(If “Zentangle” is a new concept for you, start here.)
This week, the Zentangle Diva challenged us to add a “bit more black” to our composition than we might usually. I must be feeling a bit distracted by our impending move (on June 10th) because I completely missed the “bit” part and used considerably more black than usual. Oh well. Actually, I kind of like how my tile turned out, but my pen and ink bill is going to go up if I use this much black in many more tiles.
As long as I’m shamelessly patting myself on the back, I might as well keep going. I had a blog post featured on the Huffington Post Travel webpage today, What’s Up with TSA PreCheck.
For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of boarding an airplane in the United States, the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) is the federal government agency charged with screening for potential dangers on various forms of transportation. They are most associated with the job they do staffing the security check points at U.S. airports.
My blog post describes airport security screenings in the United States. Based on our recent trips to Europe, since the Paris and Brussels terrorist bombings, many of the same procedures are being used at European airports. In the United States, the TSA has devised a Pre-Check system through which travelers theoretically can undergo less stringent airport security screening, thus speeding up that part of the flying process.
BTW, the silver lining of having to be at the airport earlier in case of security screening bottlenecks is that if the stars are properly aligned, and Mercury isn’t in retrograde so you get through security relatively quickly, you will have more time to tangle in the airport without feeling too terribly guilty that you should be doing something else.
I’ll leave you with a few of my favorite in flight photos because I didn’t want to get arrested for taking photos in the security check area.
If you have flown recently, what was your airport experience like? (And now I’m off to see how others fared with a “bit of black”.)
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
Your tile feels almost frantic with activity–like a window into a very active spot in your brain! You have a lot going on, and your tile reflects it. I like that there is a sense of order and containment that keeps it together and makes it an enjoyable view.
The last time I flew was in April. I had trouble getting through security because of my contact lens solutions. They ended up being confiscated. Even the simple rinsing solution! Sigh! I hadn’t traveled with contact lenses in a long time, as I gave up contacts for many years. Now that I occasionally like to wear contacts again (which allows me to wear sunglasses–YAY!) I need to figure out a better way to travel with my supplies.
I love your flight photos. Congratulations on your Huffington Post feature!
That 3 Oz rule is a problem for contact lens wearers who don’t check a bag. I guess the solution (ouch) is to figure you’ll have to buy some at your destination.
Lovely tile. I like your Pokeroot/leaf done with white around and the one lone pokeleaf with the black around it 🙂
Don’t ask me about airports and check ins *sudder*. I refuse to fly anymore, I just tell people I am afraid of flying then they don’t try to make me. In fact I enjoy the actual flight I’m just not prepared to put up with the rest of it to get that far.
Like you, I’m definitely more anxious about getting through the airport and onto a plane. The actual flying part doesn’t bother me. However, I’m still willing to put up with the airport experience because not to do so would mean a lot of the world would become out of reach and I’m not ready to stop going places that require an airplane ride.
The pictures are amazing, especially the first one to Dublin.
I have also travelled a lot because I like to learn from different cultures and see the highlights of the world, but unfortunately I really don’t like to fly. I’m always a bit dizzy in the plane, I hate jetlag and the long waiting hours on the aerport. The last time was my flight from Amsterdam to Boston and I have good memories: no sickness and just one day a little jetlag. When I left Europe controlls were more severe than when I left the U.S.A. ???
Your tile of this week is beautiful: nice black accents but good balance with enough white!
Go big or go home on the black, right : ) Great job!! And about travelling, sigh, I remember when it was sort of glamourous. Now it’s just tedious and 50% awful, something you have to get through to be in a wonderful other place. Good thing for tangling, we can do it in a chair, we can do it in the air, we can do it in the lounge, in about any place we scrounge. With a coffee close at hand, tangling happily until we land.
Your tile reminds me of a paper funnel where goodies were tucked inside from candy to french fries! I think it’s beautiful. Contact lens solution – I save the 2 fl oz size sealed freebies the eye doc occasionally gives me. I only need the one kind for rinsing and storing. Perfect size.
In other words, chaos. 😉 Thanks for the contact lens solution — solution when flying.
In my humble and unlearned opinion, I’d say the extra money you spent on ink was well worth it:) Lovely tile! But hearty congratulations on your Huffington Post article!! I remember when traveling was fun. Yes…I really am that old:) Pre-check or not, the experience has become woeful! But your pictures are very cool!
Jacqueline, thanks for your comment. I’m pretty sure we’re in the same demographic that never used to fly in sweat pants. Now, I dress for comfort because there could be many hours of waiting around.
Yes, that’s me on pinterest. Made me giggle too : )
Gorgeous piece! I love the composition and contrast. Great plane pix;-)
I’m not sure how I feel about the TSA precheck. As a traveler, YES! Yippee Skippy I get through the never-ending TSA security lines. What’s not to love and appreciate about that?!
But, what’s the point of a TSA line if someone else can buy their pass? What happens if someone is able to buy a pass and then the next month wigs out and is able to get through that line? Okay – that’s a simplistic viewpoint, but you get the gist, I’m sure.
TSA has certainly been in the news of late and I’ve been super thankful we’re not flying anywhere in the near future.
We have to fly to and from O’Hare next month. Yesterday, 450 people missed flights there because of the TSA lines. They had to provide cots so people could sleep in the airport. O’Hare is my nightmare airport even when there are no TSA problems, so….sigh. I will be bringing plenty of blogging projects and zentangle supplies.
Really nice work, I love what you did with the Pokeroot tangle.
Great tile, and I don’t think it’s too much black at all. One good thing about using more black is there isn’t as much need to try to do any shading, something I have problems with.
Wow, Suzanne, I love this tile!!! Pokeleaf is very beautiful this way, I might ‘steal’ the idea from you 🙂
Love the way the pokeroot looks with the black and an almost arua around it. I may have to steal this idea in the future. Lovely photos too, and as far as the security screening… In our airport the are now advising a two hour before flight, because the lines even in pre check have gotten so bad. Ugg!
I like all the black you added to your tile. It does give a more dramatic look to tangles. I’m like you though, being frugal makes it hard to use all that ink! I did read your well written and humorous article, and it reinforced some of the reasons why I don’t travel.
Wonderful tile! I like the way you used Hollibaugh, Pokeroot and pokeleaf a lot!
Don’t think that you used too much black. Besides, saying a bit of black is really a relative term. Like that big Hollibaugh orb.
Suzanne, your tile is so beautiful! I love the combination & the great contrasts!