Auld Lang Syne Lyrics And Translation

Feeding Your Golf Addiction In The Winter, Part 1: Play Golf

This is the first in a series of essays on things to feed your golf addiction in the off-season, when cold and snow drive those of us in the northern climes away from our beloved game.

Play Golf

The best thing a golfer can do in the golf off-season is to play golf. There’s no need to stay off the course just because the weather has turned cold. If the ground is clear of snow, there likely are courses open.

The key is not to expect much. The cold temperatures, hard ground and wind all will conspire to prevent you from scoring well. The course will have temporary, winter greens, so putting is a joke. Some courses in Michigan even reverse the tees. You start with a temporary tee near the 18th, and play backward to the 18th tee box, which has a hole cut in it. The final hole is the first tee.

Proper clothing is essential. Keep your head covered, your core warm, and dress in layers. I wear a wool hat from Tilley (I love the built-in ear flaps), flannel lined pants from LL Bean, Nike turtlenecksand golf fleece, an insulated vest, a wind breaker and wool socks.

Of course, all those extra clothes will keep you from making a full turn. But maybe that’s a good thing. I tend to overswing anyway.

The hard ground makes it very difficult to play irons, so I load my bag up with woods and hybrids. It’s easier to sweep the ball off the permafrost than dig into it. Lob shots are impossible, but that just makes it a good time to practice your sweeping pitches. The winter wind—at least in Michigan—is often strong, so you’ll need to work to keep your tee shots low.

Golf ball selection is important. Get one that has a very low compression and a soft cover.

Winter golf is fun, though. I’ve played golf every month of the year; on Thanksgiving break; Christmas Eve; New Year’s Day; and in mid February and March. As soon as the snow clears, and the skies are sunny, I’m packing my clubs for the course.

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Golf Themed Wine Glass

Golf In December 2016

Golf Is Everywhere: Kroger Country Club Crackers

I spotted these Country Club Crackers at my local Kroger the other day. The artwork reminds me of some classic golf travel posters that I’ve seen.

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Daschunds Golfing

This video of Daschunds golfing is both ridiculous and cute.

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Bill Kroen’s Golf Tip-a-Day 2017 Day-to-Day Calendar

My Favorite Reads of 2016

2016 was the year that my reading habits changed significantly. Casual reading no longer satisfies me. These days, a book either needs to feature excellent writing or teach me something new, or it won’t hold my interest. I used to need to alternate between heavier books and lighter reads; now I enjoy going from heavy to heavy.

This year, I read a lot about race, class, and privilege in America. This is some of the deepest and most meaningful reading I have ever done, and I feel like a completely different person from who I was at the beginning of the year.

As usual, interesting themes began to appear as the year went on.

On slavery, its horrors and escaping: The Underground Railroad, Homegoing, Grace, The Narrative of Frederick Douglass.

On social mobility and entering a new world through attending university: Between the World and Me, The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace, Make Your Home Among Strangers, Hillbilly Elegy.

On 1970s Bay Area counterculture: The Girls, American Heiress.

When I wrote about my favorite reads of 2015 last year, I was struck by how few of the books were published that year. It seemed a bit ridiculous to publish a “best of the year” list from primarily older books.

And this year I made a bigger effort to read new releases. This year I’ll be sharing my favorite novel and nonfiction book published in 2016, as well as all of the other books that were my favorites of the year, listed in no particular order.

My Favorite Novel Published in 2016: The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

Easily one of the most lauded novels of 2016, The Underground Railroad tells the story of Cora, an escaped slave who traverses the Underground Railroad — which in this book is reimagined as an actual underground railroad. At each stop, it seems like Cora has finally found safety and peace, or as much as safety and peace as she can hope for, until her life is shattered once again.

What affected me the most about this book was thinking about how the people with power control the narrative. Could there have been an actual underground railroad? There very well could have because white people have always held the power and if they didn’t know about it, it wasn’t the dominant narrative. It makes me sad for how much has been lost to history because the people with the least power were the only ones who witnessed it. (This is a very good book to read in the age of Trump.)

This book is hallucinatory and creative and the edges between fantasy and reality are deeply blurred. But the book has several overarching themes, just like Homegoing (which you’ll read about below). The biggest? Escaping slavery was only the beginning. Whether the horrors were experienced during Cora’s solitary journey or spread out along multiple generations like in Homegoing, they were there, they are still there, and they are one of the most shameful chapters of our country’s history.

My Favorite Nonfiction Book Published in 2016: American Heiress: The Wild Saga of the Kidnapping, Crimes and Trial of Patty Hearst by Jeffrey Toobin

I went into reading this book knowing nothing about Patty Hearst except that she was kidnapped and forced to rob banks in the 1970s. That couldn’t have been a better way to go into reading American Heiress. Knowing so little about the story made it all the more exciting — and this story was absolutely bonkers.

Patty Hearst, a 19-year-old heir to the Hearst publishing fortune, was kidnapped by a group of young radicals called the Symbionese Liberation Army in 1974. After a period of time, she began to believe in their cause and decided to join the group as they robbed banks and planned bombings. It took years before the police were able to track her down. Also, a shootout with the SLA was the first live news event ever to air on TV. How crazy is that?

I’ve read Jeffrey Toobin’s work before, but I have not enjoyed a single book this much since The Martian. It was a wild, insane, dense, satisfying ride and I’ve been discussing Patty Hearst with everyone I talk to since then.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (2016)

This is one of the powerhouse novels of 2016, but I couldn’t believe that Homegoing is Ghanaian-American author Gyasi’s first novel. She’s in her twenties. You would expect a book this intricately and emotively written to be the crowning lifetime achievement of a much older author.

Homegoing tells the story of two half-sisters in what is now Ghana. One is sold into slavery; the other is married to a slaver and stays in Africa. The book goes on in vignettes, telling stories of a family member on each side over the course of seven generations, lasting into the present day. In Africa, the characters wrestle with war, kidnappings, mental illness, the long-term effects of colonialism. In America, the characters struggle with slavery, imprisonment, Jim Crow, the heroin epidemic.

There is a belief held amongst some Americans that injustices against black Americans ended with the abolition of slavery. This book is the single best example I’ve ever seen of showing different forms of black bondage being replaced, one after the other, with the same goal of keeping them second-class citizens. (Today, it’s most clearly manifested in our criminal justice system.) Illustrating injustice through the empathetic form of fiction is, in my opinion, the most noble thing a novel can do. Everyone needs to read this book, but the people who need to read it most will not do so.

Read Homegoing in tandem with The Underground Railroad. They share a lot of the same themes.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley by Malcolm X and Alex Haley (1965)

When I moved to Harlem, I made an effort to read more books by Harlem authors, and I discovered a masterpiece. It blows my mind how much Malcolm X was overlooked in school when I was growing up — I knew so little about him when I started the book — and The Autobiography of Malcolm X is one of the most powerful self-told stories I have ever read.

So many things touched me that I didn’t expect. His discovery of dance (which he found in Boston!) and his love for Harlem. His days in prison, following an arrest for robbery, which he spent reading books every hour of every day. Finding religion in the Nation of Islam and just how intense that organization was. And how he was widely, erroneously reported to be a terrorist until he was gunned down.

This is also one of the best travel memoirs because of how much it changed his point of view. Malcolm X believed that the races were off segregated and gave speeches to this effect — until he went to Mecca, joyfully worshipped with Muslims of every color and background, and declared that he had been wrong all along.

The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace: A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League by Jeff Hobbs (2015)

No book ripped me open to my soul as much as The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace. Robert Peace grew up in a rough area of Newark, surrounded by drugs and violence, but he was incredibly intelligent. Between the hard work he and his mother did, he got himself into a private prep school and, eventually, Yale. A few years after graduation, however, he was murdered in a drug dealing dispute. This book, written by his college roommate, seeks to answer, “Why?”

And for me, that “Why?” was filled with agony. Even knowing that Rob ends up dead, I felt sick seeing it unfold slowly. And I’m still trying to figure out how it happened. Rob was anything but a burnout; even after college, he kept his life at home and built himself communities in Rio and Croatia. He dealt drugs for the money; he worked as a baggage handler for the travel privileges. He always had an end plan, but it was just out of his grasp.

Did Yale fail him? Could his death have been avoided if he had a mentor? Would he have moved on if he hadn’t been fiercely loyal to his family and friends? Who can be blamed for this?! We’ll never know. And that hurts. But perhaps this book will give us the steps to prevent other kids in Rob’s extraordinary position from going down the same path.

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2007)

I discovered Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie last year and two of her books, Americanah and Purple Hibiscus, were on my list of favorites last year. This year, she cemented her status as one of my favorite writers as I read Half of a Yellow Sun, a tale of war and the short-lived republic of Biafra in what is now Nigeria.

What I love most about Adichie’s books are her characters. With the possible exception of Ifemelu, the protagonist in Americanah, Adichie writes characters that I love so much that I want to hug them and listen to them tell their life stories. Half of a Yellow Sun tells the story of an extended family and the important people in their lives as they go from a comfortable middle-class existence to living through war, kidnappings, and starvation. By the time I finished, I was still thinking about those characters and how much I loved them.

I think it’s good to read a book about a period in time that you know nothing about. I never had a clue about Biafra and I’m so glad I know about it now.

Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West (2016)

I’ve been a big fan of Lindy West’s writing since her horrific and pants-shittingly hilarious viral review of Sex and the City 2. Shrill was an easy purchase, and it’s one of the best collections of essays I’ve ever read. The funny, truthful stories touch on everything from feminism and the media to body image and life as a plus-size woman to cyberbullying.

This year I read a lot of memoirs and essay collections by celebrities (Shonda Rimes, Amy Schumer) and internet celebrities (Luvvie Ajayi, Mark Manson). In nearly every case, the books were disappointingly uneven with some stronger essays and some weak ones. Not this book. West was the only exception. Every story in this book is razor-sharp and meaningful, whether funny or serious. There isn’t a weak link in the bunch.

I wanted to cheer when I finished this book because I feel like West and I want to see the same kind of world emerge in our lifetimes someday.

Dear Mr. You by Mary-Louise Parker (2015)

It’s always a nice surprise when an actor you enjoy turns out to be a fantastic writer, and not of the fun-time-memoir variety. Mary-Louise Parker is my latest example, and Dear Mr. You is a phenomenal collection of stories that blur between poetry and prose.

Each letter in the book is addressed to an important man in her life. To former lovers. To family members. I absolutely love how she writes each story — it’s ambiguous enough that you can’t quite figure out who is who, so if you’re looking for juicy Billy Crudup gossip, you won’t find it here. In fact, this writing style inspired me when I wrote my 10 Love Stories post.

And this is a book with a great ending. The final letter to a final Mr. You is perfect.

The Lost Daughter by Elena Ferrante (2008)

Last year, I discovered Elena Ferrante and Neapolitan Novels, which are now some of my favorite books of all time. This year, I delved in deeper to her other works. The Lost Daughter was my favorite. This wisp of a novella has everything that I love about Ferrante’s work: deeply uncomfortable introspection (but not on the level of some of her other books), keen observations of family dynamics, and the ferocity of Naples.

Leda is a divorced, new empty nester in her late 40s and she takes a trip to the seaside near Naples. While there, she observes a young mother with her daughter and ruminates on motherhood, including what some would consider an unforgivable act she committed while her daughters were young. That same impulse drives her to commit another act on the beach at night.

I love short, tight books that don’t waste a single word. (Movies, too. That’s why the 87-minute Dodgeball is one of my favorite comedies.) This book is perfect.

Swing Time by Zadie Smith (2016)

Two girls grow up in the housing projects of northwest London. Both from underprivileged backgrounds. Both biracial. And both with an insatiable love for dance — but only one is talented enough to make it professionally. While I’ve been wanting to read Zadie Smith’s books for quite some time, Swing Time was the first one I picked up, and it won’t be the last.

I’ve been reading a lot about female friendship — the deep love and furtive hate, the competition and sabotage and loyalty and cruelty. The best novels about female friendship are undoubtedly Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels. But Swing Time covers female friendship in a different direction — still with lots of highs and lows, but with the difference of raw talent vs. perseverance and nature vs. nurture. The book goes to places I did not remotely expect.

Another thing that I really loved about this book was its depiction of London. Cold, sophisticated and rough, yet familiar and welcoming, like the soft gray blanket you should probably get rid of but sits at the foot of your bed anyway.

Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance (2016)

It’s the book that everyone is talking about: “Read Hillbilly Elegy to understand why Trump won the election.” I wouldn’t go that far, as the book is much more a personal memoir and hardly dives into politics at all. I will say this: this book highlights a population that is underrepresented and misunderstood in American culture.

The “hillbilly” culture, a term Vance uses with pride and ownership, is only one segment of white working class voters that were power players in the 2016 election. But what a culture. I knew very little about the people who grew up in Appalachia and left for factory jobs in places like Ohio. I had no idea that violence was pervasive throughout the families, generation after generation, that education was so poor, and that so many of them had fallen to opioid addiction.

Don’t expect this book to give you a eureka moment or give you further insight into the election. But do use this book to learn about and empathize with a segment of the population who has had it very rough in the last few decades.

Without You, There Is No Us: My Time with the Sons of North Korea’s Elite by Suki Kim (2015)

No other country on the planet is more closed off to outsiders than North Korea. Most of the North Koreans that outsiders meet have escaped after imprisonment. But what about the ruling elites? They are perhaps the greatest mystery of all.

Suki Kim went undercover and got to see North Korea’s most privileged class close-up. In Without You, There Is No Us, she tells her account as a teacher at a university. She could trust no one. Her every move was monitored. Her students were earnest and childlike, yet lied with cheer and alacrity. Throughout this book I had the unsettling feeling that I was being watched — not unlike what I’m sure Kim felt 24/7 during her time teaching in Pyongyang.

Anyone who has a passing interest in North Korea should read this extraordinary book. For me, it confirmed my decision to not visit North Korea. At this point in time, I believe there is no ethical way to do so.

What’s Next for 2017?

I’ve decided to throw myself back in and take on Popsugar’s 2017 Reading Challenge! The challenge looks more difficult than 2015’s.

I’ve also given myself additional parameters: every month I will read at least one novel, at least one work of nonfiction, at least one book published in 2017, and at least one book by a person of color. I’ve also identified the twelve toughest categories (like “a book with more than 800 pages” — eek!) and will conquer one tough category per month so I won’t be overwhelmed.

Unlike last time on the challenge, I’m going to make an effort to read books I want to read first and seeing where they fit in rather than picking them out based on the category.

Some books I’ve got my eye on for 2016: Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond; Postcards from the Edge by Carrie Fisher; Blood, Bones and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamilton; White Teeth by Zadie Smith; Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah; and perhaps Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow or David Copperfield by Charles Dickens (gotta get that 800-page book somehow!).

What was your favorite book of 2016? How do you choose what to read? Share away!

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3 Holiday Season Remodeling Ideas

Tired of all those to-do lists and home improvement projects piling up year after year? Here are 3 holiday season remodeling ideas that you might want to consider, including: interior and exterior, lighting and upgrades.

Image Source: Flickr

Interior and Exterior
A beautiful front door and front entryway is not only the home’s first impression it is a traditional symbol of the holidays. Adorned with wreaths and garland, highlighted by permanent and seasonal lighting, a beautiful front entryway is the perfect way to welcome guests. Whether its upgrading the door, the hardware, the lighting, building a new porch, or adding stone steps or decorative elements, this effort can make a beautiful first impression. Many of our clients are looking to us to update their interior entryways as well. New flooring, stair railings, dramatic lighting and custom woodwork can all add interest and elegance to your front entryway.
“Unfortunately it’s a little too late to build an addition, remodel a kitchen or add a guest suite – will have to save that for next year. But there are still a few fun ideas we can accomplish to make our homes a little more festive this holiday season.” Source: HurstRemodel

Lighting
The lighting plays a huge role in getting the holiday feel. By selecting the right lighting materials for your living, dining, and foyer areas, you can add personality to your home. This holiday season, install oversized lights for a more dramatic effect. Source: PremierRemodels

Upgrades
– Upgrade your kitchen. The holidays are often associated with lots and lots of food, but it’s hard to prepare a large meal if your kitchen is too small or lacking the proper amenities. Consider remodeling your kitchen by upgrading your appliances, adding extra food prep space, or installing new cabinetry.
– Remodel the bathrooms. When you have lots of guests, you’re going to need lots of bathrooms—it’s just a fact! Why not consider upgrading your fixtures and installing low-flow toilets before your aunts and uncles descend upon your home for vacation?
– Finish your basement. Sometimes a single guest room isn’t enough. If you’re worried about where your guests are going to sleep, consider finishing your basement. A finished basement will give you extra living space, additional guest rooms, and a place to store all of those holiday gifts that won’t fit under the tree.
– Spruce up your guest room. Is your guest room too small? Does it have enough closet space? If not, consider expanding the closet to give your guests more storage space, or add on a guest bathroom for additional privacy!
– Add on. Maybe your home is lacking a guest room—if so, add on! Adding on to your home can give you the additional space and comfort you crave year-round. Source: DesignBuildRemodelingGroup

Contact:
Kerrisdale Roofing & Drains
8279 Ross St, Vancouver, BC V5X 4W1
(604) 360-2114

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The Most Googled Golf Equipment Company In Every State

The World of Golf 2017 Golf Calendar

The World of Golf 2017 Golf Calendar

Twelve month golf calendar, with spectacular photos to keep you inspired while you’re hard at work indoors.

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Mitholog Golf Towel Review

Planet Golf 2017 Golf Calendar

Salted Nut Roll “The Official Snack of Golf” Review

Mental Mondays: A Perfect Swing Is Not Necessary

You don’t need a perfect swing—just a consistent, repeatable one.

Anyone who’s played golf for any length of time has seen players who are ruthlessly efficient with their very ugly swings. They aim fifty yards to the left to compensate for their slices; they have a Jim Furyk hitch; chicken wings; a follow-through that spins them around; or are constantly off balance. But somehow these players manage to get around the course in a workmanlike manner.

A guy in our golf league has a double pump at the top of his swing that’s so weird, that I try not to look for fear that it’s infectious. But somehow he’s always at the top of the league standings. It’s nasty, but it works for him.

Always remember that the game is about getting the ball into the hole with the least number of strokes. There’s no bonus for having a beautiful swing.

This is not to say that you should not try to improve your swing. You should. But when you’re out on the course, play with the swing you have, not the one you wish you had.

This mental golf tip, and 99 others can be found in The GolfBlogger’s book, The Five Inch Course: Thinking Your Way To Better Golf.  

This tip is an excerpt from The Five Inch Course: Thinking Your Way To Better Golf. The complete book is available in Kindle and paperback format at Amazon.com.

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Leather Cigar Case With Cutter

This leather cigar case holds 3 cigars up to 51 gauge and has a cutter attached. It’s a very classy way to keep your cigars safe on the course.

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How I Make Videos

Every now and again, I get questions from readers about what kind of camera gear I use to make videos for the REtipster Blog, how to make instructional videos for virtual assistants and/or how to make video advertisements for the properties I’m selling. For the most part, I don’t think videos will make or break […]

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Scottish Christmas Music

Scottish Christmas Music. I can’t help myself. I love fiddles, dulcumer, guitar and pipes. Haunting and beautiful.

There’s about an hour’s worth of Christmas music from Scotland on this playlist.

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Have A Murray Christmas

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HAPPY CHRISTMAS! And a trip down memory lane…

May I take this opportunity to wish you and your families a very Happy Christmas. Thank you for perusing my blog this year, whether you’re a regular reader or someone who pops by occasionally, I appreciate your support and interest. I hope 2017 will be a wonderful, healthy, and happy year, and may all your dreams come true.

I thought it might be worthwhile revisiting my top 10 most popular blog posts of 2016. So here they are in order of popularity (to read, just click the link of each listed post). I hope you have found my musings and teaching tips useful. If there’s a topic I haven’t yet covered but on which you would like some input, please don’t hesitate to get in touch (via my contact page here on the blog).

The top post (How long will it take to learn to play the piano?) has been in top spot since this blog’s inception, and many of the posts are perennial favourites.

1. How long will it take to learn to play the piano? 
2. 10 reasons to play the piano
3. A few thoughts on Chopin’s Nocturne No. 20 in C sharp minor Op. Posth.
4. Why is Grade 5 Theory so important?
5. Resolving tension in piano playing; article for EPTA’S Piano Professional
6. Structured piano practice in 5 simple steps
7. A few thoughts on Beethoven’s Für Elise
8. Contemporary Piano Music?
9. 10 Top Tips for successful practice in 2014
10. Teaching & Adjudicating

Post number 5, Resolving tension in piano playing, has become increasingly popular, and over the past month has repeatedly been in the top spot. Which perhaps shows how many suffer from tension related issues (it’s the technical element I spend most time working on and alleviating in my teaching). Point number 10, Teaching & Adjudicating (which is really part of my biographical information) has also increased in popularity too.

Happy holidays and see you in 2017!

Melanie x

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For The Weekend: Bushmills Irish Honey Whiskey

Minion Golf Ornament

Despicable Me Minion Golf Ornament

Ridiculous Golf Item of the Week

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The Story of the Three Trees

As I’m sure you’re aware – this weekend is Christmas, and in the spirit of this special holiday, I wanted to share with you one of my favorite Christmas stories. Enjoy!

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My Worst Travel Moments of 2016

It’s time for everyone’s favorite post of the year — my worst travel moments! And I love writing this post every year. I think it’s important to reflect the not-so-pleasant times along with the happier moments, and I think that reflects in my coverage here.

In 2012, I drove my car into a ditch in the Faroe Islands.

In 2013, I was extorted for my phone in Cambodia.

In 2014, I got head lice at the age of 29 in New Orleans.

In 2015, I locked myself in a vestibule with a cockroach in Sicily.

Now, what’s up for 2016? Let’s take a look!

Starving on the Greyhound Bus to Boston

My sister and I were traveling home to Boston for the Fourth of July. She had already booked a Greyhound bus; I vastly prefer the Megabus, but decided to book the same Greyhound so we could go together.

I don’t like Greyhound because 1) they overbook buses all the time 2) Port Authority, from where the buses leave, is one of my least favorite places on the planet. It’s like a bizarre 90s time warp where technology doesn’t exist, down to the lack of both wifi and phone service. I avoid it whenever possible.

It was the morning and we stopped at a cafe in our neighborhood for some coffee and scones. We sipped the coffee but saved the scones, even though I was ravenous. I have this thing where I can’t eat until I’m perfectly settled and comfortable. I knew I wouldn’t touch it until the bus left the station.

Sarah had booked her bus long before I had, so she had an earlier boarding number. She got on the bus with all the food and held a seat for me.

You can see where this is going.

Sarah’s bus was overbooked, because it was Greyhound. They filled it and it took off. And because Port Authority has neither wifi nor phone service, she couldn’t alert me. She left with all the food.

I felt like crying as I got on my own bus, nothing to eat but gum for the next five hours. The good thing was that after an hour or so, my hunger went into the next level and disappeared entirely.

My First Concussion in Germany

This is one of the more serious injuries I’ve experienced while traveling. One night my friend Cailin and I were snapping each other back and forth, playing with the new feature that allows you to create a sticker out of anything.

I snapped myself falling backward onto the bed, but I miscalculated — I hit my head hard on the corner of the bed frame.

(Yes, it was caught on video. Yes, I deliberated sharing it publicly, but sent it to Cailin and Cailin alone. Her comment: “That was a loud thud!”)

I felt fine over the next 20 hours or so. But after that, on the train back to Munich, I started feeling nauseous and a bit dizzy, and a strong headache came on. I couldn’t help but think of Natasha Richardson, who died after hitting her head while skiing (and who felt fine immediately afterwards but took a turn for the worse later). After weighing the pros and cons, I decided to go to the hospital.

The hospital experience was surprisingly decent. I was seen fairly promptly, was given a CT scan (which had zero abnormalities), and though it costs 300 EUR ($311) for people without EU health insurance to visit the ER, I’ll be refunded it from World Nomads, my travel insurance provider. This is one of the millions of reasons why you need travel insurance!

Recovery has taken longer than I expected, but I’ve started to have full days without any headaches, dizziness, or nausea. That’s a big step!

Lost Luggage in Scotland

It was a simple nonstop flight from JFK to London Gatwick, but my bag (and lots of other passengers’ bags) didn’t make it. I’ve had lost luggage before, but it was always delivered within 24 hours. Not this time.

This time, Norwegian had no clue where it was.

That’s what made it awful. I hated being at a conference in no makeup and subpar clothing (I supplemented my meager wardrobe with a few M&S finds) but the worst thing was the uncertainty. Would they even find it in time for my trip to Wales? What about Slovakia after that?! It was a simple nonstop flight!

Finally, after two and a half days, I got word that not only had they found it, but it was already in Inverness! I hightailed it to the airport and picked it up with glee.

Between being on the phone constantly with Norwegian, having to buy clothes and toiletries before the shops closed (5:30 PM in Inverness) and having to pick it up at the airport, 30 minutes away, I missed a ton of the conference. But at least everything arrived before I had to go to Wales. And I was dressed to the nines for the final evening.

Dropping My Phone in the Toilet in South Africa

All this time, I’ve gotten through life without dropping my phone in the toilet. Until South Africa this summer.

I totally forgot I had put my phone in my back pocket…until I heard the telltale plop.

BUT IT SURVIVED. And you know why? Because I use a LifeProof case. Even though the bottom tabs were open, my phone survived the dip in the toilet without incident. That’s incredible.

AND THE TOILET WAS CLEAN. I feel like I need to add that.

The Worst Press Trip Companion Ever

I’ve met a lot of people in the travel blogging industry. I’ve gone on press trips with well over 100 people. Most people are decent. Perhaps the top 20% are awesome. And you get a few unpleasant people every now and then. But one woman I met this year was the absolute worst.

It started with, “Well, I hope he at least bought you a drink after,” when I talked about a really nice date I had gone on that happened to not cost anything. It escalated to wanting to pose for selfies with an immigrant worker as a prop in the background. And then came, “We don’t like black guys.”

Looking back, it’s not surprising that this happened in 2016. If anything, the 2016 presidential election emphasized that many reasonable-appearing people will secretly engage in racist behavior. This woman was yet another example.

Getting My Bank Account Depleted for Fraud Reasons

I won’t say where this took place or who it involved, but it started when a company paid me a good-sized check for a campaign. I don’t like getting paid by check, but sometimes it’s necessary.

The check arrived the day before I was to leave on a big trip. I deposited it with my phone. A few hours later, I got the notification that my bank had accepted it. Lovely. I then did my usual routine: shifted funds to different accounts and left enough money in my account to cover the trip. I then got on my plane and flew to another continent.

Several days into that trip, my debit card wasn’t working. I opened my email and realized that the client had voided all of their outgoing checks for fraud reasons — several days after it had been deposited in my account with no issues. “Just go back to the bank with the same check and they should be able to do it again,” I was told.

I immediately got on the phone with the client and got them to issue a transfer through their bank, which I was grateful for.

But I learned my lesson. And this is one that I hope you learn too. Even several days after a check is deposited and accepted by your bank, it can still be removed from your account if the sending bank issues a fraud alert. I’m going to be much more cautious with my checks in the future.

Spilling My Diva Cup in Australia

Yeah, this definitely falls into TMI territory. While in Coral Bay, I dropped a full Diva Cup for the first time ever in my six years of using one — and it spilled all over my clothes. Blood was everywhere.

Getting Haunted by Little Gracie in Savannah

It was my second visit to the very haunted city of Savannah, but my first trip to Bonaventure Cemetery. While there, I came across the grave of Little Gracie.

Little Gracie died of pneumonia at the age of six. Her father owned a hotel and she was a local celebrity, charming every guest who came in.

After she died, her parents buried her at Bonaventure and left town. People say that Little Gracie’s ghost can be seen wandering through town, looking for her parents.

I stood at the gate and made eye contact with the statue. And then something hit me in the chest and went all the way to my back. It was almost like a massive gust of wind whooshing into me. I felt so much fear in that moment and was desperate to find my friend so I wouldn’t be alone.

Something happened that day. I think Little Gracie’s ghost made an attempt to communicate with me. And I didn’t like it.

The Worst Uber Ride in Cape Town

I love Cape Town, and South Africa in general, but you need to be on your guard there constantly. One issue is driving at night. Carjacking is still a risk in parts of South African cities. Locals know which areas to avoid; when you’re a visitor, you have no idea. I had no idea.

After doing trivia at Oblivion, Beth and I summoned an Uber to take us home. And as soon as we got in, it was clear that the driver had no idea what he was doing. He didn’t know how to navigate with the Uber system. He almost went into the wrong lane and had to back up. He suddenly hit the breaks, his manual car jerking wildly, then he stayed in place. One minute passed. Then another.

I was scared to death. Not only that, I was trying to hide my fear so Beth wouldn’t be scared.

“You need to get us out of here now,” I told him.

“Yes! Yes! Just one minute, please!”

“No. You need to go NOW. Take us back to the bar.”

He couldn’t even figure out how to get back to the bar. I had to navigate him.

After that, we switched to only summoning from UberX, which sources from professional drivers. It cost twice as much as regular Uber but was still very economical in South Africa.

Accidentally Drinking Undiluted Rum in Puerto Rico

And there was the time I went to the Don Q distillery in Puerto Rico, tasted lots of rums, and I made the grievous mistake of reaching for the wrong glass and drinking undiluted rum.

Undiluted rum.

I’m surprised I still have my teeth enamel.

What was your worst travel moment of the year? Share away!

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This Tiger Woods Photo Can’t Be Unseen

This Tiger Woods Photo can’t be unseen. What was he thinking. It is one thing to look like an idiot in front of your own kids. But why would you tweet it? Has be been taking twitter lessons from Donald Trump?

The post This Tiger Woods Photo Can’t Be Unseen appeared first on GolfBlogger Golf Blog.

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Keeping The Hands Warm On Winter Golf Rounds

Cold weather absolutely does not stop me from playing golf. Assuming that the ground is clear of snow, there are several courses within a short drive of GolfBlogger World Headquarters that remain open much of the year.

Staying warm is always an issue when playing winter golf, but as a bare-handed player, keeping the digits warm is of particular concern. What you see in the photo above is my solution. It works like a charm in the coldest weather in which I dare play golf.

On my cart handle are a pair of push cart mittens, which are heavy, and fleece lined.

Inside each the mittens, I keep a Zippo Black Hand Warmer. The Zippo Hand Warmer is an amazing device. You fill it with lighter fluid and heat the burner with a match (or a Zippo lighter) for a few seconds. The heat from the flame starts the catalytic converter on the hand warmer and it begins to generate a flameless heat. On a full tank, I find that the heat lasts for at least twelve hours.

The only problem with the Zippo hand warmers is that once you start them up, there’s no way to turn them off. They will just continue to generate heat until the fuel is exhausted.

At any rate, with this setup, I can keep my bare hands toasty warm between shots. With my hands in the mittens, I push the cart to my ball. There are a few moments of exposure to the elements as I select a club and swing, then the paws are back in their cozy warm environs.

I also keep a couple of balls in the Ultimittens and swap them out on each hole. My operating theory is that it keeps them from getting hard from the cold.

 

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