Reflections on my first Uber driving evening

I have to say: I was pretty excited to finally get approval to be an Uber driver!  Given all of the recent expansion of their service, it seemed like a bit of a no-brainer to try and use some of the extra time I have to do some driving.  And even though the process took several months (way longer than it should have), I was ready to go - Uber phone in hand, car ready.  What I wasn't ready for was having to sit and wait.

And wait.

And wait.

I finally got my first legitimate call for a pickup (after two cancels and one distance issue) almost 2 hours into waiting.  Seemed like it should be much quicker, but then again, maybe a Tuesday night isn't a great time to try and drive.  No matter...I had a call!  Off I went toward downtown, and while getting on the Interstate received a call from the girl I'd be picking up: "where are you?" Uber had given me this ride with a 12 minute transit time, which I'm sure confused the girl.  I said I was on my way and got there as quick as I could.  We were off to the airport!  How fortunate. 

After I finally got my trunk open for her suitcase (apparently my keychain lock battery decided to start dying at just the same time), we were driving and made it safely.  Success!

I'm curious to see how other nights of the week compare...at this point I'd be hard pressed to recommend much business on a Tuesday evening.

American's AAdvantage program staying (mostly) the same for 2015

It's been making its way around all the blogs today, but I'm happy to share that American's frequent flyer program is staying (mostly) the same for 2015. And I say "mostly", since there are a few tweaks here and there with combining the US Airways accounts into AAdvantage. 

You can read more about the changes here.

I'm excited to see that the upgrade process is getting a bit more streamlined, and the ability to combine miles across accounts will happen in the second quarter of 2015. 

In the end, I think it's smart to focus on the merger for now - will be curious to see what changes will be ahead once its complete.

2014 ILA Global Conference in San Diego this weekend!

 

I'll be doing some travel this weekend, but only to downtown as part of the ILA Global Conference being hosted by the University of San Diego at the Hilton Bayfront.  I'm also excited to be presenting as part of a panel on Sunday morning, along with colleagues from Temple University and Alvernia University.  Our panel will be looking at the following topic: Making an Impact: Leadership Development and the Branch Campus Model Worldwide.  We'll be joined by friends from Gonzaga to discuss this topic and leadership implications.

If you have a chance and are interested in leadership and professional development around leadership, feel free to stop down and register onsite!

You can find more information here.

A quick press link about our presentation was written here.

Quick jaunt home

This weekend I'm making a quick jaunt home - I'll be visiting O'hare long with La Crosse Municipal while I go via American, so I don't have too many worries about the journey.  Weather should be excellent - mid 60's during the day, 40's at night.  If only San Diego could give me that!

I'll be reporting back if I run into any difficulties enroute, but I expect a smooth travel weekend.

10 things I never leave behind during international travel

I have a good routine in place for when I take a jaunt overseas.  In fact, I've been able to pack rather sparingly and only travel with one smaller-ish suitcase and a backpack for trips that end up being a week or longer.  For shorter trips, one bag is usually my preference.

My family members often ask me about how I end up preparing for these trips...I think they are curious how I could go so far and not bring more things. Light and nimble = always best in my book.

Here are my top ten things I typically don't leave home without (bringing or doing):

1. Bose Headphones - really helps for the loud children that sit near my seat and scream

2. Passport (and electronic copy) - necessary. And a backup via online portal just in case.

3. One debit card - I've had good success getting local currency at an airport ATM when arriving, and usually the exchange rate is better than what I'd get from ordering somewhere.  But I typically don't use much cash in-country...swiping a CC is safer and comes with buyer protection.

4. Travel clothes ala ExOfficio - why pack 10 when you can pack 2 and wash on the go?  Definitely saves space.

5. Earplugs - for sleeping on the way over

6. Intl Power adapters - helps in hotels/hostels and charges up my phone and iPad.

7. US wall plug adapter - I can't tell you how many times I end up needing to convert something from 3-prong to 2-prong...Apple power cords are near the top of the list!

8. Prepare my CC's - I make it a ritual to call my banks to let them know I'm traveling - I'd prefer not to be denied when I get in-country.  Don't forget to use a card with no foreign transaction fees!

9. Register - It never hurts to visit and register with the State Department STEP when traveling, just in case something happens. 

10. Camera - I don't always feel comfortable brandishing my iPhone, so my Sanyo 10MP camera still is a fave.  Got me pictures like this in Gimmelwald!