Sun Streaks: Picture from the Plane

I have a resolution in life to not take anything for granted and to enjoy the small pleasures.  It's one of the reasons I started this blog.  One of my small pleasures is always to remember to take "nature moments."  Moments where you just sit back for a small second and realize nature is a gorgeous and wonderful thing that's bigger than you and your life.  It puts things into perspective for me. 

For example, last night my plane circled the Atlanta airport for a good 45 minutes because of Hurricane Sandy.  However, one look outside the window and it put it into perspective.  Life is what you make it, and there's no use in getting annoyed at the details when there's beauty waiting for you.

Saddlebock Brewery

Whenever I find a diamond in the rough, I get excited.  And when it's a diamond in the rough that's all of three weeks old, I have to share the find!  Over the weekend, the man found a brand new microbrewery named Saddlebock Brewery in Springdale, Arkansas.  So, lovers of beer that we are, we took a drive there to check it out (and it's a beautiful drive!  The brewery is pretty far down a country road in Springdale.)

We're admittedly a bit on the "beer snob" side of the coin, however, the three available beers in the tap room were all very drinkable, not to mention impressive for a microbrewery that opened less than a month ago.  My suggestion?  The Dunkelweiz (picture here).  

Take a trip out to this horse farm and grab a beer. When you see a large red barn close to the road, that's your destination! Plus, who doesn't love a country drive and most importantly, a play on words?  Saddlebock?  For a horse farm?  Loving it!

Summer Reading: Bridgerton Series Review

As I previously mentioned, I've spent my summer reading (and re-reading) Julia Quinn's Bridgerton Series, eight romance novels about eight siblings in aristocracy of nineteenth century England.  Overall, though not the most mind-bettering activity, I wholeheartedly enjoyed the series.  Sometimes it was a little cliche, sometimes she recycled turns of phrase, and I did find more than a dozen grammar and punctuation errors.  But again, they're romance novels and not Vonnegut or Austen, there are some things you just gotta let slide.  Overall, they're easy, enjoyable reads and that's what I wanted!

A few things I liked  overall:

• Ms. Quinn put a little feminism into her characters.  All of the female "heroines" had a backbone, intelligence, and was a person in her own right.  In that way, it's not very factually accurate to have these women in the assigned time-period, but it was nice as a reader nonetheless.
• She kept the theme of the series, bringing back characters and nuances when it pertained to each story.  But each story could stand alone without the others.
• Who doesn't love a series that culminates in true love, each and every time?

As for the individual books, a few words on each:

• The Duke and I:  The first book I ended up picking up was the first book of the series.  Convenient, that.  This is about the first born daughter and her story falling in love with the Duke of Hastings and their struggles and triumphs within.  My favorite part was the overbearing brothers and the almost duel - because I'm pretty sure my overbearing men in my life would love to shoot someone too. 
• The Viscount Who Loved Me:  This is my second favorite book; at first I didn't like the first-born son (Anthony) because he was too much of a cliche for me.  But after a while, I was able to sink into the story with the help of the heroine, Kate.  
• An Offer From A Gentleman:  This was probably my least favorite and the most cliched.  The storyline was a recycled Cinderella theme from rags to happiness type of stuff.  It's fine in and of itself, but too hard to believe and get into. 
• Romancing Mister Bridgerton:  The overall tying thread of the first four books was Lady Whistledown, in this book you find out the mystery.  The book is the third son (Colin) and his search for love. I liked the heroine a lot better than I liked the hero, because I need a little more grit in my object of love.
• To Sir Phillip, With Love:  My favorite of the eight by far.  I've re-read this in passing or just to kill an hour or two on the weekends.  A very easy read and probably the most feminist bent - but with the love story included.  It all started with a note...
• When He Was Wicked:  I feel like this is the most "romance novel" of the eight with more graphic scenes.  But hey, it was a change in cadence!
• It's In Hiss Kiss: The struggles of the youngest, head strong daughter and her headstrong love interest.  This didn't stand out for me, but like I mentioned it was nice getting hints about the family and knowing the back story!
• On the Way to the Wedding:  Sometimes I feel towards the end of this series, Julia Quinn was straining for ideas.  This was a heroic end, but running to the church?  Hiding in a tree?  I'm not sure, it's not my favorite. 

If you needed more of the Bridgertons, Ms. Quinn is capitalizing on her series and has released "Second Epilogues" telling more details about life after the love story for each child.  Unfortunately for me, this is only on e-books and I only buy paper-and-spine books. So I'll have to wait a couple of months to further the reading.

Maybe the Movie Producers in the 90s were trying to tell us something....

Sometimes things just take you by surprise.  It's like your understanding of the world shakes by one simple little fact. 

Example One:  Who knew marshmallow was spelled like marshamAllow instead of marshmEllo.  Not me.  No siree!

Other thing that took my by surprise?  My favorite movies from my teen years were all based on English Literature.  I kid you not.  Here are some examples:

1. Clueless:  Based on Jane Austen's Emma.  Excuse me?!
2. She's All That: Based on George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion. 
3. 10 Things I Hate About You:  Based on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew

Now that I'm settling into my old lady tendencies with staying at home on weekends, reading, and cuddling with the devil cat - I'm starting in on all the books my parents gave me when I was in college that they deemed "must reads for a liberal arts major".  (To be fair, I asked this of them one Christmas.)  So, I picked up Emma and it was shockingly familiar.  Oh, 90's movie producers, you knew the way to my old lady heart back when I was still young!  Thank you!  Since it is my personal belief that all books made into movies are better as books, I reccomend you pick some of these up.

From the Tarmac: The Golden Rule

I'm not sure what it is, most likely the stress of traveling or maybe humanity itself is not nice, but I've been witness to very mean people in airports.  Especially when it comes to re-booking a flight with those poor gate agents.

Trust me on this, they're not happy there was an issue with the flight - be it an electrical problem or a hail storm - and they are not responsible.  They are just trying to do their job in a stressful situation, and really, can't we all sympathize with that?  And with the lack of respect given them, I can only imagine it's a horrid job.

This is where my most basic, and best, rule comes in:  Do unto others as you would like to be treated.  The most basic of principals, the Golden Rule, seems to fly by the wayside when it comes to airports.

It's amazing to me what an understanding smile and laugh can do with these gate agents; you should try and throw in a sir or ma'am as a show of respect.  Yes, you want to get to your destination.  Yes, you might miss your connection.  Yes, you're in a rush because you're the most important person to yourself.  However, there are a hundred other people waiting to be re-booked and kindness goes a long way to your end goal.  Gate agents do have some control over when and where to rebook you - and if you enact this rule you'll more likely get a better outcome. 

Here's a personal example:  While in Rapid City, SD my small little Delta plane had an electrical issue and was grounded for at least a day.  With my travel outfit and KINDNESS of all things, I was rebooked immediately on a completely different airline with an upgrade to first class for the departing flight AND for my connecting flight.   The Golden Rule, I would recommend you forget it.

From the Tarmac: Flight Essentials

Along with dressing for success, you have to Pack for Success to make your travel experience as enjoyable as possible (and let's be honest, cramped into a metal tube 30,000 feet in the air careening forward at 450+ mph, is not that comfortable).

My flight essentials can be boiled down to these:

Comfort
1) Bring a pashmina or large scarf.  Not only can you wear it for easy transport, it doubles as a blanket.
2) If your traveling on a long trip, I would recommend the U.  You know, those neck pillows.  Lifepartner swears by these.

Battling Dehydration
3) Water.  Always drink as much water as possible.  The massive changes in altitude, combined with the recycled air, leads to dehydration.  And it can lead to illness. Let me say it again:  DRINK WATER.  If you're going overseas, I recommend buying bottled water (you just don't know what's in the water - and it may not be harmful to the locals because they are immune, but you are not a local.)  If you're flying domestic, stick to a reusable water bottle; there are drinking fountains in airports -- just be sure to empty it out before you take it through security.
4) Lotion and chapstick.  I may be obsessed with these two things but I must have them with me at all times.  I usually just take whatever travel-sized lotion is available in the hotel and my favorite lip balm (Perfumeria Gal Lip Balm in Lavender)

Entertaiment
- This is a high priority for me.  I'm a big fan of actual books on flights since I can read them during landing and take off (smalls pleasures).  However, I would highly recommend bringing some form of entertainment - iPad, phone (for games), Kindle, book, crossword puzzle, what-have-you.  The in-flight magazine is fine and good, however, there's only so much willpower to NOT buy that lawn gnome from SkyMall...