AMERICANWAY

Missed it in the magazine? All American Way articles are available on aa.com/americanway in your memory — especially the food. I didn't mention prices because many people travel on different budgets and look for different levels of luxury. But during the low season, there are great deals on hotels and restaurants that are open. WRITING LESSONS I am a writer-to-be; an aspiring, self-taught story teller; a wannabe composer of prose w ho d i s c over e d i n y ou r A mer ica n Wa y maga zine a treasure chest of w riting les- sons. I always read the magazine cover to cover, solve the Sudoku puzzle and Menza quiz a nd even tr y the crossword. W hat I enjoy most, however, is the writing lessons that I am sure you and your writers didn't intend to give. Starting with the "Editor's Note," every article is exquisitely crafted. A sentence in the July issue such as " … once there, you a re treated to a div ine collage of a z u r e -meet s-sapph i r e -meet s- c oba lt- colored water," (" Editor 's Note") ma kes one glimpse the natura l beaut y so nicely described. Or what about reviving the feel- ing of our ca refree youth w ith this open- ing? "This is how we roll. Or how we once did. In a conver tible." ("End of an Era? ") Just by reading your articles I learned how to engage the reader. "In the quiet of the early morning, there's still a tinge of cool- ness in the air …" ("Get Your Feet Wet "). I a lmost shivered, feeling the crispness of such mornings by the la ke. I w rite to say thank you for the writing lessons, American Way. This is one of the unadvertised perks of flying with American Airlines. Dora Musielak, Arlington, Texas EDITOR ADAM PITLUK RESPONDS: We literally scour the globe to find the best writers in the world, Dora. Your letter is indicative of why we do what we do. Many thanks. A CAT'S WOR LD I am not a New Yorker, but I thought I must be one after reading "Chasing Bodega Cats" in the Aug ust issue. Gus Ga rcia-Rober ts was clever and patient in tr y ing to spot a cat in bodegas in all five boroughs. (I liked the bird-watching rules: If you hear the cat, you've spotted it.) His stor y let us see the huma n side of New York neig hborhoods. Health inspectors or not, the story is a vic- tory of common sense over regulation, cats over m ice, a nd hu mor over the troubles saturating our headlines. Keep those great stories coming. It shortened the f light by hundreds of smiles. Gordon Ralph, Lady Lake, Fla. C O L U M N I S T G U S G A R C I A - R O B E R T S R E - S P O N DS: Th ere is ver y lit tle doubt ab out it, Gordon: It's the bodega cat's world and we just happen to live in it. MAPS AND MUCH MOR E W hen my husband and I travel on A meri- can Airlines, I bring reading material with me, but somehow I never get to it because I am reading American Way cover to cover. Besides all the interesting and informative articles (and advertising), I always check the terminal map if I'm flying into an unfamiliar air por t. I a lso love the destination maps. Does anyone else look at them and dream of their next destination? What movie will be shown? What music is playing? What does the aircraft look like? Who are American's partners? How do you use the Wi-Fi? What are good onboard exercises? Is disability assista nce ava ilable? The a nswers to a ll of these questions a re in A merican Way. Thanks for providing such an informative magazine for your passengers to enjoy. By the way, my mother is 90 years old and still flying A A and traveling alone, thanks to the wonder ful care she receives from A A em- ployees. It is comforting to know that she, and all of us, will be able to continue to fly even when we need extra assistance. Marilyn Harris, Sanger, Texas M A N AG I N G E D I T O R A N N E W E I D N E R R E - SPONDS: You're making us blush, Marilyn. We truly thank you for expressing your admiration for American Way. American Airlines takes great care in assisting customers who need extra help, and it warms our hearts to know your family relies on us to take good care of your mom when she flies. SINGING AND CLIMBING On long-distance flights, I often use the time to contemplate recent events in my life and to pla n f ut ure events. I f ind inspiration from the in-f light magazine, whether it 's a sma ll item mentioning a well-desig ned object or app, or a piece in an exhibition in the destination city. It's always worth having a notebook or smartphone handy to make some notes. On my first flight to the U.S. in four yea rs, I was pleasa ntly sur prised to be reading the July issue of American Way. "Bagging the Peaks of Colorado" reminded me of a long-held dream of bagging the Mun- ros in Scotland. A Munro is a peak higher than 3,000 feet and named after Sir Hugh Munro, a Scottish aristocrat who produced the first list of mountains of that height or higher. A lso, the Q&A with Frank Martin Verdejo-Chica Jr. ("Changing His Tune") reignited my desire to join a choir. Keep up the good work. David Butcher, Manchester, England J.H. RESPONDS: So, David, we published articles that made you want to climb mountains and sing? That was a successful issue. A GOOD BABYSITTER When our two sons were born, they were im- mediately registered as AAdvantage members. Jonathan, now 6, had two round-trips as a fetus and his first trip as a baby at only a few months old. In August, we were traveling from St. Kitts, where we visited my family, to Denver, but we had three different seat assignments on the first leg of the flight (the agents did their best for us). I got the boys settled and went to my seat with a little anxiety. After takeoff, I went to check on them. Ethan, 11, was fast asleep, but to my sur- prise, Jonathan (above) was thumbing through American Way, fully engrossed. Thankfully, the passenger beside him offered to switch seats with me, and for the rest of the trip, Jonathan asked me to explain every story and every photo. Together, we learned about David Ortiz ("The Boston Paragon") and Terry Crews ("Hardly Expendable") and saw many photos, including the Yorkshire Dales in England ("Over Hill, Over Dale"). On the final leg of the trip, I took a nap. When I opened my eyes, Jonathan was still poring over American Way, only this time he was telling his brother about the stories. Thank you for such a kid-engaging magazine! We are excited that on their trek to the Million Miler club, our sons would be entertained, engaged and educated. Livingstone and Sherma Pogson, Pueblo, Colo. GROUP EXECUTIVE EDITOR TRAVIS KINSEY RESPONDS: We are beyond thrilled that our magazine provided Jonathan and Ethan with not only a way to pass the time on your flights but also a window to things they may not have previously known about. Entertaining our readers is only one of our goals. If we can also introduce them to people and places they've yet to experience, we're even more satisfied. A A .CO M/A M E R I C A NWAY O C TO B E R 2 01 4 1 5

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