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Summer has arrived and many in the tan biz take a little time off during the slower months to vacation and decompress. As I checked in with folks around the industry, I’ve heard of some pretty neat travel plans. Many of you know Brenda Fishbaugh, President of Eye Pro. She is probably among the industry’s most well-traveled product providers and a favorite speaker at our expos. I recently caught up with her and she revealed some interesting summer plans.
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Joe Schuster: Brenda; it’s been a few months since I’ve seen you. I know you’ve been logging the miles around the country on business and probably need some well-earned vacation time. What’cha got planned?
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Brenda Fisbaugh: I just returned home from ten days in England, which was cool! I visited Eye Pro customers outside of London and got to visit the graves of my relatives who died in Essex in 1591 AD. I saw two top theatre shows (“Book of Mormon” and “42nd Street”), the Monet exhibit at the National Gallery and heard the London Symphony Jazz Orchestra play at a jazz club! I also went to Chicago in early June to see Paul Simon in concert and do some photography (one of my biggest hobbies).
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JS: Are you “dragging” your husband, Steve, along on any of these trips?
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BF: I sure am. He’s a willing participant! We’re driving to Toledo from Ft. Wayne to see the Broadway play, “Wicked,” for the third time.
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JS: I know of your love of animals, especially the wild kind. Will you have some time to spend with them?
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BF: Joe, I’ve lined up a wild animal photography workshop near Glacier National Park in Montana. I will be standing on one side of a stream and animal wranglers will release a pack of wolves and then, they will throw meat at my feet, so the wolves will run at me. And, I will also crouch under a huge boulder and the wranglers will throw some meat on top of it, so that a cougar will jump through the air to get it and I can get photos.
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JS: You’ve got to be kidding!
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BF: No, I’m not! It’ll be great fun for sure.
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JS: I know you’ve gone on photo safaris and you mentioned the Glacier National Park deal. How do you “hone your craft?”
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BF: I’m always trying to improve my photography, so I’m going
with a friend to a three-day workshop in Michigan.
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JS: Have you lined up any travel outside the U.S.?
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BF: Eye Pro’s Canadian distributor partner, Uvalux, has a picnic for all their customers, so I’m heading to Woodstock, Ontario to enjoy some outdoor fun and games. Gotta love this job!
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JS: Okay, here’s a “lightning round” of questions. What airline do you fly most and why?
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BF: I am a Delta girl. You must pick one airline and fly them all the time to get status and upgrades. Flying is miserable without priority status! Delta has been very good to me.
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JS: Do you listen to music/headphones, read a book or use a tablet during flights?
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BF: I am a fan of printed books. I like fiction and am featured in David Baldacci’s best seller, End Game. Chapters 21 and 28 are all about a character he created in my honor, named “Brenda Fishbaugh.” It was an auction item I won at a charity event. I spend a lot of time on a computer, so reading a paperback is a treat. I do travel with a little, old-fashioned iPod and fall asleep every night listening to audiobooks and meditations.
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JS: What’s your cure for jet lag? Do you exercise on the road?
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BF: I use melatonin when I sleep in a new place, and I never drink alcohol on the plane. I really like walking through the airport to get steps on my fitbit, and I’ll so some yoga in my hotel room. I’m not a fan of the gyms offered at the “frugal” hotels where I stay.
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JS: I know you are committed to “giving back.” Any upcoming philanthropic efforts?
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BF: In January 2017, I had a series of heart attacks due to SCAD (Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection). In June, I’m walking in a 5K in Chicago to raise awareness of the condition – the leading cause of heart attack in women under 50. The walk is sponsored by Mayo Clinic, where my SCAD is treated. I was unable to travel for nine months, so I’m making up for it now, taking small trips and staying near hospital facilities. None of us knows how much time we have on the planet, so I’m planning great experiences this summer!
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JS: Alright, let’s end with your Top 3 Bucket List travel destinations (that you haven’t hit already).
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BF: I’ve never been to the Albuquerque Balloon Festival – that would be a great photo op! Next year, my husband, cousins and I are taking a cruise from Venice to Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro and Greece – the last four are all new for me! I’ve been to every continent besides Antarctica, which I’d like to see, but I just wish it wasn’t so cold. I’d also like to see more of Africa. I’ve been to Kenya three times, South Africa twice and also to Egypt. I’d love to go on a photo safari in Tanzania.
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JS: I asked for your Top 3, but I’ll cut you some slack. Thanks for sharing with our readers. I look forward to hearing all about your adventures at the next expo.
