Toolie Business Travel Newsletter February 2009In This Issue:
Toolie's Monthly Travel Tip: Against All Odds, Keep Going!After being home for several weeks, this month I was out on the road again two weekends in a row. You've probably had a similar scenario: gone 5 days, home for 3, gone for 4 more days. Sometimes you just don't get a chance to recover in between, and you leave for the second trip not quite as rested as you'd like to be. It's the second trip that prompts the title of my newsletter this month; I had one of the closest travel near-misses I have EVER had, and that's saying a lot! I've accrued nearly 1 million travel miles, but this experience had me thinking about it for 3 days afterward. I Know I Set That Alarm Clock It was late Tuesday night February 17th and I was still working on some web pages for a client. The client had been patient with my workload, but the deadline was approaching and I wanted to finish some things before I hit the road again. So it was just before 2 am when I finally crawled in bed. I set the alarm for 3:30 am so that I could get up and out the door in time for my 6:00 am flight. Yeah, I know that 90 minutes isn't enough sleep for anyone, but if all you have to do the next day is get on and off an airplane, you can probably muster enough energy to survive the day. In my case, I had a first-class upgrade on the Airbus 320, so for the first leg of my trip, I would be comfortable and could snooze. At 4:55 am, I sat bolt upright in bed and looked at the giant clock on the wall that is so big that even I can read it without my eyeglasses. It was unfathomable: my flight left at 6 am, I live 20 minutes from the airport IF there is no traffic, and I still had to dress and load the car. This is even worse than waking AFTER the plane has left; then you know it's too late. Could I make this flight? OK, Let's Talk About "Motivation" I turned to McAlister, who was still asleep. In a commanding voice (as he describes it), I said "GET UP." He did. Without going into all the details, let me just say that this particular trip had been arranged as a favor to me, and that I was being given access to an event to which I would normally not have access. Simply put, there was simply NO question that I had to make the flight. Yes, I could probably have gone standby on later flights, but I really hate that kind of travel stress. It makes me cranky. The event started the next day and since I was already sleep-deprived, I was counting on getting to my destination and going to bed early. There was also another motivation that could also be my saving grace in this situation: I had snagged a first-class upgrade on this flight. IF and only IF I could get to the check-in counter in time, I could use the short check-in line and the short security line. I would therefore have a chance of getting to my seat, but I had to get there before they gave the upgrade to someone else. So all of this goes through my mind in about 4 seconds, and I leap to my feet. The rest of the next hour is somewhat of a blur, but I can tell you that by 5:52 am, I was IN my seat IN first class on MY plane. HOW was this POSSIBLE? Good Travel Habits, Good Luck, and God Let me settle the "God" question first. I do believe in the power of prayer, regardless of the name you use for God! Those were the first words out of my mouth: "Dear God, I have to make this plane." Now, for good travel habits. I am not a morning person: that is an UNDERSTATEMENT. I trained myself to get out of bed for 6 am flights because that's when upgrades are easiest to obtain. To make my exit from the building (whether that's home or the hotel) as foolproof as possible, I lay out in a row on the dresser every piece of clothing plus accessories that I plan to wear, and I pack every last item I can before going to bed the night before. I have my laptop set to run backups every night, so sometimes I don't completely pack up the computer bag; it really depends on when the flight is and how early I think I can get myself up to have time to pack it in the morning. If you've been reading my newsletters for any length of time, you know that I tend to take a lot of things with me; it's the nature of being a tech person and speaking on technology subjects. My checked bag usually hovers around the 50-pound mark because I have gadgets plus cables plus clothes. For the first of my two trips this month, I delivered a talk on podcasting and I brought my entire audio studio with me (seriously, the most complicated demo I have ever constructed). That meant my usual computer bag was filled with microphones and a mixer and my laptop (all VERY interesting to TSA), and in addition to my usual checked bag, I had a second, checked, 35-pound bag full of the cables and power supplies that went with the stuff in my laptop case. For this second trip I decided that I was going to take the small bag, the 21" size that everyone else uses, the kind that could go in an overhead bin. I still planned to check the bag, but more than usual I wanted to travel light this trip. I also uncharacteristically decided to pack my computer bag completely: I wasn't going to need to wrap up any cables or shut down the laptop. I just needed to tuck in the last few toiletries and head for the door. Good thing, eh? So, with my morning assembly line in place and the rest of the bags ready to RUN, McAlister and I were out the door in less than 10 minutes. Now for the luck. McAlister didn't say much in the car as I careened through traffic towards Sea-Tac Airport. It was too dark to see whether he was gripping the seat, but he did concentrate on the traffic in front of us as we sped towards the airport. The carpool lane helped; the fact that it was 5:15 am on Wednesday meant that traffic was fairly light. I made the 20-minute run in 15 minutes, stopped in front of the door closest to the first class check-in lane, yanked the bags from the car and kept departure smooches to a minimum. I arrived at the check-in counter at 5:27 am, and my first-class upgrade was secured. I did have one or two hurdles left; the check-in counter would not take the bag I needed to check. The fact that I didn't have my usual big bag meant that I could get the soon-to-be-checked bag through the x-ray machine. There was no one in the short security line where you show your ID to the TSA staff, but I did beg to cut in front of 5 people at the screening point. Whoever you are, thanks again! Of course, my soon-to-be-checked bag wasn't security-ready. "Oh dear," I thought, "there go the sewing scissors and my shampoo." That would have been fine with me. When I explained my imminent departure dilemma, the TSA officer took pity on me, gave me a light scolding, and sent me on my way. The shuttle train arrived as I walked up to board it, and my gate was at the top of the escalator in the North Terminal. There were only 5 people left to board the plane when I arrived at the gate, and the agent gate-checked my bag to my destination. A Pause to Reflect Once I got to my seat and had time to calm down, I realized how blessed I was, but I also realized that this was one of those life- defining moments. Against all odds, I kept going. This behavior has not always been my default behavior, and it gave me pause. Was this a life-threatening situation? No. At most it was an inconvenience with potential for residual embarrassment for being late to receive a much-appreciated favor. But I thought about the shift in my own thinking; rather than resigning myself to the hassle and uncertainty of standby flights, I hurtled towards the goal of making the flight I had set up and keeping the commitment I had made to the friend who had arranged the favor. What does this have to do with travel? Well, if you travel a lot, you know that many times your delayed inbound flight may mean your connection is delayed, so you have a chance to catch your plane. You run even if you're not sure you can make it, because the prospect of waiting around for a possibly non-existent seat is at least unsettling, and at worst, disastrous to your business. What does this mean about life? Well, our current economic situation is cause for consternation even among our most resilient citizens. (When Warren Buffet is unhappy, I'M unhappy.) It's hard not to wake up disquieted, even if your employment is secure. What did this mean for me personally? What struck me was that I did NOT allow for a SECOND the possibility of turning back or making alternate arrangements. I just kept GOING. I haven't always been that way, and I'm .... speechless. Somehow I know that "it's going to be OK." I just wanted to share that with you in case you're having your own moments of doubt (whether travel or life-related). Ever had one of these kinds of whew! moments? I love to hear about them so that I can share them in next month's newsletter. Oh, and remember to double-check your alarm clock before you leave on your next trip. :-) Our Sympathies to the Families of Recent Plane Crash VictimsOur hearts go out to the families of recent plane crash victims, Continental Connection Flight 3407 to Buffalo, NY, and Turkish Air flight 1951 in Amsterdam. I've been pretty busy with my own websites, and I've helped a lot of fellow entrepreneurs with theirs. The most recent offering of the PC Power Tips: Create Your Own Website class just started this past Thursday night. I have also started to coach people individually on their websites and blogs. If you're thinking of trimming expenses, learning to manage your own website is a good idea. You can look at what I'm offering by visiting http://www.tooliecoaching.com. Toolie's Travel PlansI had a great time in Orlando over Valentine's Day, speaking to fellow NSA members at the Winter Workshop. McAlister surprised me with a bouquet of flowers at the airport the next day -- what a sweetie! The following weekend I attended a speaker training event with James Malinchak, which was also very good. I will be home again until April when I head back to Las Vegas for more speaker training with James Malinchak. Stop by my web site, http://www.tooliethetravelguide.com and say 'Hello,' especially if the Live Chat icon says I'm online. I love to hear from my subscribers anytime! Toolie®
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