Three years ago before their adventure to Puerto Vallarta Mexico began, Jessica Corley and Rhonda Manthei owned a small business in the Old Town section of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Serial entrepreneurs, they had owned a hospice company and did well enough to retire for about seven years. But retirement was not for them. Adventure was calling.

Jessica, 51, grew up in Massachusetts and 61-year-old Rhonda in Chicago. The two met playing softball in Albuquerque and immediately hit it off (pun intended). Two children followed. Adam is now 25 and daughter Emily 15.

Their adventure to Puerto Vallarta Mexico started with Emily’s two-year junior high school exchange program in Mexico City. “After her wonderful experience, Emily told us that she would like to have her high school education also in Mexico,” Ms. Corley explained. “We said fine, but we were not going to live in Mexico City for sure, way too big for us. So we began researching international schools in Mexico and discovered that the American school in Puerto Vallarta was among the best schools in Mexico for American kids. We contacted many Americans who had children attending the school and had lengthy telephone conversations with them about the school and in general about living in Mexico. Our whole motivation was driven by the school’s ratings. We told Emily, if she was accepted, we would move to Puerto Vallarta, even though we had never been there.”

The family flew to Puerto Vallarta in September 2010 for Emily’s school interview and testing. She was accepted for the following year. “Once our daughter was accepted, Rhonda and I started our planning,” Ms. Corley said. “The first thing we did was to search online to find a real estate agent that could help us. The second thing we did was to sell mostly everything we owned: our house, cars and most of our furniture. We took only those things that were most important to us, like our bedroom set.”

They made two more trips to PV (as the locals call Puerto Vallarta) between September and December 2010 looking for a place to live and a business to buy or start. We knew we had to work when we got to PV and we knew we wanted to own a business, so we did lots of research on the different kinds of opportunities that might be available for us down here,” Ms. Corley said. “Restaurants are big because it is an international tourist city but we did not want the crazy hours.” They also investigated other tourist-oriented businesses, but finally settled on buying a Mail Boxes Etc. franchise. “We actually found out about the franchise opportunity through our real estate agent. He had a friend who had owned the franchise rights for about two years but had never exercised the right to start a business.”

They decided not to buy a home when they moved and opted for renting instead. “Initially we rented a home in the Marina area north of downtown, where the American school is located,” Ms. Corley said. “We found it online and took a leap of faith by renting it after doing a quick drive-by and looking through the windows.”

In December 2010, the two purchased the Mail Boxes Etc. franchise rights for the Old Town area of Puerto Vallarta, just south of the Cuale River. “We found a space on the retail street level of a new condominium,” Ms. Corley explained. “It was perfect. A raw space that we could design and build to our needs.”

The franchise made sense for them, primarily because they are not fluent in Spanish and the business allows them to cater mainly to the English-speaking expat community. Lack of language skills, though, did complicate their franchise training experience. “We had to do our training at corporate headquarters in Mexico City, which was two weeks of intensive training from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. every day and it was entirely in Spanish,” Ms. Corley said. “I studied the book every night and looked up words I did not know to prepare myself for the next day. We also found another person who was born in the U.S. and bi-lingual. He became our best friend for two weeks.”

Purchasing a franchise provided them with not only professional training but also help from corporate headquarters when they opened their doors. “We asked corporate to send someone to help us for the first three days, which was very helpful,” Ms. Corley said. “We had to pay all expenses but it got us started on the right foot.” They bought the franchise in December 2010 and were able to open their business six months later in May 2011.

To get through all the licensing, regulations and procedures in opening a business here, we relied heavily on the local network of American and Canadian expats who knew the ropes,” Ms. Corley said. “The first step was to find an attorney who was highly recommended by the locals. She in turn connected us with a bi-lingual Mexican accounting firm that had both Mexican and U.S. accounting licenses, since we still hold assets in the United States. He in turn hooked us up with other people who could help, and so it goes. Believe me, it is all about getting connected with the local expat community.”

But even with the local support system, both considered the process a painful experience. “Part of the learning process is you find out that things work differently in a foreign country,” Ms. Corley noted. “I learned patience very quickly, you have to or you do not survive in Mexico. Coming from the U.S., the business culture here is very different. You have to reset your expectations, particularly in business practices like making and keeping appointments and customer service. It takes much longer for things to get done here.”

The biggest barrier for opening a business for them was learning all new business practices. “I am well-versed on all the laws and regulations for opening a business in the U.S., but everything is completely different in Mexico,” Ms. Corley said. “Setting up the books, learning about Facturas (legal receipts given for goods and services in Mexico that can be used for business expenses or tax deductions) and learning about employment rules that are completely different have all been big challenges.”

Their attorney and accountant did most of the work in setting up their business. The attorney secured their FM-3 work permit visas within two months, reviewed the franchise and space lease contracts and handled other legal matters for them. The accounting firm handled most of the work in dealing with the city in obtaining their business and tax licenses. The firm also by law has access to their business checking account at a local bank to pay employment taxes and must prepare the monthly financial statements, tasks that Ms. Manthei handled in their previous businesses.

Now that the business was established, the family decided that the commute from the Marina to Old Town was too long and decided to try condo living for the first time. “We moved to the Riviera Molino condominium, which just happens to be right above our store and super convenient,” Ms. Corley commented. “It is our first experience with condo living so everything is brand new.”

Asked if personal safety is an issue for the family, Ms. Corley said, “Although the media in the United States report extensively on the drug war in Mexico and its casualties, our family feels very safe. For us, Vallarta is one of the safest places we have ever lived. We have no insecurities about letting our daughter stroll the Malecon at night with her friends and we walk to most of our favorite places with no fear of violence. We feel completely safe in PV.”

Would they start a business again? “It has been somewhat of a painful process, but you know the adventure is worth it,” Ms. Corley said. We are moving in to our second year of doing business and are starting to reap some of the benefits of our hard work. When you have a business down here everything is different. It is kind of like just graduating from college and feeling like you know everything until you find out you know absolutely nothing about the real world.”
Ms. Corley offered advice for would-be expat entrepreneurs: “Be patient with the process. Everything just moves more slowly down here. Become part of the community so that you can promote your business. That is just the way it works. And, find the right people. People that can help you not only build your business but also help you learn how to live in your new world. Find people who have lived in the area for a long time, who know the ropes and who know the right people. Finding people you can trust is the most important part of starting a business in Mexico or anywhere else in the world.”

Now that their business is doing well, Emily is flourishing in her new school and they have assimilated into the local expat community, the family has no regrets about their move to Puerto Vallarta. “We have made some incredible friends in the time we have lived here,” Ms. Corley remarked. “I would say life-long friends. PV is beautiful, the weather is awesome, the ocean is calming and the people of Mexico are the friendliest people you will ever find. Whatever the future holds for us, PV will always be a part of it.”

[readon1 url="http://myinternationaladventure.com/10/my-international-adventure-to-puerto-vallarta-mexico/"]Source:myinternationaladventure.com[/readon1]

In this Monday, Dec. 22, 2014 photo, Sandra an orangutan sits in her enclosure at the city zoo in Buenos Aires, Argentina. A court ruled this week that Sandra, who was born in Germany and has lived in captivity in Buenos Aires most of her life, is entitled to some legal rights enjoyed by humans. Sandra's attorney said the "unprecedented" ruling paves the way for the habeas corpus rights to be accepted by the courts and for Sandra to be released at a sanctuary. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

In this Sunday, Dec. 21, 2014 photo, Michel Salgado drives his 1957 Mercury Monterey convertible along the Malecon in Havana, Cuba. After U.S. car sales were banned in Cuba in 1959, Cubans have been have been forced to patch together Fords, Chevrolets and Chryslers that date back to before Fidel Castro's revolution, which can make it appear like the country is stuck in a 1950's time warp. (AP Photo/Desmond Boylan)  

In this Thursday, Nov. 27, 2014 photo, Roberto Castellanos is reflected in a mirror at his house in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Castellanos, who just turned 12, spends eight hours a day at a repair shop, sanding and painting ice cream carts for the daily pay of $2.50 in Honduran lempiras. When classes resume after the Christmas holidays, he says, he will cut back to five hours at the shop so that he can go to school in the afternoon and, hopefully, still have time to play soccer on the weekend. Abut 15 percent of Honduras' youth hold jobs. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix) 

In this Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2014 photo, a client holds up her club to the camera after smashing bottles with it at The Break Club in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The breaking of computer monitors, telephones, TVs and empty bottles is offered as a method to release anger, in a space where the club says "one can let go." (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

In this Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014 photo, Marco Alegria hands a customer a small cup of fresh donkey milk as the customer pays in the streets of Santiago, Chile. Alegria and his brother have been selling fresh donkey milk for the past 25 years, and say it's recommended as a vitamin boost. Shot glass size cups of the drink sell for about $2 dollars. Half a liter, which is the most he says his donkeys can give in one day, sells for about $20 dollars. (AP Photo/Luis Hidalgo)

In this Friday, Dec. 26, 2014 photo, pedestrians are reflected in an image of Cuba's retired leader Fidel Castro, center, and Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez, right, hanging inside a shop in Havana, Cuba. So far, the larger-than-life retired Cuban leader has made no public comment on the biggest news in years — that the U.S. and his island nation will restore diplomatic relations after more than 50 years of hostility. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this Friday, Dec. 26, 2014 photo, a woman holds up her red-painted hands and the number 43, representing the 43 missing students from the Isidro Burgos rural teachers college, during a protest in Mexico City, Friday, Dec. 26, 2014. Protesters marked three months since the students were taken by municipal police and handed over to a drug gang to be killed and burned, according to the results of the Attorney General's investigation. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

In this Sunday, Dec. 21, 2014 photo, youth bodyboard at sunset along Joatinga beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. On the first day of summer, Brazil temperature reached over 40 degrees celsius. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

In this Saturday, Dec. 27, 2014 photo, a youth runs past a clothes line as he plays with neighborhood kids in Havana, Cuba. Cuba and the U.S. announced on Dec. 17 that the two countries would resume diplomatic relations for the first time since 1961. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this Monday, Dec. 1, 2014 photo, graffiti covers a wall next to an altar and debris inside the chapel of the former University of Santo Thomas of Villanueva in Havana, Cuba. The church is planning to restore the building to its former glory, along with more a dozen more churches, parish houses and other buildings, as part of a quiet reconciliation between the Catholic Church and the Cuban government that has brought relations to a historic high point this Christmas. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2014 photo, a butcher sells pork on the sidewalk in Campo Florido, east of Havana, Cuba. The restoration of diplomatic ties between Cuba and the United States has unleashed expectations of even more momentous changes on an island that often seems frozen in a past of classic cars and crumbling buildings. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2014 photo, a monument in honor of Mexico's former President Lazaro Cardenas stands along a highway between Arcelia and Ciudad Altamirano near the state border of Guerrero and Michoacan, Mexico. The bishop of the diocese in Ciudad Altamirano said Friday, Dec. 26 that the Rev. Gregorio Lopez Gorostieta was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head, near this statue, on Christmas Day. Gorostieta disappeared on Monday from the seminary in the city where he taught. (AP Photo/Christian Palma)

[readon1 url="http://news.yahoo.com/ap-photos-editor-selections-latin-america-050304188.html"]Source:news.yahoo.com[/readon1]                     

A recent trip to Puerto Vallarta Mexico yielded two lessons in protecting a brand and protecting your value. Although the little locally owned store may seem miles away from the international golden arches, each had a story to tell about value.

In early morning the city is home to walkers, runners, dog owners, skateboarders and surfers. About a mile walk from any direction brings you to the centrally located golden arches. When you have to use a restroom, those arches were so welcoming. This year the powers that be of the kingdom of hamburgers made a new rule: bathrooms for customers only. For 16 years anyone could use the facility. Now it is guarded more seriously than Fort Knox. Puerto Vallarto McDonalds

Here’s the funny thing. When it was free, we almost always got their ice cream cone after using the facility. Now that we have to purchase, we –the tourists-feel as though our American icon let us down. In a strange land it was a friend, a beacon from afar. Was this decision really worth it? Labor is cheap so to pay someone as guard is not expensive. But was it worth it to their brand? The arches were always welcoming. To thank them we purchased. Now we do not use the facility and we do not purchase. We walk by because they truly do seem like the ugly American. The lesson to be learned is Are you being penny wise and pound foolish in any way?

I returned home and wrote the golden arch people. Another funny thing, in this world of email, their website provides a brick and mortar address not an email address for the corporate office. So complaining under my breath, I printed out my email, put it in an envelope, stuck a stamp on it and sent it on its way. To be answered or not answered, time will tell if they compound my unhappiness with their brand or try to diffuse it.

The extreme opposite of the arches is the tiny locally owned store in Puerto Vallarta. Six years ago there was a painting that we liked. The woman, hopefully not the owner, held her price. Every year since it has become a joke; every time we went to Vallarta, we would go and see if that painting was still hanging on the wall unsold. This year the store moved, downsized and still dragged that painting with it. Here is the funniest part, same woman and she still does not want to negotiate. Perhaps it is time for someone to yell UNCLE or just walk away.

The lesson here may be that sometimes we hang onto a moral victory. Is there really a value in keeping a product for six years? Do we get too involved in winning rather than selling?

While these are two lessons in protecting your value or not protecting your value, there is a bigger lesson to be gleaned. There are lessons everywhere if you look at your world through the lens of value. Look around you: are companies and people (companies are made of people) making decisions that protect their value or hurt their value on an everyday basis? Any company can gather once a year for a strategic meeting or a business plan. That is the easy part. Do they make decisions on a daily basis that correctly identify their value, communicate their value, and protect their value?

[readon1 url="http://groundreport.com/brand-lessons-from-mexico-who-would-have-thought/"]Source:groundreport.com[/readon1]

Snorkeling on Hidden Beach in the Marietas Islands.Photo: Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau

Punta de Mita, Mexico, is only 30 miles north of Puerto Vallarta, in Riviera Nayarit, but it’s a whole different kind of scene.

Set on a peninsula that juts into Banderas Bay, the quiet, secluded area is a mix of rustic beachfront towns and fancy five-star resorts, sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and the Sierra Madre mountains.

And while relaxation is a definite must here, there’s no reason you can’t have an adventure — or three — while on vacation.This trio of Punta de Mita excursions are worth getting out of your beach chair for.

MARIETAS ISLANDS TOUR

Hang ten on Banderas Bay’s sizeable ocean waves.Photo: The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort

No one lives on these volcanic islands, a short boat ride from Punta de Mita, but they are alive with life — bird-watchers will have a field day spotting native avian species like the blue-footed booby, which mates and nests along the rocky outcroppings, while snorkelers can spy angelfish, manta rays and sea turtles in the surrounding reefs.

Then there’s the famous Hidden Beach — reachable only by timing the tide just right to squeeze through a cave and emerge onto a beach inside a crater that opens to the sky. Avoid the large, crowded tour boats and go with a boutique operator like Punta Mita Expeditions, which picks you up from the beach at the St. Regis and Four Seasons resorts.

The guides show you a good time — whether it’s stand-up paddleboarding, whale-watching (in the winter months) or snorkeling — but they are also dedicated to preserving the delicate ecosystem, and some of the staff are even studying to be marine biologists. (Three-hour marine adventure tour, $125 per person.)

EXPLORE SAYULITA

Take a stroll in funky beachy Sayulita.Photo: Riviera Nayarit Convention & Visitors Bureau

Next door to Punta de Mita is this boho/surfer chic beachfront village — kind of like Tulum, but with waves. All roads lead from the steep hills down to the sea — surrounding the plaza are cobblestone streets lined with brightly colored buildings and murals.

Here you can tuck into a great, affordable meal at a taqueria, check out locally made art at the many galleries and shop for stylish clothing and jewelry.

Pachamama has emerged as the region’s sartorial headquarters, thanks to the keen eyes of its French ex-pat sister-owners who specialize in hand-made dresses, tunics, bags and leather jewelry. On the food scene, don’t miss Choco Banana, for chocolate-covered bananas and excellent espresso, and savor cinnamon-topped deep-fried dough from any of the churros trucks parked around town. (For more info, visit sayulita.com.)

HIKE MONKEY MOUNTAIN

Not everything in Punta de Mita has to be about the beach. Consider a hike in the subtropical forest, which takes you to the top of the highest point in the area: Cerro de Mono (Monkey Mountain).

No, you won’t see monkeys: The Spanish word for monkey is mono, but the colloquial meaning is different, referring to clay figurines that the indigenous people left on the mountain for their gods.

The experienced guide and founder of Mexitreks, Stephen Pomeroy, will give you the history of the mountain while pointing out the flora and fauna, bugs and birds and even petroglyphs from native Indians on this four-hour-long hike.

You’ll need to be in shape — sections of the hike are strenuous and involve traversing riverbeds via ropes (plus it’s hot here!) — but summit the mountain and you’ll have awesome panoramic views of Banderas Bay below and lush green hills all around. (Half-day nature hike, $45; other hikes also available.)

Sayulita is a bustling and fun surfing town on Mexico's Pacific Coast. DAVE PIZER/QMI AGENCY

I travelled 4,200 km to a tropical all-inclusive seaside resort on Mexico's Pacific Coast to make my debut with chopsticks.

Despite being a fan of foods that end with "a" and "o," a 22-year-old utensil-tossing ninja chef served up the unlikely culinary highlight of my short trip. Chef Jesus Alberto Dominguez was surrounded behind his flat-top stoves as he set fires and used a spatula to toss and cradle uncracked eggs and flip our bowls of fried rice.

The Japanese food at Tsuba may have been my most memorable meal at Iberostar Playa Mita, but the year-old resort located at the south end of the Riviera Nayarit offers a very Mexican experience.

The architecture and design, featuring tall hut-style ceilings and open-air hallways, merge the indoors and outdoors, so the ocean rarely lets you forget it's there. The views of the long beach dotted with palm trees and bookended with massive green hills in the distance are spectacular; it's hard to believe there was no resort here before.

Construction started in 2008, but the global recession brought the project to a grinding halt in 2009, leaving a concrete skeleton until work resumed in January 2013. The Riviera Nayarit is in the middle of a big international ad campaign to kick-start post-recession tourism in the Pacific Coast region, which touts itself as Mexico's "newest beach destination."

There is very little development on either side of the resort. You could run from one end of the beach to the other and back for the most gorgeous and hellacious marathon imaginable or you could claim a lounge chair and order Miami Vices (pina colada and strawberry daiquiri united in perfect harmony). I chose the latter.

Iberostar has all the amenities one wants in an all-inclusive resort: A postcard-worthy spot on the ocean, awesome pools, plenty of sports and activities, diverse and tasty food, clean and spacious rooms, and friendly service. All this stuff helps one relax and recharge to face weeks or months of crummy weather back in the Miserable White North.

But what helps set one all-inclusive resort apart from another are the possibilities for something beyond lounging under the hot sun, frolicking in waters both chlorinated and salted, and literally eating and drinking all you can.

Just a few kilometres from the resort is the bustling seaside surfing town of Sayulita, which is an ideal day trip.

The beautiful beach is bordered by jungle-covered hills and filled with loungers, musicians, trinket merchants and, of course, plenty of surfers, including many beginners. The narrow cobblestone streets are lined with colourful, funky buildings that house cool shops and plenty of restaurants and bars.

Farther south, Vallarta Adventures offers boat trips to the Marieta Islands, a group of giant rocks that mark the end of Banderas Bay and the gateway to the Pacific Ocean.

The islands have been a suspected pit stop for pirates; a military bomb test site in the early 20th century; a site of exploration for Jacques Cousteau, as well as a natural marvel he would fight to protect; a camping spot; and since 2005, a highly protected national park on which only a select few scientists can step foot to study the dozens of species of marine birds that spend time on the islands.

Our guide Eduardo Cortez instructed us how to call out if we happened to see a whale during the trip across Banderas Bay.

He couldn't guarantee we'd see one because "they don't work for the company."

Dolphins are apparently on the payroll, though.

"Dolphins!" somebody hollered just a few minutes later. Sure enough, at 5 o'clock a group of dolphins was jumping in and out of the water.

They were but specks in the distance, too far to even capture a decent picture, but that didn't seem to temper anyone's enthusiasm. We might as well have been petting unicorns.

When the catamaran dropped anchor near the islands, I went snorkelling in the middle of a school of beautiful blue fish worthy of a Bond villain's giant aquarium.

Later, our guides told us the waters had settled down enough that we could check out the hidden beach -- we had already lounged on a nearly hidden beach -- but we had to hurry.

So we threw our life-jackets on, hopped off the boat and kicked our way to a giant hole in one of the islands' rock face. It led to a long, dark, leaky cave with a shiny beach at the end. This is jaw-dropping, tourism-commercial-grade scenery.

I can't even imagine how the forces of nature -- or perhaps crude early 20th century military technology -- somehow managed to cut a perfect circle out of the top of a giant rock in the ocean so the hot Mexican sun could shine down on such a pristine beach.

Miami Vices on the beach at Iberostar are wonderful; the Marieta Islands are unforgettable.

Wedding vows and fun in the sun

Corralling 70 friends and family members for a destination wedding in Mexico is ambitious and requires two things: A popular couple and an awesome destination where wedding guests would be happy to pay good money to stay a week.

It becomes even more challenging when a hurricane blows away Plan A for Cabo.

Even more so when a booking blunder botches Plan B at a resort in Puerto Vallarta.

But despite those major setbacks, 56 loved ones of Nicole Newton, 29, and Stephen Evans, 30, of Kelowna, B.C., began gathering poolside under a scorching hot sun Nov. 8 for a week at Iberostar Playa Mita on the Pacific Coast in Riviera Nayarit.

The group was easy to spot with their bright orange cups -- a gift from the couple.

Nicole was thrilled the plans finally worked out and pleasantly surprised so many were still able to make the trip.

"Our people just really needed a vacation," she says with a laugh.

Perhaps not Stephen's brother, Gregory Evans, 27, who took a break from an around-the-world sailing adventure with his girlfriend that has included spear-fishing and surfing stops in the Bahamas, Haiti, Colombia, Panama and Costa Rica. They docked their 12.5-metre catamaran in Costa Rica and caught a flight.

While this big poolside reunion was happening, a young couple from Calgary was getting married at the altar that looks out onto the Pacific.

Pool-loungers and bar-goers snapped pictures of the smiling bride as she started walking from the bar area to the altar. Many in bathing suits watched the ceremony from behind a waist-high wall that divides the pool and wedding areas.

(The raucous water-basketball combatants nearby -- who were even wearing ear guards -- were far too focused on their game to notice.)

Nicole wasn't too concerned about the possibility her wedding could be late-afternoon entertainment later in the week.

"The only time I thought about it is when we have to say our vows into a microphone. It would be like: 'I guess this is for the resort.'"

Unless of course there's another battle for watersport supremacy to provide some sound cover.

Photo Gallery

[readon1 url="http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/2014/12/29/playa-time-on-the-pacific-new-beach-resort-has-authentic-mexican-vibe"]Source:www.fortmcmurraytoday.com[/readon1]

Flight attendants have come a long way, baby. Their job is to keep passengers safe – gone are the days when it was P.C. to treat them as waitresses (or waiters) in the sky who are there to look pretty and cater to your every whim. With that in mind, here are a few things you should never say to flight attendant.

“They let me do it on the last flight.”

While you may have somehow gotten away with bending the rules on some previous flight, don’t expect delivering such a whiney line to work in the future. It’s like a kid trying to pit mom against dad. “It’s like think we are naïve,” says veteran flight attendant Emily Witkop. Even if Federal Aviation regulations seem silly to you, it’s a flight attendant’s job to enforce them and keep everyone safe.

“Want to join the mile high club?”

If it’s not obvious why you shouldn’t say this, we probably can’t help you. Needless to say, this kind of misguided pickup line objectifies FAs, plus, engaging in that kind of behavior is not cool from a professional standpoint, and sex in the airplane bathroom is dangerous and against regulations. Get caught doing it with anyone, and you’ll be written up and escorted off the plane by security (or worse) upon landing.

“Smile!”

"I can’t tell you how many people have told me to smile more when I’m going through the safety demonstration," says flight attendant Nicole Teshara. "It’s so rude because they have no idea the kind of day I’m having, and this is something serious they should be paying attention to." While flight attendants do their best to be friendly and helpful, their real job is to keep you safe, so being told look happier is belittling and dismissive of their responsibilities.

“I need to use the restroom before we take off.”

More often than not you have some control over your bladder. Using the onboard bathroom before take off is not allowed due to regulations and can cause delays. “It drives me crazy when the seatbelt sign is on, and I’ve made an announcement to stay seated and someone asks to use the bathroom,” says Teshara. “Clearly it’s not a good time to get up and we’re not allowed to take off until everyone is seated. Plus, you have all that time in the terminal. Why didn’t you use the bathroom before getting on the plane?” That should at least hold you over until the seatbelt signed is turned off in-flight.

“I can make it fit.”

Flight attendants have a very keen eye when it comes to the bulk of your baggage. Continuing to force your luggage into an overhead bin in effort to avoid having it gate checked will only upset the crew. “Saying ‘it fits’ despite all evidence to the contrary is a direct challenge to us,” says Witkop. “We know better than anyone what will or will not fit, but people still refuse to comply.” Not to mention, your pushing and adjusting could hold up the line and cause delays.

“Can you watch my baby?”

A flight attendant is not a standby babysitter or nanny. “It drives me crazy when people ask me to deal with their kids,” says Teshara. “I have an entire plane filled with people to take care of, so it’s annoying when someone thinks I’m their personal attendant. It’s also not in my job description.” It’s up to you to quiet your crying child.

“Is that your natural hair color?”

Why is this any of your business? Though flight attendants are trained to come across as open and friendly, that’s no excuse to ask personal questions – doing so is off-limits. “It makes me feel really perplexed when people make such inappropriate comments,” says Witkop. “You might as well go ahead and ask how much I weigh.”

Dispose of your own dirty baby diapers thank you! (Thinkstock)

“Can I give you this dirty diaper?”

Remember how we said they’re not babysitters or nannies? Flight attendants are trained to handle all sorts of strange and sometimes-dangerous objects found on a plane like needles in an emergency, but that’s no excuse to ask them to deal with your tot’s nasty nappy. “There should be no excuse for you not to throw it away yourself. It’s rude to think we should handle your personal garbage,” says Teshara. “We walk through the cabin every 15 or 20 minutes with a trash bag. Properly dispose of it then.”

“I have Ebola.”

Or “I have a bomb,” or anything having to do with terrorism or crashes. You may be making a bad joke (because, really, what’s funny about Ebola?), but flight attendants have to take any mention of these things very seriously. Your thoughtless comments could potentially get you thrown off the flight and cause delays and cancellations.

[readon1 url="https://www.yahoo.com/travel/things-you-should-never-say-to-a-flight-attendant-106436670587.html"]Source:www.yahoo.com[/readon1]

Rising eerily from the frozen landscape, these strange shapes look like something from a science-fiction film.

But they are here on Earth, frost-covered trees located close to the Arctic Circle, where temperatures can drop as low as -40C.

In the dramatic sub-zero conditions, the snow and frost become so thick that everything is covered in a thick blanket.

The stunning shots were captured by Niccolo Bonfadini, who spent nine days camping alone in the frozen world, which is around 77 square kilometres.

The 21-year-old's images appear to show bizarre tendrils emerging from the ground, which is blindingly white.

He said: 'I was blown away by the otherworldly landscape, everything was white as far as the eye could see. Everything was frozen.

It was incredible to see how ice would form on top of every free surface.

Even my snow shoes and fuel bottles would be covered in ice if I left them outside my tent during the night.'

Mr Bonfadini, an environmental engineering student from Monza, Italy, sustained himself on powdered freeze-dried food during his trek and slept in his tent.

He said: 'I loved what I was doing. I love to go deep into nature alone, to feel the majesty and beauty of Nature. It is absolutely what makes me happiest.

'What made the trip harder than average was the fact that I was completely alone, I only met three people during my nine days. But I prefer it like that, I don't like crowds.'

Mr Bonfadini said he has had varied reactions to the pictures, many had found it difficult to understand the bizarre shapes were trees.

He said: 'Some thought they were volcanic eruptions and clouds. To me they seemed to be alive like frozen people.

'Every tree was different from the others, they had weird forms, some had snow covered branches that looked like arms.

'With such a surreal landscape, it is easy to see how many tales and legends about trolls and other creatures could have been born.'

He added: 'Both the landscape and the sky were white, there were no shades during the day. It was like being in a completely white room and it was even difficult for the eyes to focus.

'Sometimes I couldn't even notice when the path was starting to go downhill because everything looked flat.'

Despite his young age, Mr Bonfadini has photographed wildlife all over the world.

He said: 'My favourite subjects are the northern countries. I feel a sense of wonder while surrounded by desolate frozen landscapes.

'I feel small and vulnerable among the power of Nature. During those moments I really feel alive.'

He added: 'What I like about photography is that it is an excuse for going out into Nature.

'Photography motivates me to get out into Nature more often, experiencing conditions and places that I wouldn't probably have witnessed otherwise.'

Amazing Icy Landscapes

[readon1 url="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2175857/The-Ice-worms-cometh-Amazing-photos-Arctic-Circle-trees-look-like-alien-world.html"]Source:www.dailymail.co.uk[/readon1]

You almost never hearing Mexican children or babies cry. I always forget that fact when we are not here. Then we return. Today when we were checking into the Time Share/Hotel I observed a Mexican family.

Ken was doing the details while I was sitting watching this group while they were waiting for their rooms to be ready. I was far enough that they had no clue I was watching them, nor could I hear their words clearly, but the whole time I watched gave me a short course in why children don't cry in Mexico. The first activity that caught my eye was when a young boy, who was around ten, was carrying and playing with a toddler. The youngster could not walk unassisted. The older boy was singing to him and taking him around to look at the fountains and flowers.

The Mexican family had multi generations. There seemed to be four children and one set of parents, along with two sets of grandparents. While I watched, everyone took turns looking after the younger children. The children were taken for a walk or given something to eat. No cross words were spoken. Everyone seemed pleased to be playing with the children.

I figured out that having many grandparents is a help when minding children. And loving the children helps too. But it is certainly true that babies and children don't cry much in Mexico. It is quite astonishing.

[readon1 url="http://ramblingwithruth.blogspot.com/2014/12/december-27-2014-nurvo-vallarta-mexico.html"]Source:ramblingwithruth.blogspot.com[/readon1]

I love words. But the language the kids use in tweets, Instagram posts or Snapchats, the talk of ‘baes’ and ‘feels’ … I can’t even

Once you start, it’s hard to stop thinking of things you’d love to see the back of in 2015. Men wearing buns, the Cereal Cafe, Russell Brand, people’s opinions of Russell Brand ... I could go on, but I realise that there is something I hate much more, all over the internet: words. Not just any words, but the language young people use in tweets, Instagram posts, Snapchats and whatever else the kids do online these days.

Words like “bae”, which I discover to my horror has been added to the Oxford Dictionary this year. This stands for “before anyone else”, and thus is used to describe your significant other, or perhaps, if you are single, your pet, or even a bottle of cranberry juice as I noted yesterday. I really cannot refresh Twitter fast enough to keep up with all the baes flying around cyberspace.

Of course, language evolves, and as a word-lover I’m all for that, but it seems to be evolving in the wrong direction. Now, when people write online they use a horrible pseudo-emotional language instead of expressing themselves coherently. As someone who meticulously spells out every word of a text or tweet (although I do allow myself an ironic “lolz” occasionally) I am aware that I may sound like an ancient stick-in-the-mud. But because I write for a living, I hate to see language butchered like this.

Take for instance “I can’t even”. It’s basically someone saying they can’t comprehend something and thus cannot express themselves. Perhaps someone got their coffee order wrong. Or they saw a hilarious Ryan Gosling Vine. But it makes me want to shout “You can’t even WHAT???”

And then there’s the utterly loathsome “all the feels”. This is used to signify that the user is having a strong emotion, or perhaps several emotions at once. Maybe they accidentally swiped left on Tinder, or they’ve seen a picture of a dog wearing a hat, or bae hasn’t texted them back. This is troubling, because if you are feeling emotional, the internet really isn’t the place for you. Go and talk to a real person about how that hat-wearing dog makes you feel, for goodness sake.

This mode of expression is breeding a generation that is doing two problematic things simultaneously: having overblown emotional responses to commonplace events, while also being utterly unable to express appropriate and coherent emotions.

So, young people of the internet, what I have to say to you in 2015 is: can you not?

[readon1 url="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/dec/28/young-people-internet-language-baes-feels"]Source:www.theguardian.com[/readon1]

Mexican singer has been pictured at the controls of an airliner jauntily wearing the captain's hat

A Mexican pilot has been sacked after he let a singer fly an airliner.

The captain allowed Esmeralda Ugalde, 23, to sit in his seat and take possession of the controls, even giving her his hat to wear.

Miss Ugalde and a female friend Samadhi Zendejas, 19, an actress, had been allowed into the cockpit while the plane was in the air and proceeded to pose for photographs.

One of the pictures showed Miss Ugalde pouting for the camera while apparently flying the plane.

She sent it to her 40,000 followers on Twitter and it was then shared widely on the Internet before coming to the attention of Magnicharters, the company operating the flight.

Miss Zendejas initially attempted to defend the captain, who has not been named, by saying she and Miss Ugalde had only been in the cockpit while the aircraft was on the ground.

But the pilot admitted the photograph had been taken in the air.

Magnicharters, which operates domestic flights out of Mexico City, said the captain's behaviour had been unacceptable.

A spokesman said: "We cannot allow a pilot to make this kind of mistake, it is just not allowed. Even if the autopilot was working it is not allowed to do something like this.

"We cannot allow people to enter the cabin even if they are actors or actresses.

"We are a serious company and we are deeply saddened about the fact that one of our staff behaved in this way. Flight law dictates visitors are not allowed to enter the cabin during the flight."

Lezlie Puglia reads some of the heartfelt wishes that people have shared.(Susan Hoffman / Daily Pilot/December24, 2014)

Lezlie Puglia and family placed a red basket filled with candy canes, blank cards and wire hangers on the front patio wall just under the large tree in the yard.

The display is now known as the wishing tree. The idea was that anyone walking by could participate by writing their own Christmas wish.

"Take a candy cane and make a Christmas wish," a sign says.

In parenthesis, it adds, "(if you're shy it's OK to just take a candy cane)."

It all started a couple of years ago when Puglia and her children decided to tie ribbons on a tree in a public park in Sacramento, where they lived. They tied the pen to a string along with an envelope containing extra ribbons, so that anyone who was so inclined could write their Christmas wish.

"In the wintertime all the leaves fall off the trees, and they look pretty bleak," she said. "The ribbons look vibrant and very beautiful, making it a little more hopeful."

Last year, after the Puglias relocated to Corona del Mar, they ventured out to Balboa Island, where they saw a tree full of candy canes along with a sign that said, "Have a candy cane and a smile."

It was then that they decided to combine the two ideas by creating the wishing tree.

The tags are mostly made from recycled Christmas cards along with a few newly purchased gold, shiny cards.

Through the windows, Puglia sees people reading the wishes that others have written and also writing their own.

"I think it would be awkward to come out, so I wait and let them have their moment," she said.

Overall, she said, the cards are pretty amazing.

"People mostly hoping and wishing for love and happiness for one another," she said. "A couple of the tags say they want a dog, or want a job."

Some people simply stop to have a candy cane and read what others have wished for. Charlie and Holly Jones stopped to enjoy the wishing tree while on their way to Sherman Library & Gardens. The Lake Tahoe couple, who were visiting family on Jasmine Avenue, thought it was fun to see what others had written.

"I hope this post will bring more people. The more who know about it, the more that will come by," Puglia said. "It's an easy thing to do. It feels good to put something down that, when other people come by, they may think it and hope it too."

It seems the Puglias weren't the only family with a wishing tree. Recently, NBC nightly news reported on a wishing tree in San Francisco.

"Next year we will add lights so it can be seen at night," Puglia said.

Editor's note: This piece was originally published on Corona del Mar Today.

People are terrified of spiders, and rightfully so. No matter how many scientists try to tell us not to be afraid of spiders -- they're just freaky looking. They're like nature's horror movie. Even if it can't hurt you... ew!

Anyone who tries to argue that spiders aren't scary either has too much time on their hands, is flat-out weird, or both. These spiders prove that.

1. Mouse Spiders

Their bites are so deadly that humans have invested tons of money to ensure we have an anti-venom to fight it.

2. Giant Huntsman Spider

The giant huntsman has the largest leg span of any spider in the world.

3. Bird Dung Crab Spider

The water spider has an intimidating look to it as well.

4. Water Spider

A cousin to the black recluse has venom that is just as deadly. However, this spider native to Northern Africa seldom bites.

5. Six-eyed Sand Spider

A cousin to the black recluse has venom that is just as deadly. However, this spider native to Northern Africa seldom bites.

6. Zebra Spider

A spider that jumps, now that is scary!

7. Argyrodes Colubrinus

Any spider with a name that means snake-like is sure to find its way into your nightmares.

8. Assassin Spider

These spiders are relatives of the dinosaurs and as a result look very ancient to any human.

9. Kauai Cave Wolf Spider

This spider has no eyes but is still as scary as they come.

10. Black Widow Spider

Their bites are said to be 15 times more toxic than a rattlesnake, but luckily enough for humans they are very timid and their first defense is to play dead.

11. Tarantula Wolf Spider

These spiders are scary looking, but their bite is nothing more than a bee sting.

12. Redback Spider

This scary spider can be found in Australia and has recently been recorded to kill a snake.

13. Happy Face Spider

It is safe to assume that no spider with a smiley face on its back is actually friendly.

14. Giant Camel Spider

Put it this way: This spider can run up to ten miles per hour.

15. Golden Silk Orb-Weaver

The golden silk orb-weavers build their webs right at eye level for most humans, but fear not because their bite is not lethal to us.

16. Peacock Spider

This spider found in Australia looks friendly but certainly is not.

17. Bagheera Kiplingi

This spider is not deadly and eats a vegetarian diet, but it still looks intimidating.

18. Goliath Birdeater Tarantula

This spider is not lethal to humans, but due to the fact that they are the biggest and heaviest in the world, they're pretty scary.

19. Brazilian Wandering Spider

Stay clear as their bites are lethal and they are aggressive by nature.

20. Sydney Funnel-Web Spider

Bites from males can be lethal, but you don't need to worry unless you live in the Australia

21. Triangulate cobweb spider

You know when you walk through the hallway and get wrapped up in a spider web and freak out? It's this guy's handiwork.

While they actually serve a great service by eating other more dangerous pests, it doesn't excuse the cobweb landmines they lay.

22. Spruce-fir Moss Spider

Found in North Carolina and Tennessee, these guys hide under rocks and leaves for no other reason than to scare you to death.

They are technically an endangered species -- which is actually just fine. No arguments here.

23. Trapdoor Spider

These sneaky sons of guns build little burrows, line them with webbing, construct a manhole cover out of dirt, and sit in the burrow waiting. Just waiting. Then when something walks by... bam, they throw the door open and drag the unsuspecting critter into their lair of death.

Any spider who pulls an "it puts the lotion in the bucket" stunt on anything, is just too devious and creepy to exist outside of nightmares.

24. Gradungulidae

They're known to spin some seriously complicated webs out in the wild. Any spider with smarts on a level like that is seriously up to no good. Why does a spider need to have architectural skills? They've got a plan and it's probably best to not be there when it happens.

25. Tube Dwelling Spider

Their front legs point forward, unlike most spiders. Scientists have no clear answer why and "think" it "appears" to be a way for them to live in tubes. Why do they want to live in tubes and why don't we know for sure? Get on this, science! The life you save may be one of ours.