free to join!

See you next Friday at Komali for the next Out for Miles meetup

I also want to gauge interest for a potential Austin meetup. I was thinking of having one in early or mid-October. If this sounds fun, please leave a quick comment. I’ll try to organize it as soon as I’m done with FinCon!

Out for Miles event details

Buy a Coin for $1,400 – Earn Points + $50 Cash!

September 4, 2018 by Harlan 5 Comments

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
	• 5X Chase Ultimate Rewards points on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year • 2X Chase Ultimate Rewards points on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year
• $0 annual fee
• Excellent 5X categories and best-ever offer right now	• Compare it here

Yay! I’m opted-in to this deal which happens at exactly 12pm Eastern Time on Thursday, September 6th, 2018.

It’s through PFS Buyers Club, which I’ve written about before.

The Palladium coin costs $1,387.50 + $4.95 shipping – so your total will be $1,392.45. PFS Buyers Club will pay you $1,443 once you complete the deal, for a profit of $50.55 – on top of the points you earn.

If you’re looking to meet minimum spending on a card, this is a simple way to do it!

Get ready to buy this coin and make $50 on Thursday

This one is going to go quick, so hurry if you can do it!

Buy through PFS Buyers Club and make $50

GIVEAWAY: Enter to Win a Basic Pass to FinCon 2018 Next Month (Worth $600+)! 🎁

August 15, 2018 by Harlan 6 Comments

Join me at FinCon 2018 next month!

For my birthday weekend next week, I’m giving away a Basic Pass to the event which is September 26th through 29th, 2018, in Orlando!

The entries begin today at 5pm Central Time and end on August 22nd, 2018, at midnight Central Time! 🎉

Wanna go to FinCon 2018? I’m giving away a Basic Pass!

Right now, this pass is selling for $599 + fees. So if you win, you’ll save $600+, plus you’ll have a ticket to the BEST personal finance event around. I went last year in Dallas – and will attend this year, too. So if you win, you’ll see me there! 👋🏻

This pass gives you full access to all the standard events.

See how to enter below!