jenjoy

First three Find Your Joy Posts

Okay you slackers...if you haven't already subscribed to the new website you are missing out on some amazingly wonderful posts (if I say so myself).

I have listed the first three here in a last ditch effort to get you over to the new site.

A Life Well Traveled

The Poets Passage

A Soldier's Journey

FIND YOUR JOY

Day One of FIND YOUR JOY and I want you to be there!

If you have enjoyed my blogging on this site you will love the new website. 

Unfortunately you will have to subscribe again on the new site since I wasn't able to import the subscription service over.

Can't wait to see you on the other side.

www.find-your-joy.com

Find Your Joy Website

The time has come.  Well, almost.  The official launch for my new company/website is next Monday, May 2.

I will send you the link on Monday morning.  In the meantime, check out the Find Your Joy page on Facebook.

Looking forward to seeing you on the "other side".

Jennifer

Food of Puerto Rico

Plantains, the beginning of every good meal in Puerto Rico.

Stuffed Avacado with sweet plantains. (Augucates Rellenos et Carne)

Mofungo with Chimichurri Skirt Steak (Mofongo Relleno de Churrasco Al Chimichurri)  Otherwise known as a bowl full of heaven.

Beef empanda with regular plantains and sweet plantains

Pork Chope (this is the small one) with Mofungo.

New Directions

It’s a new and exciting time as my passion for travel intersects with creating a new path for my life. 

 

Even when we think we are open to a new world, it is hard to step out of our comfort zone.  I took a big leap by leaving my warm cozy home at Screen Gems and settling in Nashville this year.   By doing that I committed to building a new space for both my inner and outer self.  

 

I did really well with the outer self.  I love the house.  I love Nashville.  I love my neighborhood.  I loved that part of my new life.

 

But I felt as if I faltered with the inner journey.  I didn’t write much.  I didn’t take any inward journeys.  I had some ideas and I mentally batted them around like beach balls.

Eventually they deflated.

 

Sometimes we have to be smacked right upside the head to understand the direction we should be pointed.  I got smacked!  By Teresa at Sail Air Travel.

 

After my gig as a travel coordinator for “Water For Elephants”, I had lunch with Teresa.

We, of course, talked about travel and I explained to her my plan (that is a loose term) to create specialty groups.   She knew then that we could form a great partnership.

 

In the last few weeks I have been learning the reservation system and trying to gleam all the knowledge I can from my fellow travel agents at Sail Air.  They are a warm, wonderful, giving group and I feel blessed to be allowed to work with them. 

 

I consider myself a veteran traveler but I had a lot to learn.  Secrets about traveling.

All of which I will share with you.

 

Keep an eye on this blog.  There are a lot of exciting things happening in my world and I want you all to be a part of it. 

 

Yes, I am still working in production (working on a Taylor Swift Special right now). My travel life is still being formed but I am available and able to help you make all your travel arrangements!  Please email me at jblair@sailairtravel.com

FREE Concerts for the Coast

"Their music will lift up spirits and help encourage visitors to come here and enjoy our world famous Southern hospitality." -Governor Bob Riley of the State of Alabama

 

Brad Paisley and Bon Jovi are heading to the Gulf Shores area of Alabama for free concerts promoting the Gulf Coast.   Tickets are FREE when you make hotel/condo reservations with selected vacation rentals.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Brad Paisley

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Sounds like a fun weekend trip to me!  For all the information, check out their website:

Concerts For The Coast.

If you need any help booking your reservations, I can help you. 

Sheraton Read House, Chattanooga, TN

(Photo supplied by The Sheraton Read House) 

The Sheraton Read House , located in the heart of downtown Chattanooga, has a lively history, beautifully restored and/or maintained architectural detail and a staff that will attend to your every need. 

 
(photo by Jennifer Blair)
 

Built in 1926, this ten-story Georgian style Hotel underwent a $12Million restoration in 2004, updating its amenities while maintaining its historical charm.  However, this was not the first hotel to occupy this corner of land.  

(Photo supplied by Sheraton Read House)

The first, The Crutchfield House, opened in 1846 and was used as a hospital by the Union Army during occupation in 1863.   It survived the war but burned to the ground in 1867.    Another hotel was built a few years later, to be torn down in 1926 to make way for the new improved Read House.

Visited by a variety of important people, such as Winston Churchill, Ronald Regan and recently Robert Pattison (of “Twilight” fame), the most infamous was Al Capone.  Chattanooga’s location made an ideal overnight stop for the Feds transporting Mr. Capone from Florida back to Chicago.  Security bars were placed on the window in Room 311, where they remained until the renovation in 2004.

 

As with any hotel with history, rumors of ghosts and haunting abound.  (The rumors center around Room 311.)  The staff will deny any knowledge, as the hotel doesn’t want to advertise these things, but stay long enough and you’ll experience your own.  I certainly did.  You can read more about the ghosts of the Read House in American Roads Travel Magazine.

  (Photo by Jennifer Blair)

Placed on the National Register of Historical Places in the 1970’s, the Sheraton Read House is the perfect spot to center your Chattanooga visit.   The free electric shuttle stops just a few steps away and will whisk you down Broadway to the riverfront or the world famous (and most highly rated) Tennessee Aquarium. 

 

After a day of exploring, settle back in at the Sheraton Read House where the kids can swim in the pool, while the adults relax in the hot tub.  Porter Steakhouse is on the premises, along with a Starbucks to accommodate your early morning and late night cravings.

 

(Photo supplied by Sheraton Read House)

If you would like to visit Chattanooga or the Sheraton Read House, please contact me and I can help make your travel plans thru Sailair Travel.

(photo supplied by Sheraton Read House)

Magazine Article about my Galapagos Trip

Some of you may remember that a travel writer and photographer were part of my tour group in the Galapagos.   The article they were working on finally came out in the LAN Airline magazine.

Solidarity with the Galapagos

Enjoy.

Craftfest, July 7 & 8, 2010, NYC

  Seminars I attended:

 

For The Thrill of It: From Book to Screen

by Lorenzo Caraterra

Eight Ways to Writing – and Finishing – Your Novel

by William Bernhardt

Who’s Telling the Story and What They Are Saying

by Steve Berry

And The Winner for Best Supporting Actor is…

by Andrew Gross

Keeping a Book Diary: Simple Secrets That Can Keep Your Book on Track

by David Hewson

Crafting Big Scenes for the Blockbuster Novel

by Al Zuckerman

Creating Authentic, Tough, Smart Female Protagonist

by Alex Kava, JT Ellison (a writer from Nashville) and Erica Spindler

From Soups to Nuts: Crafting a Thriller From First Notion to Completion

by Michael Palmer

What Makes a Hero?

by Donald Maass

 

One of the most inspiring things about conferences like Thrillerfest/Craftfest is meeting fellow aspiring writers and/or those that are book lovers like myself.  Writing is a lonely business and its nice to sit in a meeting room surrounded by people who suffer through the agony of writing like I do.  Yes.  Agony.  That seems to be one of the universal “themes” that I took away from both the workshop leaders and fellow attendees ; as much as we love writing, it is painful.  The other repeating issue is self doubt.  It appears that all writers, even those that are successful, are full of the insecurity, an insecurity that our interior editor welcomes and builds upon.  Fellowship with other writers helps defray that very loud interior editor.

 

So here is where’d I like to give a shout out to my new friends from Thrillerfest:

Gaby O. Lapus, a lawyer and book reviewer.  Check out her blog at:  www.startingfreshnyc.com

Beth T. Irwin, former military lawyer and writer.  Her blog is:  www.btibooks.blogspot.com

Jean Osborn, writer

Steven D. Covey, writer and realtor.  His blog is:

RamblingsOnTheFutureOfHumanity.blogspot.com

I'd like to leave you with an antidote that was told during one of my seminars regarding Harper Lee and the writing of To Kill A Mockingbird (which just celebrated its 50th anniversary, check out Gaby's blog about it here: starting fresh ny).  Apparently Harper Lee was about halfway through writing To Kill A Mockingbird when she became convinced it sucked.  She opened her window and threw the manuscript out into the snow.  Soon afterward she had a conversation with her agent.  Nobody knows what was said but when she hung up, she went outside, gathered the sheets of paper and went on to finish one of the best American novels ever written.

Seems I am in good company.....

 

Thrillerfest V, July 7-10, New York City

I am in New York City for Thrillerfest V.  Thrillerfest, organized by the International Thrill Writers (ITW), is a triple treat.

Craftfest, July 7-8

Allows up close and personal learning experiences from the masters in the genre.  In small workshop settings, aspiring writers attain insight into the craft of writing from New York Times Best Sellers such as, Gayle Lynds, David Morrell, Steve Berry, Andrew Gross, R. L. Stine and many, many more.

Agentfest, July 8

Only open to those who attend Craftfest, this event is by far the best bang for your buck.  Over 40 agents, set up in a speed dating type forum, allow any and all to pitch to them.  Most event goers meet between 10-20 agents and hopefully leave with a few requests for submissions.

Thrillerfest, July 9-10

Ken Follett, Clive Cussler, Sandra Brown, Gayle Lynds, and Harlan Coben are just a few of the authors that populate the two day Thrillerfest.  Each panel is bursting with writing talent who are happy to share words of wisdom, debate character vs. plot and who encourage and welcome fans and fellow writers alike.

For fans this is an unparalleled opportunity to get books autographed and to meet their favorite writers.  For fellow scribes its a chance to rub elbows with those you admire.

The trifecta of thrill writing want-to-bes....Thrillerfest is worth every penny! 

I will be writing more in detail about my personal experiences in the next few posts!

Fourth of July in my 'hood

I decided to lay low this year and spend Fourth of July at my house.  My new dog, Tennessee (more on her in a later post), was a quivering mess at the sound of firecrackers so I doped her up early.  She spent most of the night in the closet or with her nose in a corner, shivering in fear.  Poor baby.

 

As darkness fell, my neighbor Mary Ann (I call her Ms. Mott but she wants me to call her Mary Ann—I have a feeling we will be “discussing” this issue for many years) and I plop on our neighbor’s steps across from our homes and enjoy the dueling fireworks at both ends of the street.  As soon as one group would send up a bevy of sparkling lights, the other end would reload and try to outdo them.  I liken it to being in a gang war but with sparklers and fireworks and of course, no violence. 

 

The big fireworks in Nashville are launched from LP field, which is about a mile from my house, and can be viewed directly down the middle of my street.  All of our neighbors were in their lawn chairs or lying on their cars or up on their roofs because we had the best view in town…with no traffic!  The couple that lives across the street had their grandkids with them and their granddaughter, Mow Mow (spelling?) crawled up in my lap.  Her favorite color is pink so every time there were pink fireworks I would whisper in her ear that I arranged those special for her.  I could slowly feel her relaxing into my lap, her head nodding off, and before long, even the excitement of Fourth of July couldn’t keep the three year old awake.  After all, it was almost 10P. 

 

As I clasp my hands around her round little tummy so she wouldn’t slid off my lap, I thought, this is why I moved here.  To share these moments with my community, to have my neighbors gathered around me, celebrating special events, to reconnect to people, heck to my own life.  Yep.  This is why.