Author: Chris

Unsolicited Travel Tips

While waiting for my return flight from Barcelona (via Zürich) I jumped on Twitter to dump a few things I’ve learned in the last year of travel. Instead of leaving my thoughts there to disappear into the ether I thought I’d collect them here. 1 While by no means a travel expert these are a few things I picked up that serve as both a reminder to future me and might be helpful for you as well. YMMV and all that.

  1. If you bring something to entertain you while hanging out in your hotel room (like a tablet) leave it behind. You’ll never have time to play with it.
  2. If asked to go out into the city by instead of staying in the hotel – even if you’re tired – do it. Regret makes for a terrible story.
  3. Don’t use your local phone service overseas. If possible, unlock your phone & get local SIM. On this last trip I paid $15 (Euro) for gb from Orange. AT&T, my home provider, wanted to charge me $120 (US) for 800mb.
  4. Pack extra socks. Lots of socks. Change them midday. Your feet will thank you (and your nose too).
  5. Travel light. Roll clothes. Don’t check a bag. Don’t take lots of toiletries. Unless traveling to the Sahara, just find a store. Being able to just get on/off a plane without checking/picking up a bag is amazing.
  6. Go away from the city center. Use public transit. Ask locals for dining suggestions. None of this is that scary. It will make your trip even more unique and interesting.
  7. iPhone users: Turn on Low Power Mode and keep it on. You don’t need push email/notifications when you’re on a trip! This means longer times between charges (more time to look up at the place you’re in and less time looking down at your screen) and no need to scramble for a charger.

The Not So Narrow Slice

Also, as it turns out, the genre is often, maybe even always, political. Even when it’s not expressly so, fiction isn’t about some rote operational telling of stories. Science-fiction and fantasy, when operating well, serve as a bellwether for the world in which we live. It’s always been that way. Through history, we examine both the small books and films and comics and also the really popular ones to see what ideas and fears and yes even politics have seeped out of the public consciousness and conscience and into the stories that the public loves and shares.

Chuck Wendig on the stupidity surrounding the Hugo awards this year. See also Scalzi.

Sponsor me in the 2015 Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride!

Did you know that the word ‘prostate’ means “One who stands before, protector, guardian”? That’s a pretty big role for a part of the body we don’t much talk about. Let’s change that. Help me spread the word about the importance of the prostate and raise funds for prostate cancer research. Sponsor me in The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride​ 2015!

Last year I grew a terrible mustache and wore a great suit. This year I’m upping the ante.

Donation levels!

$5 – Just for donating, I will gift you with a big sweaty hug after the ride.

$10 – I’ll send you a glossy 8 x 10 print of one scantily clad sexy beast – that’s me – posing with the bike. Yes, I’m serious.

If you do not wish to have this glorious image thrust upon your eyeballs, you can opt to have a mutual friend (It can’t be a stranger, that’d be weird) receive this great gift. If they wish to avoid eye strain from such a beautiful image, they can make a donation and nominate one of our mutual friends to be the next victim. And so it goes…

$25 – I’ll let you sit on the bike. Seriously, I don’t even let Jackie do this. Plus I’ll throw in the 8 x 10.

$50  – I’ll buy you breakfast the day of the ride (or other day if you can’t make it) with me.

$100 – Really? Ok. If you donate 100 bucks I’ll let you decide my attire. Do you want me to wear a pork pie hat, vest, and skinny jeans? How about tails and a top hat? A monocle and a mustache? I can even dust off the Colonel Mustard suit from last year. We have to keep it classy, but you get to pick.

Have I piqued your interest? Hit the link below and help me out.

https://www.gentlemansride.com/rider/Ckoerner