Tuesday Travels' TIPs & TRICKs

My recent experience at the airport gave me an idea....to share some travel tips and tricks with you. I normally travel by car, but this time it was appropriate to fly. I found it silly to pay for checked luggage so (to my very girly sister's dismay) managed to pack 2 weeks worth of clothes and shoes into my carry-on bag. I also brought a small bookbag that contained my laptop, sketchbook, indie biz binder, and pencil bag. Oh, and I also carried a 16x20 painting (this one) that I wrapped in newspaper to disguise it as reading material. lol. it worked :)

Just to fully visualize this, my carry-on was completely full, but it just goes to show you (well, me, really) that one can get by just fine on only a few outfits. I actually didn't even wear everything I brought. well.... maybe I did. (see video below)

ok. lets get to it.

Challenge: I want to bring my scanner back to Tahoe with me. I'm too broke/cheap to mail it plus I don't want it to get damaged. I read the airlines rules on luggage and found that I was only able to bring 1 carry-on bag and 1 personal item. The personal item could be a laptop bag, a briefcase, a handbag, OR a small bookbag. So I need to make my 3 items equal 2 items, without exceeding the size limitations.

Hmmm. I debated leaving most of my clothes behind and packing the scanner in my carry-on bag. Decided against it because I really wanted to have the scanner box too since traveling in the car/trailer makes loose, improperly packaged objects likely to get damaged.

Solution: I used kraft paper to make the scanner box less noticeable and hopefully pass as an over-sized (20 x 14.5 x 6) briefcase. ;) it has a handle even. I then layered as many of my clothes as I could managed without looking to 'obvious'. Since I was now wearing almost the whole contents of my carry-on, I managed to then fit my book bag and all its contents in my carry-on, plus a few items I wasn't able to wear. My carry-on I'm sure surpassed the weight limit but I knew as long as the stewardess didn't try to lift it, noone would know. (just fyi. i was a little worried about my healing hand, but it managed to help get my bag in and out of the overhead compartment resulting in a few aches afterward but doing quite fine.) I DID make it back to Tahoe, to my surprise, without being hassled or questioned about the big extra box. I didn't pass out from heat exhaustion even though it was in the 70's when I departed Wichita and when I arrived in Sacramento.

Here's a little video demonstrating my layering technique =)
note: the pink bottom layer are leggings (aka long underwear) so I didn't want to strip down to them for you.

Media Monday - Elephant Revival

Elephant Revival

(source)

I first saw this band at the Walnut Valley Music Festival in Winfield, KS in 2008 on Stage 5. Stage 5 is one of the unofficial stages setup where bands can just sign up for a time slot and play. Oh, yeah... it happens to be on the bed of an old pickup truck. It's a low key, more personal atmosphere than the big official stages.

What intrigued me the most about Elephant Revival was their washboard playin' skills and cute girls in sun dresses. ;) There are also males in this group, but I have to admit that I gravitate toward female artists. If you want a little history about them, here's their website.

Bridget and Bonnie from Elephant Revival w/ Daniel

a soft one.

cute girls in sun dresses playing with Opal Fly (who is good too)

the Sunday Special

We hit a few happy hours this week. We honestly go to them because of the good deals on food, but a drink is now and again is alright too. =)

One place we frequent for happy hour is Cilantro's Mexican Cantina in Stateline, NV. Its pretty close and they have awesome deals. Our faves are the $1 fish tacos and $5 nachos. I'm not talkin' skimpy, greasy fast food. I can seriously get full on chips and 2 tacos. If the two of us split the nachos, I am usually stuffed! But they are just so good that I can't help but eat my share. They are seriously my favorite nachos ever!!! The chips stay crunchy. They pile the toppings so high that sometimes we have to ask for more chips to finish it. They do not use that cheap yucky 'nacho' cheese. They use white beans, shredded cheese, any meat you want (my fave is the shredded beef), tomatoes, onions, cilantro (of course), guac, sour cream, jalapenos, and we add salsa from their full salsa bar. We asked for beef this time, but either they gave us steak or they've changed their beef to cubes instead of shredded. Either way, it was still yummy.

Wild HAIR Wednesday

So I'm dedicating this Wild Wednesday to my WILD Hair-dos. Well, actually ALL my hair-dos I've had through the years. I'm sure this seems pretty narcissistic, but what the hey ;) I haven't posted any (current) pictures of myself for months. And since this is my domain (ha, ha) I get to do this sort of thing. =)

JessieB's 30 years of Hair-Do's

not much there.......natural curls.........bowl cut

long version of the pixie.........long w/ feathered bangs.........short angular bob

1st perm AND a head band, ha ha.......from 91 to 98 it grew to my waist......partial cornrows

(still wet) partial cornrows.....all one length (fat curling iron used).....long pixie

long bob.......grown out again......2nd perm ever = soft waves

crunchy curls.....1st high & lowlights (blond n caramel)......1st all over color plus stripes

dark w/BLUE & platinum stripes (worn straightened til it started to fade)....blue stripey curls

blue stripey curls.....dark w/PURPLE & platinum stripes (straightened with a flat iron)

dark w/PURPLE & platinum stripes.....dark w/caramel & platinum stripes (straightened)

dark n caramel stripey curls........short dark flip......dark pixie-ish (professionally thinned out)

short dark natural curls......blond wig (1st go @ blond).....brunette straightened with flip

little piggies...........wavy.........tad longer pigtails

growing..... Straightened (never chemically tho, just flat ironed).....natural curls

BLOND w/ lots of layers.......pretty feathers.....natural waves (testing out long bangs)

natural look......a little blonder (straightened)......my go-to in hot weather or active times

still lovin' the blond waves......Whoops! a little too blond (good 4 rainbow bright) w/long BANGS

pretty blond.........soft blond with bangs.....& me in lipstick (very rare!!)

long straight pigtails n' bangs......curly twisted up pigtails......freshly dyed blond

wavy with long bangs................teased w/shorter bangs

straightened blond w/layered bangs.......still rockin' the blond waves!!.......active do

braids (best way to keep tangles at bay).......natural waves.......gettin' long & roots are a showin'



And just in case there is still some of you who don't know yet........
I now have DREADLOCKS!!

January 29th, 2010 - just finished


March 2010

p.s. I couldn't find a couple cute childhood photos I wanted to use so when I find them, I'll just update this post.

Tuesday Travels

My 2 week visit to Wichita is ending today and I'm headed back to Tahoe... where I hear it's been snowing again. (btw it's in the 70's here, but there was a tornado yesterday)

clickin' my heels together (pic from 2008)

Feelings: Love my family. Gonna miss all the kisses. Wish I could take my family and friends with me. I'm itchin' to start painting again.

Media Monday - Imelda May

Trying to figure out what kind of mood I'm in today. I tend to like calm music (or silence actually) in the morning so I was looking for something in that vein....However, I stumbled across this Rockin' Lady in my bookmarks. Ever bookmark something and months or years later you re-discover it? I love that! I love leaving little "surprises" for my future self. Try leaving your favorite chapstick in your winter coat to find it next winter. (I actually have a different one in every jacket and coat I own.) I promise it will put a smile on your face. I use to do it with cash sometimes, too. =D

So I'm listening to Imelda May today. Some slow soothing songs and some that will rock your socks off!



Below is a string of videos with on-tour clips, etc. Its fun, but my favorite is the very first song.



If you're captivated by Miss Imelda May, here are her gig dates/locations.

My Mothers

Last year I was lucky enough to have all "my mothers" in one place on Mother's Day.

my sister, my mom, my grandma, and my step-mom

This year I've gotten lucky again, thanks to this little guy having a birthday!

7 years ago

Happy Birthday Ethan!! And Happy Mother's Day to all the Mother's out there!