Nancy Kilpatrick's Blog, page 9
October 11, 2017
Travel Tips - Part 1This is a sporadic posting of tips th...
Travel Tips - Part 1
This is a sporadic posting of tips that can help you travel on the cheap, what I promised on my Facebook wall to do as an inexpensive 'course', but then thought, What the hell! I'll just do it as a free blog. Why not?
I'm back from 5 weeks away, one in Toronto for Fan Expo 2017, then 4 weeks that took me here: London, UK/Frankfurt, Germany/ Munich, Germany/London, UK/St. Petersburg, Russia/London, UK/Tallinn, Estonia/Prague and travelling around the Czech Republic/London,UK/Peterborough, UK/Home.
Despite rumors, I am not rich. Far from it. I'm a writer, editor and teach one writing course through a college, usually one term a year. Money is always tight and I spend judiciously.
My life might be like yours. Or you may have a more conventional situation: a spouse, children, a mortgage, car payments, etc. etc. etc. Single people pay more for travel than couples, but couples with a family pay more for everything. If you are single or in a childless relationship, you likely have more options for travel. But ultimately, anyone can travel on the cheap.
I'm no expert, but I do travel a lot, several times a year, at least one big trip over the ocean to Elsewhere. The first and foremost thing I focus on for travel is this: a credit card that give me points for a flying program. In my case I have two such credit cards because I want options. I'm in Canada but if you are in the US or the UK or France or Germany or anywhere else, you should have such credit cards available to you.
Think about it. You have a credit card anyway, right? You need a credit card. Everyone does nowadays. Why not let your card accumulate flying points for you because ultimately, in the price of a flight, you are paying for this service anyway so take advantage of it.
Sometimes these cards are free. You can get an Air Miles card which gives you points and Air Miles has flight offers for their points. The free cards are, of course, more limited than the credit cards you pay a fee for. I have two cards I pay fees for, one giving me Aeroplan points, which covers the Star Alliance group of carriers.
Star Alliance partner airlines
The other card is with a bank that gives me Avion points. This one is good because I can book any airline in the world, any seat with my points.
I am also a member of British Airways club and collect Avios points when I travel with that airline. This is a small number of points as I rarely travel on BA, but the points can be applied to a flight for a tiny discount.
If you are serious about travel and you need to go on a shoestring, pay for one credit card that gives point--it's worth it. I suggest (in Canada) the Aeroplan card because of the number of airlines that you can travel on with your points. My Aeroplan card is with one of my banks and I use this credit card for EVERYTHING. I buy with my card: groceries, pay my land line and Internet bill, my cellphone bill, my hydro (electric) bill, buy my monthly public transit pass, pay for any restaurants I eat in and any clothing I need, and etc. etc. etc. If you have a car, you can pay for your gas and likely your car payments and insurance as well with your credit card. Let's say, for example, your monthly expenses are $1,000 (just picking an easy number). You will acquire 1,000 Aeroplan points each month if you charge those expenses, which totals 12,000 points a year. Two years or less gives you a free short haul flight. And if you pay for a flight, you receive points for what you paid and also for the miles you travel. Let's say you cross the country to visit family and travel 3,000 miles. Round trip gives you 6,000 miles worth of points PLUS the points for the price you paid for the flight, which might be $1,000 or 1,000 points. For that one flight you have acquired 7,000 points. Points add up and if you charge everything on your card you possibly can, you will be amazed at how fast you acquire enough points to fly over the ocean. Aeroplan occasionally has sales, too, so you might get your over-the-ocean flight for less points, as I did both this year and last year.
This credit card system only works if you are someone not prone to getting into heavy debt. If you pay off your card balance each month, you have no interest to pay. And you acquire points. But if you are spending beyond your means already, this won't work for you, so go for the free card, like Air Miles, which will require much longer to acquire enough points for a flight, but ultimately will save you grief. Basically, if you cannot pay off your card each month in full, this plan will be a liability for you instead of a benefit. It's for people who have control of their finances, even if their income and expenditures are equal and their income low. If you are a person who goes wild with a credit card, this will be a no-go. But for those who are organised and careful, obtaining a credit card that gives you point with which you can travel is the first thing to do to get you Elsewhere. The points will accumulate and you will find yourself taking to the skies much sooner than you expected, paying only taxes and airport fees.
Once you've acquired enough points to fly somewhere, there are some intricacies that will save you money and points, but that's for a later blog post.
Stay tuned for Part 2.
This is a sporadic posting of tips that can help you travel on the cheap, what I promised on my Facebook wall to do as an inexpensive 'course', but then thought, What the hell! I'll just do it as a free blog. Why not?
I'm back from 5 weeks away, one in Toronto for Fan Expo 2017, then 4 weeks that took me here: London, UK/Frankfurt, Germany/ Munich, Germany/London, UK/St. Petersburg, Russia/London, UK/Tallinn, Estonia/Prague and travelling around the Czech Republic/London,UK/Peterborough, UK/Home.
Despite rumors, I am not rich. Far from it. I'm a writer, editor and teach one writing course through a college, usually one term a year. Money is always tight and I spend judiciously.
My life might be like yours. Or you may have a more conventional situation: a spouse, children, a mortgage, car payments, etc. etc. etc. Single people pay more for travel than couples, but couples with a family pay more for everything. If you are single or in a childless relationship, you likely have more options for travel. But ultimately, anyone can travel on the cheap.
I'm no expert, but I do travel a lot, several times a year, at least one big trip over the ocean to Elsewhere. The first and foremost thing I focus on for travel is this: a credit card that give me points for a flying program. In my case I have two such credit cards because I want options. I'm in Canada but if you are in the US or the UK or France or Germany or anywhere else, you should have such credit cards available to you.
Think about it. You have a credit card anyway, right? You need a credit card. Everyone does nowadays. Why not let your card accumulate flying points for you because ultimately, in the price of a flight, you are paying for this service anyway so take advantage of it.
Sometimes these cards are free. You can get an Air Miles card which gives you points and Air Miles has flight offers for their points. The free cards are, of course, more limited than the credit cards you pay a fee for. I have two cards I pay fees for, one giving me Aeroplan points, which covers the Star Alliance group of carriers.
Star Alliance partner airlines
The other card is with a bank that gives me Avion points. This one is good because I can book any airline in the world, any seat with my points.
I am also a member of British Airways club and collect Avios points when I travel with that airline. This is a small number of points as I rarely travel on BA, but the points can be applied to a flight for a tiny discount.
If you are serious about travel and you need to go on a shoestring, pay for one credit card that gives point--it's worth it. I suggest (in Canada) the Aeroplan card because of the number of airlines that you can travel on with your points. My Aeroplan card is with one of my banks and I use this credit card for EVERYTHING. I buy with my card: groceries, pay my land line and Internet bill, my cellphone bill, my hydro (electric) bill, buy my monthly public transit pass, pay for any restaurants I eat in and any clothing I need, and etc. etc. etc. If you have a car, you can pay for your gas and likely your car payments and insurance as well with your credit card. Let's say, for example, your monthly expenses are $1,000 (just picking an easy number). You will acquire 1,000 Aeroplan points each month if you charge those expenses, which totals 12,000 points a year. Two years or less gives you a free short haul flight. And if you pay for a flight, you receive points for what you paid and also for the miles you travel. Let's say you cross the country to visit family and travel 3,000 miles. Round trip gives you 6,000 miles worth of points PLUS the points for the price you paid for the flight, which might be $1,000 or 1,000 points. For that one flight you have acquired 7,000 points. Points add up and if you charge everything on your card you possibly can, you will be amazed at how fast you acquire enough points to fly over the ocean. Aeroplan occasionally has sales, too, so you might get your over-the-ocean flight for less points, as I did both this year and last year.
This credit card system only works if you are someone not prone to getting into heavy debt. If you pay off your card balance each month, you have no interest to pay. And you acquire points. But if you are spending beyond your means already, this won't work for you, so go for the free card, like Air Miles, which will require much longer to acquire enough points for a flight, but ultimately will save you grief. Basically, if you cannot pay off your card each month in full, this plan will be a liability for you instead of a benefit. It's for people who have control of their finances, even if their income and expenditures are equal and their income low. If you are a person who goes wild with a credit card, this will be a no-go. But for those who are organised and careful, obtaining a credit card that gives you point with which you can travel is the first thing to do to get you Elsewhere. The points will accumulate and you will find yourself taking to the skies much sooner than you expected, paying only taxes and airport fees.
Once you've acquired enough points to fly somewhere, there are some intricacies that will save you money and points, but that's for a later blog post.
Stay tuned for Part 2.
July 19, 2017
Interview with Nancy Kilpatrickby Konn LaveryHere
Interview with Nancy Kilpatrickby Konn Lavery
Here
Here
Nancy Kilpatrick Writer: Interview with Nancy Kilpatrickby Konn LaveryHere...
Nancy Kilpatrick Writer: Interview with Nancy Kilpatrickby Konn Lavery
Here...: Interview with Nancy Kilpatrick by Konn Lavery Here
Here...: Interview with Nancy Kilpatrick by Konn Lavery Here
June 20, 2017
Nancy Kilpatrick Writer: Plant StoriesSpeaking of plants, I lost the rubbe...
Nancy Kilpatrick Writer: Plant Stories
Speaking of plants, I lost the rubbe...: PLANT STORIES Speaking of plants, I lost the rubber tree over the winter. The previous winter it contracted a disease of some sort and ...
Speaking of plants, I lost the rubbe...: PLANT STORIES Speaking of plants, I lost the rubber tree over the winter. The previous winter it contracted a disease of some sort and ...
Plant StoriesSpeaking of plants, I lost the rubber tree o...
Plant Stories
Speaking of plants, I lost the rubber tree over the winter. The previous winter it contracted a disease of some sort and everything died, or so I thought. Then, last fall, as I was ready to dump the pot's contents onto the soil on ground level, a friend noticed a minuscule bit of green on one of the thick stalks where I'd cut it down, hoping to save it. I nurtured that tiny leaf and it grew and another 2 little leaves also sprouted from the same stalk, but once they had become full-grown leaves they began to die until everything was gone again, this time with no resurrection.
I kept the remains of the rubber tree throughout the rest of this winter and when the weather turned a bit, put it on the sun porch to get light and warmth, but that didn't change anything. Then I put it outdoors and still nada. It sat on the deck table for a couple of weeks, nothing changing, and a few days ago I returned it to the earth via dumping the pot's contents onto the ground soil. What a shame. That tree belonged to Melanie, a woman who was one of my ex-boyfriend's roommates many years ago. When she went back to France, the tree had 5 or 6 leaves and she gave it to a mutual friend who is not a plant or pet lover. The tree did not thrive and when that woman moved up north the tree was down to 2 forlorn-looking leaves. I took it out of pity for the poor tree and treated it like the tropical plant it was. The tree flourished and had dozens of leaves that grew large outdoors every summer, dark green and healthy, and I had to repot the tree a couple of times over the last 12 years or so it had been with me until it became heavy to carry in and out. But then all the leaves dried up 2 winters ago and what I said above transpired. The most I can figure is that it had a fungus infection, since I saw no bugs.
Another plant I rescued 15 years ago had a different outcome. It is an ivy of some sort, and belonged to a man who lived in one of the 6 apartments in the building I lived in at that time. He was moving to a Seniors' residence and had to get rid of things. As the neighbors gathered to say goodbye to him, he told me I could go in and take what I wanted, which ended up to be a pathos and the ivy.
The pathos has had ups and downs but the ivy did well, until all of a sudden it didn't. I researched on the net and determined it had had contact with some sort of fungus. It was recommended that the plant be repotted but first washed thoroughly down to the roots. I did this. It revived. Then got sick again. I washed it to the roots, put it in new soil, it thrived. Until it didn't. All in all I did this 4 times and now, for the last 5 years, the plant has grown and thrived and looks lovely, larger than when I first rescued it.
I'd like them all to live. I'd like them all to thrive. I'd like to be the catalyst for plant growth in my apartment, on my deck, in my life. I do the best I can, but some things are out of the control of my vaguely green thumb, or maybe I just don't have the knowledge and/or skills to keep every plant in my possession alive. Some plants are easier than others anyway, like the pathos--which I now have 2 of, having acquired another one. And the Sansevieria, which began as a cutting from my ex's plant. My hanging spider plant keeps on growing too. But some plants are tougher than others to care for, maybe more fragile, like the delicate shamrock that was impossible to maintain, or the Ladyslipper orchid that barely lasted a week. But of all the plants I have raised, the one that I'm currently most upset about is the purple lilac bush I planted in the backyard in 2004. It has grown into a small tree, every year bursting into full bloom with the gorgeous flowers and intoxicating scent that brings a smile to my face as I stand on my second floor deck and inhale. I love this bush/tree.
Last fall, my neighbor on one side convinced himself that suddenly, after 5 years of his gardening and growing food, my lilac bush was responsible for his plants not doing as well as he'd like them to. He said the lilac blocked the light to his yard. I could see that was not so, he just had a bad year, as happens with vegetable gardens. I used to grow veggies myself so I know how it goes. And, of course, he didn't replenish the soil. He insisted I cut down the 'tree' as he called the lilac. I said maybe my ex would come over and trim it. I asked. The ex didn't want to. And I hadn't seen or had contact with this building's owner for almost a year, since I pay my rent by post-dated checks.
Mid-May, I went out onto my deck to organize some of the deck furniture, check the planters, etc., and looked over the railing to the lilac which was getting near blooming. But the lilac looked small, and not particularly healthy and I couldn't figure out why. Maybe it had a hard time with the winter, but the winter had been fairly mild for this climate, anyway. I walked to the end of the deck only to discover that someone had apparently placed a ladder against the fence, climbed it, and cut the lilac bush down at the back, so only the front had leaves and blossoms and the poor tree suffered from this assault. Lilacs, I knew, had to be pruned in a certain way, and only in 2 time slots, and then the bush would not bloom for a couple of years.
Am I mad at the neighbor for chopping up the lilac bush? Yes, of course. Am I going to confront him about trespassing on property to prune a bush that doesn't belong to him? No. I no longer own this duplex which means I don't own the lilac bush either. And I'm up to my blurry eyes with work these past months and will be into the next few months and do not want to spend my energy being furious over a confrontation with someone who will not have a clue as to what I'm talking about. I need my energy for my work. And there's no real recourse. The lilac is another victim on a planet of cretins.
The lilac bush produced only about 8 or 9 blossoms of the tiny purple flowers. The scent was lovely for a couple of days. If I could climb a ladder without getting dizzy and the threat of falling to my death, I'd try to re-cut it in a sensible way this fall, one of the optimal times for pruning. But I can't, so I won't, but I will hope that the bush survives the attack. I wish it well, this bush I planted with my own hands so many years ago.
My lilac (l)The fence that does not make good neighborsHis vegetable garden (r)
Speaking of plants, I lost the rubber tree over the winter. The previous winter it contracted a disease of some sort and everything died, or so I thought. Then, last fall, as I was ready to dump the pot's contents onto the soil on ground level, a friend noticed a minuscule bit of green on one of the thick stalks where I'd cut it down, hoping to save it. I nurtured that tiny leaf and it grew and another 2 little leaves also sprouted from the same stalk, but once they had become full-grown leaves they began to die until everything was gone again, this time with no resurrection.
I kept the remains of the rubber tree throughout the rest of this winter and when the weather turned a bit, put it on the sun porch to get light and warmth, but that didn't change anything. Then I put it outdoors and still nada. It sat on the deck table for a couple of weeks, nothing changing, and a few days ago I returned it to the earth via dumping the pot's contents onto the ground soil. What a shame. That tree belonged to Melanie, a woman who was one of my ex-boyfriend's roommates many years ago. When she went back to France, the tree had 5 or 6 leaves and she gave it to a mutual friend who is not a plant or pet lover. The tree did not thrive and when that woman moved up north the tree was down to 2 forlorn-looking leaves. I took it out of pity for the poor tree and treated it like the tropical plant it was. The tree flourished and had dozens of leaves that grew large outdoors every summer, dark green and healthy, and I had to repot the tree a couple of times over the last 12 years or so it had been with me until it became heavy to carry in and out. But then all the leaves dried up 2 winters ago and what I said above transpired. The most I can figure is that it had a fungus infection, since I saw no bugs.
Another plant I rescued 15 years ago had a different outcome. It is an ivy of some sort, and belonged to a man who lived in one of the 6 apartments in the building I lived in at that time. He was moving to a Seniors' residence and had to get rid of things. As the neighbors gathered to say goodbye to him, he told me I could go in and take what I wanted, which ended up to be a pathos and the ivy.
The pathos has had ups and downs but the ivy did well, until all of a sudden it didn't. I researched on the net and determined it had had contact with some sort of fungus. It was recommended that the plant be repotted but first washed thoroughly down to the roots. I did this. It revived. Then got sick again. I washed it to the roots, put it in new soil, it thrived. Until it didn't. All in all I did this 4 times and now, for the last 5 years, the plant has grown and thrived and looks lovely, larger than when I first rescued it.
I'd like them all to live. I'd like them all to thrive. I'd like to be the catalyst for plant growth in my apartment, on my deck, in my life. I do the best I can, but some things are out of the control of my vaguely green thumb, or maybe I just don't have the knowledge and/or skills to keep every plant in my possession alive. Some plants are easier than others anyway, like the pathos--which I now have 2 of, having acquired another one. And the Sansevieria, which began as a cutting from my ex's plant. My hanging spider plant keeps on growing too. But some plants are tougher than others to care for, maybe more fragile, like the delicate shamrock that was impossible to maintain, or the Ladyslipper orchid that barely lasted a week. But of all the plants I have raised, the one that I'm currently most upset about is the purple lilac bush I planted in the backyard in 2004. It has grown into a small tree, every year bursting into full bloom with the gorgeous flowers and intoxicating scent that brings a smile to my face as I stand on my second floor deck and inhale. I love this bush/tree.
Last fall, my neighbor on one side convinced himself that suddenly, after 5 years of his gardening and growing food, my lilac bush was responsible for his plants not doing as well as he'd like them to. He said the lilac blocked the light to his yard. I could see that was not so, he just had a bad year, as happens with vegetable gardens. I used to grow veggies myself so I know how it goes. And, of course, he didn't replenish the soil. He insisted I cut down the 'tree' as he called the lilac. I said maybe my ex would come over and trim it. I asked. The ex didn't want to. And I hadn't seen or had contact with this building's owner for almost a year, since I pay my rent by post-dated checks.
Mid-May, I went out onto my deck to organize some of the deck furniture, check the planters, etc., and looked over the railing to the lilac which was getting near blooming. But the lilac looked small, and not particularly healthy and I couldn't figure out why. Maybe it had a hard time with the winter, but the winter had been fairly mild for this climate, anyway. I walked to the end of the deck only to discover that someone had apparently placed a ladder against the fence, climbed it, and cut the lilac bush down at the back, so only the front had leaves and blossoms and the poor tree suffered from this assault. Lilacs, I knew, had to be pruned in a certain way, and only in 2 time slots, and then the bush would not bloom for a couple of years.
Am I mad at the neighbor for chopping up the lilac bush? Yes, of course. Am I going to confront him about trespassing on property to prune a bush that doesn't belong to him? No. I no longer own this duplex which means I don't own the lilac bush either. And I'm up to my blurry eyes with work these past months and will be into the next few months and do not want to spend my energy being furious over a confrontation with someone who will not have a clue as to what I'm talking about. I need my energy for my work. And there's no real recourse. The lilac is another victim on a planet of cretins.
The lilac bush produced only about 8 or 9 blossoms of the tiny purple flowers. The scent was lovely for a couple of days. If I could climb a ladder without getting dizzy and the threat of falling to my death, I'd try to re-cut it in a sensible way this fall, one of the optimal times for pruning. But I can't, so I won't, but I will hope that the bush survives the attack. I wish it well, this bush I planted with my own hands so many years ago.
My lilac (l)The fence that does not make good neighborsHis vegetable garden (r)
May 29, 2017
Nancy Kilpatrick Writer: The Horror Zine includes one of my short stories i...
Nancy Kilpatrick Writer: The Horror Zine includes one of my short stories i...: The Horror Zine includes one of my short stories in their June issue. This Canadian horror short fiction was first published in the ant...
The Horror Zine includes one of my short stories in their...
The Horror Zine includes one of my short stories in their June issue. This Canadian horror short fiction was first published in theanthology Northern Frights 3, edited by Don Hutchison:
"Snow Angel"
"Snow Angel"
May 18, 2017
Nancy Kilpatrick Writer: SPACE OPERA, HERE I COME!I like to think I've rea...
Nancy Kilpatrick Writer: SPACE OPERA, HERE I COME!
I like to think I've rea...: SPACE OPERA, HERE I COME! I like to think I've read most genres but here's a sub-genre I wasn't familiar with and virgin me...
I like to think I've rea...: SPACE OPERA, HERE I COME! I like to think I've read most genres but here's a sub-genre I wasn't familiar with and virgin me...
SPACE OPERA, HERE I COME!I like to think I've read most g...
SPACE OPERA, HERE I COME!
I like to think I've read most genres but here's a sub-genre I wasn't familiar with and virgin me plunged right in. The title is KAIJUNAUT by Doug Goodman. It was recommended to me and I was pretty much hooked from the get-go.
I'm someone who doesn't read a lot of Science Fiction, but I've read enough to know good from bad. Space terminology isn't my strong point--Star Trek was about it for me, with warp drives and tricorders. What I'd found curious about Star Trek was that I always understood what those things could do. KAIJUNAUT is like that in that there's a pile of space tech terms and somehow, this author wrote in a way that I could understand what the tech does. There's a glossary of the terms at the back, which I didn't know about, and didn't need!
This story is fun. I grinned a lot throughout. The writing is clever and intelligent writing, the characters unique and interesting (and it's hard to make 5 characters unique in the way they talk, act, and their interests, but Goodman pulled this off.)
Future astronauts in space investigating a new planet, one full of surprises. By the end I had become a space opera fan. Unusual monsters (and I hadn't run into this type of monster before in any of the SF books or films I've seen.) The pace is fast, the plot hangs together, the writing is excellent. What's not to like?
Recommending this one! Here's the amazon link:
KAIJUNAUT
I like to think I've read most genres but here's a sub-genre I wasn't familiar with and virgin me plunged right in. The title is KAIJUNAUT by Doug Goodman. It was recommended to me and I was pretty much hooked from the get-go.
I'm someone who doesn't read a lot of Science Fiction, but I've read enough to know good from bad. Space terminology isn't my strong point--Star Trek was about it for me, with warp drives and tricorders. What I'd found curious about Star Trek was that I always understood what those things could do. KAIJUNAUT is like that in that there's a pile of space tech terms and somehow, this author wrote in a way that I could understand what the tech does. There's a glossary of the terms at the back, which I didn't know about, and didn't need!
This story is fun. I grinned a lot throughout. The writing is clever and intelligent writing, the characters unique and interesting (and it's hard to make 5 characters unique in the way they talk, act, and their interests, but Goodman pulled this off.)
Future astronauts in space investigating a new planet, one full of surprises. By the end I had become a space opera fan. Unusual monsters (and I hadn't run into this type of monster before in any of the SF books or films I've seen.) The pace is fast, the plot hangs together, the writing is excellent. What's not to like?
Recommending this one! Here's the amazon link:
KAIJUNAUT
May 12, 2017
Nancy Kilpatrick Writer: Lucia Paltera interviews Nancy Kilpatrick in both ...
Nancy Kilpatrick Writer: Lucia Paltera interviews Nancy Kilpatrick in both ...: Lucia Paltera interviews Nancy Kilpatrick in both English and Italian on the blog... The Books Guardian
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