When I was a freshman in college I had to write a paper on falling into the abyss. Or looking into the abyss. Or walking along the edge of the abyss. Something like that. I don’t think I even knew what an abyss was (I certainly couldn’t pronounce it.) So I found myself thinking of that ...
Lean In, Not Back
A small news story caught my attention yesterday. You may have missed it or not bothered to look twice at it. But, to me, it was action packed with potential. In short, United flight 1462 EWR to DEN was diverted to ORD because of a brew-ha-ha over one passenger’s refusal to let another passenger recline. ...
They Are Biohazards!
So I’m heading home from Denver, plopped in exit row aisle (wondering why it’s okay for that guy to have a bright yellow guitar case as carry on), when the flight attendant starts to do her safety routine. She’s already asked us if we speak English so my exit row mates are all doing their ...
Tell tale signs
Last night, I’m PHL to DEN and I’m seeing the normal Denver-bound sights (sadly, no B Dawg this time). Denver-bound “looks” go something like this: white women with dreadlocks (you know, the hair is so long and dirty it just starts clinging to itself and forms frizzy dreadlocks); white men wearing climbing gear with crampons ...
Now Boarding: Flight #1 – ZodiacAir
Lately I’ve been getting text messages from female corporate travelers and female leisure travelers updating me on what travel disaster they are currently experiencing. An Alaska-bound friend was stuck in PHL for four hours the other night…on the tarmac. Another texted me that her seatmate had bad breath. And the colleague who is allergic to ...
Mentoring in Mid Air
I have had a few mentoring roles in my career. And, I had the fortune of having an important role model and mentor who helped me. Things that a mentor commonly covers are: corporate politics, asking for a raise, having a difficult conversation with your boss, the pitfalls of email, accepting credit vs. taking credit, ...
Female Corporate Traveler Butts Whiskers with Spot and Friskie
When I see a dog at my gate, I instinctively want to go buy a bag of peanuts. You're wondering what these two things have in common? Allergies! Several -- don't know, 20 -- years ago peanuts were unceremoniously removed from the snacks we would get with our free soda on a plane. Apparently, too ...
Payback at 30,000 Feet
The worst trip of my life was PHL to MSP on the Tuesday after Memorial Day about 5 years ago. It was the first flight out so figure it was leaving around 7:30 a.m. and it was a regional jet so it was 2:2 seating. My seatmate was a young man – maybe 22 – and ...
Chivalry is Checked Curbside
After our breakfast meeting in Chicago this week, I ended up chitting and chatting with my boss, Andy, for about an hour in the lobby of the JW. He asked about my trip out yesterday and I told him about my seat mate and gave him the requisite visuals. That led to some travel stories ...
I Can Spot My Seatmate a Mile Away
If I'm going through security and there's, let's say, a fellow in front of me covered in tatoos, with KORN etched on his neck, and lobe stretching earrings in his ears, and at least 25 safety pins neatly affixed to his eyebrows, I know immediately: He is on my plane and he is sitting next ...