Luggage and Literature

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. - St. Augustine

  • Travel Bucket List
  • Travel Resources
  • Indexes
    • Book Index A-F
    • Book Index G-L
    • Book Index M-R
    • Book Index S-Z
    • Book Club Questions Index
    • Packing Index
    • Domestic Travel Index
    • International Travel Index
  • About
  • Contact

Archives for October 2015

What I Read (October 2015)

10.30.2015 by Tana Henry //

Every month I try to read at least one book from the following categories: nonfiction, devotional, and fiction. Non-fiction ensures that I’m always learning something new. Devotionals ensure that I’m keying into my faith. And fiction books are just so enjoyable to read! This is What I Read in October 2015.

Books Finished:

The Memory Thief by Emily Colin


The plot of this novel was a bit bizarre, but definitely made me want to keep reading to find out how things were going to resolve themselves. The story is written from the perspective of each of the main characters, which means that the story could jump around a big in chronology without feeling disjointed. I really liked it.

A Better Way: Make Disciples Wherever Life Happens by Dale Losch


This book discusses the current model of discipleship (missionaries and church planting) contrasted with a new model of discipleship (people working in chosen fields and starting businesses to gain access to countries that don’t allow missionaries and to spread the Gospel). I thought that the arguments were compelling, in particular how quickly each Christian making one new disciple each year could make believers out of the population of the entire globe. However, I would have liked to have read more geared toward those of us making disciples in the US, and more ‘how to’ like tips for actually making disciples. It has a good message for how the church can adjust its efforts to create believers in the modern era. And I think this message is one worth listening to, as there are many, myself included, who want to help people become followers of Christ, but do not feel that we are supposed to be full-time ministers or missionaries.

Further Chronicles of Avonlea by Lucy Maud Montgomery


After reading the rest of the series, I had to finish it up. This book consists of short stories about people from Prince Edward Island, and who are tangentially related to Anne Shirley and the other main characters of the other
books. Some are happy, some are incredibly sad, and some are actually ghost stories. Quite enjoyable.

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell


After finishing Outliers last month, I just had to read another Malcolm Gladwell book. Although I liked Outliers better, The Tipping Point was also excellent. The book essentially endeavors to explain the spread of epidemics of all kinds. The explanations all made perfect sense through Gladwell’s masterful anecdotes. I definitely recommend this one, as well.

Pianist in a Bordello by Mike Erickson


This was a fun and entertaining little book. I had a difficult time putting it down. The general plot is that a young man by the rather unfortunate name of Richard Milhaus Nixon Youngblood is running for political office, and decides that to bolster his claim of honesty in all things he will publish an autobiography. Most of the book is that autobiography. I so recommend this novel, as it really was engaging.

Toward the Sunrise: An Until the Dawn Novella by Elizabeth Camden


This little novella is the tale of a woman enrolled in medical college and hoping to be a medical missionary, at a time when women are not terribly welcome in colleges. She is the daughter of a groundskeeper, and the wealthy absentee landowner pays her tuition. It was a sweet little story, that also contained an excerpt from the novel by the same name. It was sweet and heartwarming. I’m
looking forward to reading the novel.

Blogging: How To Start A Profitable Blog by David Lim


This book is a realistic look at what blogging is actually like, and what is needed to monetize a blog. Good starter or refresher tips.

Miramont’s Ghost by Elizabeth Hall


This book was really good…until it wasn’t. What I mean by that is that it started out as a very interesting story, with character lines that drew me in, and a plot that kept me reading. But then toward the end, the story line felt rushed to completion, and many of the plot points, the visions experienced by the main character, Adrienne, weren’t seen through to completion. And many of the
characters were simply dropped, with no resolution. And it felt almost as if characters were changed from good guy to bad guy, and as if terrible things happened, for no apparent reason, as they didn’t really move the story. And
the final chapter of the book felt almost as if it were pulled from another story, as there had been no foreshadowing to help it fit together with the rest of the book. Overall, I didn’t like this book, although I thought that I would when I started reading it.

Lost Highlander by Cassidy Cayman


This was a fun little novel that included romance and adventure. Although it’s definitely not a literary masterpiece, it’s a fun story that’s an enjoyable way to
pass the time. And it’s not as smutty as what the cover of the book might indicate. 😉

 

Books Abandoned:

None.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Email

Categories // What I Read Tags // A Better Way: Make Disciples Wherever Life Happens, Blogging: How to Start a Profitable Blog, Cassidy Cayman, Dale Losch, David Lim, Elizabeth Camden, Elizabeth Hall, Emily Colin, Futher Chronicle of Avonlea, literature, Lost Highlander, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Malcolm Gladwell, Mike Erickson, Miramont's Ghost, Pianist in a Bordello, The Memory Thief, The Tipping Point, Toward e Sunrise, What I Read

Packing for a Scuba Diving Trip

10.14.2015 by Tana Henry //

Packing for a trip is challenging under normal circumstances. Deciding whether to simply carry-on a bag or to check one, size restrictions on liquid containers, making everything fit, trying not to forget anything, deciding what to wear; the challenges seem innumerable. I can safely say that I have traveled enough that I have packed well for trips, and have packed poorly for trips, and have learned a few lessons along the way. In this series on packing, I want to give a few of my tips for packing for different types of travel, so that my readers hopefully will not make the same mistakes that I have already made. Here are my thoughts on Packing for a Scuba Diving Trip.

Our carry on bags, checked suitcase, and portable scale ready to go!
Our carry on bags, checked suitcase, and portable scale ready to go!

Scuba diving trips are somewhat easier in some respects that other types of travel. For one thing, the decision about whether to check a bag is already made…the answer is yes! Scuba gear is bulky and heavy enough that at least one bag will need to be checked for gear alone. I’ve seen some of the men on dive trips pack their clothing and personal effects into their gear bags, but have not seen a woman manage the feat. So the question that remains is simply whether two checked bags are necessary, and I think the answer depends on how long the trip is. When Mike and I go on a dive trip together, usually they last about 8 days. For these trips, we each check a gear bag, and then share a large suitcase that also gets checked. We then each have a small carry on bag (like a backpack or shoulder bag) with essentials and entertainment for the flights and layover. This seems to work well for us, and ensure that we can bring enough items that we need for the week.

Here is a list of the items that we pack in our scuba gear bags:
– Dive logbook with certification cards and pen
– Buoyancy Control Device (BCD)
– Whistle
– Safety tube (also known as a “scuba sausage” which is used to signal boats)
– Regulator system with gauges
– Compass
– Dive computer with extra batteries (Mike keeps his in his gear bag while flying, while I keep mine in my carry on)
– Fins
– Mask
– Mask Defog Solution
– Snorkel
– Weight bag (but not weights if flying to the dive destination)
– Knife or Shears
– Dive Lights
– Wetsuit/Dry suit (For tropical locations we take both 3mm shorties, and 5mm full body wetsuits. Mike is the only one who dives cold water, so on those trips he takes his dry suit and all of its associated gear.)
– Boots
– Boat bag (Ours are mesh with backpack straps, used to haul all of our gear from the hotel room, locker, traveling gear bag to the boat.)
– Dry bag (to keep anything dry while on the boat)

I make piles of everything that needs to go into the checked bag, so that I can roll shirts and arrange everything in the bag.
I make piles of everything that needs to go into the checked bag, so that I can roll shirts and arrange everything in the bag.

Here is a list of the items that we pack in our checked suitcase:
– A portable, hand-held scale (to make sure our luggage isn’t overweight, because overweight fees suck!)
– Rash guards (at least 2-3 so they can fully dry between dives and don’t get quite so funky)
– Swimming suits (at least 2-3)
– Hats (to cover up wet tangled hair)
– Swim cover ups
– First aid kit
– Medications (including prescription, motion sickness, nausea, bug bite creams, pain relievers, decongestants)
– Swimmers ear drops
– Sun block
– Insect repellents (we usually take multiple kinds, because different ones seem to work better with different kinds of bugs)
– Tissues
– A collapsible cooler (unless your carry on bag is insulated and can double as a cooler, like mine)
– Clothing (I usually bring a mix of casual wear and sundresses/maxi dresses, so that I’m set for different occasions. I like to dress up a bit for some of the dinners.)
– Appropriate undergarments (including extras in case you end up staying longer than expected)
– Sleepwear
– Sandals (more than 1 pair to avoid getting blisters)
– Water shoes (mine have support and good soles, so they double for walking shoes to explore the island)
– Jewelry (pretty but inexpensive jewelry…leave the real stuff at home)
– Toilet articles (makeup, facial care items, toothpaste, toothbrush, floss, Q-tips, hair detangler, hairbrush and comb, flat-iron, hair care products, deodorant, lotion)
– Shower items (such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, razor)

I lay out all of my carry on items on the bed before packing them, so I don't forget anything.
I lay out all of my carry on items on the bed before packing them, so I don’t forget anything.

Here is a list of the items that we each pack in our carry-on bags:
– Passports
– Driver’s Licenses
– Insurance Cards (including dive insurance card)
– Credit Cards
– Cash (in the appropriate currency for wherever we are headed, plus in U.S. dollars)
– Flight Information
– Paperwork to be handed in to the trip leaders (such as releases, waivers, etc., if not provided to them ahead of time)
– Cell Phones
– Tablets
– Kindle
– Paperback books (since some flights don’t allow for electronic devices to be used during take off and landing)
– Nintendo 3DS and games (for Mike,of course) 🙂
– Charging cables for electronic devices
– Backup battery chargers
– Tissues
– Chapstick
– A small bottle of hand lotion
– Pain reliever
– Snacks such as granola bars or raisins
– Hard candy (such as Life Savers or Jolly Ranchers) (to suck on after a dive to get the salt water and dry air taste out of your mouth)
– Sunglasses
– A sweatshirt
– Camera
– Underwater camera and lights (so that they don’t get broken in checked luggage)

This is what we take, and how we divide it up between our pieces of luggage.  What items do you leave off of your list? What items do you take that I haven’t listed?

Check out the other posts in my series on packing (packing for a conference, packing for Kaaboo Del Mar, and packing for a camping trip).

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Email

Categories // Packing Tips Tags // luggage, packing, packing tips, scuba diving

What I Read (New Orleans)

10.08.2015 by Tana Henry //

When I travel, I always find time to get a bit of reading time in. Car trips, flights, and relaxing by a pool or on a beach afford ample time to read fantastic books. Here is What I Read while traveling to New Orleans.

Books Finished:

Somewhere in France by Jennifer Robson


I took this book with me, because I always like to have a paperback for flights. I still read my Kindle, but have gotten burned on a couple of flights where the flight attendant wouldn’t let me use my Kindle during takeoff and landing.

This story is set at the very beginning of, and the during World War I, and follows Lady Elizabeth “Lilly” in her journey toward being the woman that she wants to be, as well as in her romance with her brother’s best friend. It was a beautiful and well written story, with its funny, scary, and sweet moments. I loved it, and am so glad that I had picked it up for the trip.

 Mosquitoes by William Faulkner 


I finished Somewhere In France while in New Orleans, so I needed another for the trip back home. I picked this one up at Faulkner House Books, as I couldn’t imagine not buying a Faulkner book while at the store. The characters are all initially somewhat repulsive, but redeem themselves in the end. I hadn’t previously read much Faulkner, but think that I’ll probably read more in the future, as his writing style is growing on me.

 

Books Abandoned:

None.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Email

Categories // What I Read Tags // Jennifer Robson, literature, Mosquitoes, Somewhere in France, What I Read, William Faulkner

  • 1
  • 2
  • Next Page »
My name is Tana, and I am an attorney in South-Central Nebraska. I'm married to a great guy, named Mike, and have a dog named Emmy and a cat named Scout. I read as much as possible, and travel any chance I get. Luggage and Literature chronicles both. I hope you enjoy looking around! Please leave me a comment and tell me what you think.

HELP KEEP CREATIVITY GOING AND MY MIND AWAKE WHILE READING AND REVIEWING!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Recent Posts

  • October 2023 Reading List
  • September 2023 Reading List
  • August 2023 Reading List
  • Bahamas Scuba Diving
  • Pet Care During Travel

Categories

  • Book Club Questions
  • Domestic Travel
  • Friday Five
  • General Tips
  • Goals
  • International Travel
  • Packing Tips
  • Roadside Locations
  • Uncategorized
  • What I Read

Pages

  • About
  • Book Club Questions Index
  • Book Index A-F
  • Book Index G-L
  • Book Index M-R
  • Book Index S-Z
  • Contact
  • Domestic Travel Index
  • Indexes
  • International Travel Index
  • Packing Index
  • Travel Bucket List
  • Travel Resources

Archives

  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • January 2023
  • November 2022
  • August 2022
  • June 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 · Modern Studio Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in