Reflective

My confidence in the eReader has officially worn off.  In my last post I was feeling confident in bringing my iPad on a business trip. 

It was fantastic on the plane.  Although I admit that I slept during takeoffs and didn't even crack open a magazine, but that was okay because I finished one book and started the next.  All thanks to being stuck on the tarmac at LAX for an hour which resulted in rebooking my connection in DWF (that's the Dallas airport code y'all).  So it was a glorious day for the iPad.

This morning I grabbed the trusty iPad and headed out for my business meetings.  I took notes, showed my staff some PDF files which saved me from paper waste.  All was glorious.  My Eco champion attitude continued, and I took the half mile walk back to my Fort Lauderdale hotel.  Once I returned to my room, I  sent off a dozen emails.  This was cause for a celebratory mojito at the marina bar. 

I found a lovely spot at the bar and decided to take a reading break with drink in hand.  But it wasn't quite working, my iPad was turning into a mirror.  I tried moving to a few different places.  I almost found one awkward position, but I kept seeing my face or the sky reflected in the iPad.  I finally gave up trying to read, and took this picture instead.  No trick photography.  I don't even know how to use Photoshop; I’m more of an excel nerd.  It does makes for a pretty awesome picture, so not a total loss.

Take-Offs and Landings

I have packing for air travel down to a science.  I am leaving for a 12 day business trip tomorrow and will have no problems packing my suitcase in 15 minutes flat.  It’s simple, I grab a few suits, blouses, other business clothing, casual items for my downtime including snorkel gear, toss in my handy hair towel, zip up the case and done.

It used to take me an agonizingly long time to pick my reading selections.  I would start planning two weeks prior. I’d gauge what book I was currently reading so I could power through and finish that book,  or be no more than a third into the current book before going on a trip.  I would then try to estimate my leisure and flight times to determine how many books I should pack.  Once I was gone for 14 days and packed 5 books.  I had forgotten how much books can weigh and take up space.  I bought a couple of bottles of wine, and of course those took priority, so I ended up leaving books scattered about as a finished them.  I imagine that’s how coffee shops acquires stray paperbacks, wayward travelers get tired of lugging them around and leave them sitting atop yesterday’s newspapers. 

Tonight I’ll charge up the iPad, and with favorite nook ap available to read the many books waiting for me.  The only downside will be when the flight attendant tells me to switch off all electronic devices.  I have no problem powering down my iphone or laptop, but when someone tells me to switch off my book – it doesn’t sound the same, and I want to take offence.  It seems too personal.  Almost makes me want to pick up a magazine just for takeoffs and landings.