A reply prompted by other people’s year-in-review missives
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Category Archives: Travel
Somehow this always happens
Travel pitalls. I do a lot of prep to support the technology we drag along when we leave home, including Apple watches, iPhones (Meda and I have different versions requiring different charging cables), iPads, my camera and its batteries, hearing aids, and all the necessary cables and chargers, including one to connect my iPhone to the rental car’s Car Play system while charging. Then there’s the need for redundancy in case something goes awry, or I forget something. I have to keep a mental checklist while we’re packing, and usually manage to make it all come out right.
But here we are, 2,400 miles from home, and a bit of new tech unexpectedly goes off the rails.
Case in point. I bought an Apple MagSafe Duo Wireless Charger, which is supposed to charge an iPhone and Apple Watch at the same time. But it turns out to be finicky. It worked the first night. Fine. Then it didn’t, and I can’t figure out why. I’ve tried several different cables to connect to the charger. I don’t think all these cables can be defective. I’m using the same adapter that plugs into the electrical socket that I use at home without issue. This morning, nothing seems to be able to get the cute little folding duo charger to do its thing. I’ve tried different combinations of cables and connections to no avail.
Argh! This is definitely a source of travel stress.
Then, after arranging to meet one of Meda’s sisters for lunch today near her home in Menlo Park, we found the restaurant where we had expected to rendevouz has gone out of business. But we’re resilient, and managed to find an alternative just a block or so away. And we planed to be down in Menlo Park today in any case to visit the American Cancer Society Discovery Shop, an excellent thrift store, and to make a pass through Penzey’s (which sells a variety of spices). Plus there’s a Goodwill across the street.
We now have to stall our departure because the stores open rather late, and it’s cold outside this morning, as in less-than-50-degrees cold. Hopefully it will warm up by lunchtime.
A message from United
I received this notice from United Airlines via email a couple of day ago:
Happy Anniversary!
We’d like to congratulate you on your 42 years anniversary of being a United MileagePlus member.
So I’ve been a member since 1981. That was the very beginning of the Mileage Plus program, which rolled out in 1981. I was flying quite a bit at that point, and did for much of the next decade.
Along the way, both Meda and I racked up more than a million miles on United. I doubt we have enough years left on us to reach two million, though.
But at a million, we both received lifetime Gold status.
Tangible benefits? There are a few.
We used to often get complimentary upgrades. Not so much any more. That system stopped working in our favor.
We do get “upgraded” to United’s “Economy Plus” seating at no charge. It offers added leg room, and seating in front of the economy cabin, both of which I appreciate, but nothing more in the way of service.
Bag fees are waived, and we could bring additional bags if we wanted to. We never have, likely never well.
So, I suppose I should thank United for the thought.
I wish there were other perks to go with the thoughts, though.
One of my favorites at the Portland Art Museum
I don’t know why I like this sterling silver boar so much. Perhaps because it reminds me of the large wild boars that would wander down from the mountains during dry spells when we lived in Kaaawa. Maybe it’s the contrast between the rough looking boar and the delicate silverwork. But I was glad that it was included in a exhibit from the Portland Art Museum’s permanent collection that opened over the weekend.
From it’s catalog listing: Gianmaria Buccellati, Boar, last half of 20th century, sterling silver.
The video might be a little slow in loading, but be patient.