PortaPocket Notebook

Not sure if you heard about this, but the latest apple iWatch and iPhone 14 have a new feature. It's a feature that seems useful, but it's actually creating a new problem unintentionally. While 'smart' electronics often enhance our lives, it seems that in this case it's having an opposite effect.

The issue stems from the new 'crash detection' feature. So when you're on a high speed ride, the sharp movements and drops are seemingly like those one might experience in a car accident. So your apple tech is now summoning the ambulances on your behalf. Oh my! 

This is a fail on multiple fronts as any misguided efforts to assist people who don't need emergency services results in a waste of resources. Dispatching people and equipment to unnecessary missions disallows them to be available for more urgent situations where people actually need help.

Some parks that are now aware of this situation have started installing signage to tell patrons to please turn off their cell phones &/or watches, or leave them off the ride altogether.  The first step in fixing the problem is always awareness.

It's a start. 

We're excited to announce we've added our first neck pillow to our assortment.
It's a super cool innovation called the Tube, created by Donna Cooper of Tubular Travel
in Jacksonville, FL.

The Tube is the only neck pillow you stuff with clothes so you get extra storage space
when you fly, along with a handy device for neck or lumbar support to make your
flight experience more comfortable. 

Check it out here, and be sure to take one along on your next adventure!

. . 

Why was Amtrak trying to charge Access Living, a group with some disabled folks an extra $25K for tickets, purportedly "to re-configure a train car" in order to accommodate them. Seriously??

The fee is exorbitant and no way represents what it would cost to manage this group's situation. It seems that Amtrak is either being lazy for not thinking AT ALL of alternatives to help out the situation, or being obnoxiously greedy. Neither are good.  

Let's agree as a society it's never appropriate to exploit a situation for personal gain.  Let's hope Amtrak re-visits this 'policy' and changes their mindset to be more fair-minded in the future.

What do you think? Is what Amtrak tried to do ok with you?

Do you love uncrowded, off-the-beaten-path castles? 
If so, this small castle-like manor house is a MUST DO if you're ever in Edinburgh!

We happened across this Scottish charmer while booking with our airbnb host in Cramond Edinburgh and were very excited to be staying in a place just a few blocks away. This 16th century country house (complete with towers) is in a walkable, residential neighborhood, within 1.5 miles of the turreted Whitehouse Road home of Harry Potter author JK Rowling...and every bit as intriguing to visit.

With high season in mid August and the popular Scottish fringe and tatoo festivals underway, boisterous crowds turned our effort to see Edinburgh Castle into a standing-room affair.  With discomfort a certainty, we happily aborted our mission to the vast landmark and enjoyed a peaceful soujourn to Lauriston, instead.  Its more human-scale and quiet grandeur is a delight and the small group tours (ours was about 8 guests) allow a much more personalized approach, no reservations required. 

On a scale of 1 to 10, I rate this experience a solid 9+ 

Fast facts:

Location: 2A Cramond Road South | Davidson's Mains, Edinburgh EH4 5QD, Scotland

Grounds open daily, 7:30am to 8p

Cost: Adult £8, Concession £6 (under 5 free);
Grounds are Free to explore

Notes: free parking on site; website here

some helpful info if you're planning to travel abroad... 

 STEP can be a useful tool to know about when you go out of the country.

See more about it, here.

Mother's Day is next Sunday, but I'm celebrating EVERY day as Mother's Day. There are no words to describe how grateful I am for my mom to be a guiding force and a presence in my life... to this day. On her 84th birthday in March she said (bless her spirit) "Every day is a bonus!" 

Love her to pieces.

Just the other day a friend of mine lost his mom. She was 83 and died in his arms. ;((
Never take your mom for granted, and revel in every minute you can get.

Life is short. We need to value and appreciate those we love and tell them how much they mean to us.

Often.

xox

Let the fun continue! On our last post we'd discussed other products that are like PortaPocket in that they help people hands-free carry things, but may not be as beneficial since they encourage users to keep cell phones or other essentials near (or on top of) the chest area.

Seeing that it's almost Super Bowl time, let's now look at products with which people can hands free carry things into stadiums. 

Maybe you've heard of Scottevest... it's an interesting line of clothes that have a multitude of pockets which is definitely of use to get past the NFL Bag Ban thing.  I even have some of their line myself and do indeed like much of it.  But sometimes too much is too much. Good things are good to a point, but then they can become overkill. For instance, I wore my SeV vest to a Bears game last year, and literally lost my sunglasses in the garment. Sure you can blame it on user error, but it's just easier if you have a way to know where your stuff is without checking 20+ places to figure it out. At least that's just me ;)

Another thing to be mindful about SeV clothing is if you load up your vest or jacket with your valuables (with everything in its place which is good!) but then you get hot so you want to take off your jacket or vest ...and now you have put your things down over ...there (which is bad). One way to get around that is to use PortaPocket in concert with Scottevest, as THAT way you have all your bases covered.  

What do you think?
Are too many pockets GOOD? ...or not so good?

Stay tuned to this space as we continue the convo with products that can be used for running or exercise...

Did you just drop your cell in the toilet? Or did it fly off that roller coaster? Maybe it broke from sweat since you stashed it in your boot or your bra. How about your purse...was it ever stolen... or your wallet pickpocketed? If you have medical needs...do you ever feel embarrassed about wearing that insulin pump with your prom dress? Or carrying that EpiPen to the festival? 

There are so many different reasons why people seek us out, and we are always grateful for their interest and appreciation. We just wish it wouldn't have to be, so often, the result of them having gone through bad experiences. 

While we wish everyone in the world was kind and decent, there are opportunists who prey on others. We can't make them disappear, but we CAN improve upon the risk of our becoming a victim by simply thinking ahead. Of course, simple things are often anything but, and many people don't think this way until it's too late. Yet it's the bad experiences that prompt ACTION.

Which is why we'd like to pay it forward. 

Today we're introducing PortaPocket...Rescue Me! It's an on-going program we'll be running several times a year to offer help to those who've "been there." Simply nominate yourself or a deserving someone by telling us about what happened on our facebook page along with #PortaPocket #RescueMe (please share that post to your own page, too), and/or tweet:

I nominate ____ for a 
#PortaPocket #RescueMe (add info here)

Photos will help, too.  We'll choose the most compelling story and gift that nominee (and you, for sharing him/her) a 2pc PortaPocket kit of their/your choice! Entries now being taken through Thanksgiving Day, Nov 27, 2014 at  5pm CST. 

We look forward to your contributions 
...and being of service!