Want to save time? Buy your potato salad at the store!

Oh, the 4th of July. We, like probably everyone else in the USA, had a gathering of folks. We had an open house yesterday, since we've been having our home remodeled for the last 7 months. (Yea, I could start another blog on just that experience alone--trust me!). So as my wife was putting the finishing touches on her potato salad, (which I prefer mustard tangy type, and she won't make it that way) and every year, I suggest that she NOT take the time to make potato salad and simply buy some at the store. "Just think of all the time you'll save dear!", I say. Every year, the answer is "no!".

All I was doing was suggesting that we save time of cooking, mashing and mixing it all together. Saving time. Just like most folks should get direct deposit so they don't crowd up bank lines on Friday afternoons cashing their checks or getting money. Saving time. Like checking in for your flight at home, before you to the airport and bug the gate agents for that "aisle seat, as far forward, as possible". Saving time includes gasing up before you leave for a long trip, getting some cash for the road, for tolls, so you don't have to stop and find an ATM and pay the $2-3.00 for a service charge. I did find out in Illinois that if you don't have sufficient change for toll, (or dollar bills on I-88, where the toll is $0.95), you can drive through like you're filming the Blues Brothers II, as long as you send in your money to the state within 4 days. Refer to http://www.illinoistollway.com/portal/page?_pageid=57,1302723,57_1302728:57_1302796&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL.

I can't wait to see the look on their face when I blow through the toll plaza next time. All I have to say is, "honey, I'm going to save time by just blowing off this toll road! You can tell the governor of Illinois (Governor Blagojevich) to take a hike". "I'm going to save time!".

I'm leavng on a jet plane II

I stayed up late and finally did it. I bought my tickets for our trip out West last night. I wouldn't say that I got a deal but I did make it so that our time will be used the way we want. I bought a non-stop on Mesa airlilnes, formerly America West, now code sharing and transtioning over to USAir. When you pull up options in Orbitz.com, you see the same fllights and times advertised for America West AND USAir. Because I used to work in the airline industry I am cursed with attempting to extract a reservation that is perfect for my personal travel plans. Anyway, ever since orbitz.com, hotwire.com, priceline,com and kayak.com came online, there are alot of options that allow us to make good travel plans. There are always trade offs, my trade off for a non-stop, is that I will fly non-stop, in a regional jet, over the beautiful country that I love to see and look down on. Plus, I'm a tall guy and those regional jets seats are not Lazy-Boy rated! The other goofy thing about flying regional jets is, well, take a look IN the cockpit when you walk in/off. Often times, it appears that kids are flying that thing!! Now, I am in my early 40s, but the average regional jet pilot APPEARS as if, they are a 20 something. Now before you write me mean notes, all pilots that I know, (which is quite a few), are indeed the mature looking, confident, steady-eddy types that you want behind the controls. They are constantly going through training, evaluations, check-rides, etc. The pilots that I know truly LOVE to fly, and look forward to getting home with their loved ones as much we all do.

BTW, I cannot end this entry without sharing that when you work in the airline business, it is a business that gets in your blood. Pilots, flight attendants, and even the ground operations folks, (like what I did), love the business of planes, organization and being able to fly all over this great country. Make sure you thank them for their time that you've spent with them. Times are tough for many of these job holders. Many of these people are deciding between doing what they love and what makes sense to work at.

We Expect it

WiFi. Wow. Here I am in a coffee shop, waiting for a prospective partner and I discovered, (actually my Apple iBook G4) discovered that they have WiFI. They never used to. I was avoiding this place because they didn't have "it". Oh yea, I could have gone to Starbucks, and paid the day pass with T-Mobile, for $9.99 but why do that when WiFi is free almost everywhere??? What a big country! Actually, for those of us that travel the Interstates of Iowa, almost all rest stops on I-80 and I-35, have free WiFi. They've had "it" for a long time, even before this coffee shop that I am. I will have to say something to Gary Mier, who runs Friedrich's, www.sirfriedrich.com. Oh, did I mention that it is free? My good blogging friend, Mike Sansone, reminded me last week, that Panera Breads, were first amoung eateries, that first offererd WiFi for free. Oh, and another thing, don't let the cellular companies sell you on a WiFi card. if you can agree with to meet with clients, prospects, colleagues, in locations that offer free WifI, or secured networks, that you can access, than seize those opportunities first. In another three years, "it" will be free and plentiful all over this big country.