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I went on a 7-night cruise with my husband and his extended family. Despite our different travel styles, we had a blast.

by with No Comment Xpandfy

My husband, Trent, and I are seasoned travelers.

We’ve hiked, kayaked, biked, and even snorkeled in roughly half the national parks, and we’ve taken monthlong trips to countries such as Italy and Germany. We’ve camped, we’ve traveled with friends, we’ve done theme parks and all-inclusive resorts — we even got engaged while traveling.

However, there were two things we hadn’t done together: travel with family and go on a cruise.

Last year, we tackled both simultaneously on a seven-night Holland America Alaskan cruise with Trent’s mom, sister, aunt, uncle, and his uncle’s girlfriend.

Overall, our group had a wonderful time despite our very different travel styles.

Our family set aside time for individual preferences


Two men smiling with paint brushes in hand

Trent and I took art classes on board. 

Timothy Moore



Before setting sail, we all agreed that everyone deserved the vacation they wanted, and that’s what made a cruise so great. There was so much to do on and off the ship, and each of us found something we enjoyed.

Trent’s mom, sister, and aunt spent time shopping while Trent’s uncle and his girlfriend relaxed by the pool bar.

Despite the cold, Trent and I spent a lot of time on the outside decks, taking in the Alaskan landscape. We also took art classes and found cozy spots on board where we could read and sip coffee.

We even found an LGBTQ+ group on board that met every night in the same bar — and we ended up leaving the ship with new friends.

To make sure Trent and I still felt like we were getting some dedicated alone time on this big family trip, we also booked time at the spa during one of the sea days.

This meant we could spend the morning in the thermal suite, hang out with family in the afternoon, and return to the spa in the evening for our massages.

Doing our own excursions let us embrace our passion for adventure


Man smiling next to Jeep

My preference for excursions leaned more toward physical activities. 

Timothy Moore



Trent and I are very active on vacations. We like to be on the go, whether we’re touring a museum, climbing a mountain, or white-water rafting down a river.

Naturally, we wanted to do all the active excursions, like canoeing to a glacier, off-roading in a Jeep, and biking down a mountainside. The rest of the family was much more interested in laid-back excursions, like walking tours and salmon bakes.

So, we split up, which actually worked really well. It was important for everyone to take some alone time so we didn’t get on each other’s nerves across the eight days together.

Plus, this gave us all a lot to talk about when we got back on the ship.

No matter what, we always had meals as a family


group of people sitting at large table

Over dinner, we all reconnected and shared details about our afternoons. 

Timothy Moore



Meals were a great way for our group to come together and talk about our days.

We’d always start our mornings discussing our plans over breakfast. Sometimes, we’d arrange to meet up for certain activities.

As long as plans aligned, we’d come back together for lunch. Most importantly, though, we always sat together for dinner.

Because we booked Holland America’s Have It All package, we even got a complimentary dinner at one of the premium restaurants. We all got dressed up (it was Independence Day, so some of the family embraced the red, white, and blue), and sat together for a big group meal.

This was extra special, as in years past, most of us would meet at my mother-in-law’s for a Fourth of July cookout. Coming together for a formal dinner felt like we were honoring our tradition in a new way.

Plus, we had lots of fun playing cards and doing trivia together


three people overlooking views from Alaskan cruise ship

Cruising is the best way to tackle a big family vacation 

Timothy Moore



One of the on-board activities we all seemed to enjoy was trivia. Each afternoon, we’d come together for music trivia, themed to a different decade each time. It was fun to see which family members knew more answers as we progressed from the 1960s to the 2000s.

We also found a way to spend time together outside the scheduled cruise activities.

Our ship had a massive game room with stunning views and a café and bar nearby. In the evenings, we’d come here for some competitive games of Uno or euchre.

Trent’s aunt lives on the other side of the country, so this was only my second time actually hanging out with her. Bonding with her over my favorite card game was a lovely way to grow closer.

Ultimately, cruising felt like a great way to tackle a family vacation


Two men on Denali hike

After the trip, we hiked in Denali National Park. We extended our trip to include some Alaskan adventures 

Timothy Moore



Trent and I had a great time on the cruise, but when we booked it, we already knew we’d want to be more active than even the excursions allowed.

When we debarked the ship, we bid farewell to our family, who were all flying home. Then Trent and I spent another week visiting Anchorage and Denali National Park, where we hiked, visited sled dogs, and white-water rafted.

It was much needed after a week on a cruise ship.

As much as I absolutely loved getting to spend so much time with my in-laws, Trent and I also enjoyed the moments with just the two of us.

In my opinion, a cruise is the best way to do a multigenerational family vacation. There’s something for everyone, including several ways for families to spend time together and apart.




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kelly burch

My rare plants sell for five figures. The business helps me support my extended family, but I work about 100 hours a week.

by with No Comment Xpandfy

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Harry Luu, owner of PlantZaddyTherapy. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I’ve always been a gardener and enjoyed being around plants. While I was in graduate school studying math, my collection of houseplants grew. There’s an attention to detail and a hyperfocus that I found in both mathematics and plants, so my hobby complemented my academic career.

During the pandemic, my interest in rare plants blew up. I started getting a bigger collection and trading up for more valuable plants.

Eventually, my hobby transformed into a business. I finished my graduate degree and started teaching math in California, but three years ago, I left academia to sell plants full-time.

My academic career was a safety net for my family of 8

I grew up in Vietnam, and I’m the embodiment of the American dream for my family. They put all their eggs in my basket, which allowed me to come to America and study. Now, I feel it’s fair to return their investment. I support not only myself and my husband, but also my parents, my brother, my sister-in-law, my niece, and my nephew.

Leaving my job while supporting a family of eight in California might seem risky, but it was calculated. I had reached the point where I saw the potential for financial freedom from investments I had made during grad school that had very good returns. I had years of data on plant sales, and also knew I could return to academia if needed, so I had a safety net.

I price based on rarity and desirability, without going too high

I was already connected to the rare plant community, so selling increasingly expensive plants felt like a natural progression. I grew my platform on Palmstreet, an online marketplace.

This year, I had two record-breaking sales in one day. I sold a $16,000 plant (an Anthurium Variegated Forgetii x Heinz, one of only two in the world), then a $26,000 plant (the only specimen of the True Variegated Lux Albo Mother Plant).


Man holding rare plant

A $16,000 plant sold on Palmstreet by Harry Luu

Courtesy of Palmstreet



I’m a math person, so I use a formula to price. I calculate rarity and desirability and compare them with price data from the previous three years. These plants were both very rare and highly desirable, which drove prices up. However, I didn’t want to price them too high, because I’m thinking about the long-term viability for my brand: people have to be able to purchase what I’m selling. Given how rare the plants were, their five-figure prices weren’t too big a splash.

I want to be able to connect with the community more

Despite those big numbers, the business’s income fluctuates dramatically. My best single week was over $200,000 in sales, but other weeks I might have no sales. The market is seasonal, and winter is slow. I’ve had to adapt to not having a steady, reliable income.

The money comes and goes, but the work never stops. Right now, I spend about 100 hours a week on the business. We have plants in our home, and also a large greenhouse on our property. My brother does some of the maintenance care for the plants, but all the breeding decisions are made by me.

I’m on the cusp of the company being able to sustain itself without me working so much. I look forward to that — when I can step back from the business side and focus more on the joy of growing. I would like to share my knowledge about rare plants and take the plants on the road to connect with my community more, since that’s what got me hooked on growing in the first place.




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