For women going places

I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.

-G.K. Chesterton

With thankfulness on our mind, here are things we intend to be thankful for while traveling this weekend.

For food and shelter

For friends and family

For having somewhere to go and the means to get there.

The only people with whom you should try to get even are those who have helped you.

-John E. Southerd

Happy Thanksgiving from Woman Road Warrior!

Real Road Warriors are undaunted by crowds.

Real Road Warriors relax at the prospect of challenging travels.

Real Road Warriors keep things in perspective.

Real Road Warriors have something to read, something to eat and a Plan B

Real Road Warriors do security with minimum fuss, maximum style

Real Women Road Warriors smile in the face of adversity, in the face of gate attendants and at their fellow travelers.

Road Reporter Deborah Harter Williams

Labels: airport security, travel, travelers, woman road warrior

As I’ve said before, I’m all in favor of airport security measures, whether it’s a pat-down or full-body image scan. We need both to protect ourselves and our loved ones when we travel.

WHAT I don’t like is the TSA treatment I’m hearing about from friends and colleagues. It sounds as though communication is lacking and customer service training has been skipped or ignored.

Here’s a horror story I heard about:

A female colleague flew out of LAX last week. She did not set off the metal detector, but received an enhanced pat-down. Once she returned to her items on the security conveyor belt, another TSA agent, referring to her briefcase, asked her “Is there a computer in here or a bomb?” My colleague was stunned by the question and immediately, as most people would, wanted to look at her briefcase. She grabbed for it and the TSA agent slapped her hand away. Her briefcase was then emptied and everything was put through the x-ray machine not once, but twice. She says she was then forced to go through another pat-down. Obviously this sounds like it’s bordering on harassment.

If you’ve had an experience like this, please tell me your story. I want to share your experiences with the TSA and talk with them about improving their customer service. I can’t do that without your help.

See you on the road,

Kathy Ameche

Traveler-in-Chief

• Ship packages - Check new TSA rules as to what is and isn't acceptable in carry-on (food)
• Determine pet strategy (Make phone calls if necessary)
• Arrange transportation (1 week in advance for air travel, last opportunity for savings)
• Car rental - Look at off-site locations if airports are booked. Saves money - no airport taxes and most car rental places allow you to return at the airport with no additional charge.

• Take clothes to dry cleaners
• Purchase all remaining gifts (Don't wrap if going by air)
• Do you need to suspend mail service?
• Suspend newspaper service, if necessary

• If bringing desserts, make shopping list
• Sign-up for Groupon.com in destination city
• Start monitoring weather in home and destination cities

• Determine how you're getting to your home city airport
• Arrange transportation if necessary
• Pick-up dry cleaning

• Enter airline, hotel, travel agent, travel site customer service and car rental numbers into speed dial
• If you made flight arrangements months in advance, verify flight times and I.D.'s match names given
• Enter ICE (In Case of Emergency) into cell phone contacts list
• Make dessert(s)

• Pack - If traveling with mutiple people be sure to swap outfits between luggage
• Check-in for flight - If checking luggage, print extra itinerary and put in checked luggage
• Deliver animals to sitter
• Pack snacks - assume a six-hour delay
• Double check weather - If there are weather challenges, check airline website and see if any restrictions or changes are in place

• Pack your patience
• Pack snacks
• Luggage
• Family
• Remember 3-1-1 (3oz or smaller for liquids or gel, 1 quart zip lock bag for 3 oz containers per person)
• Allow plenty of time to get through security
• Get started working on alternates at the first signs of a delay
• Kill 'em with kindness

Which is the lesser of two airport security evils?

With holiday travel gearing up and airline passenger stress at an all time high, complaints are growing against the enhanced security pat-downs which can focus directly on your private areas.

The TSA says via its blog that a very small number of passengers end up needing a pat-down, whether to resolve an alarm set off walking through the metal detector or if someone opts out of using the body image scanner. But it still is a concern when you’re heading to the airport, wondering if you’ll be an unlucky one. I’ve had both and frankly neither was that bad.

But what it comes down to is that it’s a balancing act between safety and privacy. Obviously, no one wants to be or should be man-handled or have their private parts on display for everyone to see. But that’s airplane travel in 2010. As long as the terrorists continue to concoct schemes of death and destruction against Americans using planes, we have to be diligent. We may not like the security measures but they’re for our safety in the long run. We have to weigh the inconvenience and embarrassment against the safety and well-being of ourselves and our loved ones. I know what tips the scale for me.

That said the TSA shouldn’t have carte blanche. Sensitivity training should be mandatory for all security agents. And there has to be a Body Scan 2.0 machine that detects weapons without revealing where that extra piece of pumpkin pie decided to settle.

See you on the road,

Kathy Ameche

Traveler-in-Chief

Labels: air safety, airline passengers, airport security, body image scan, pat-down, TSA

I’m a list person - a pen and paper chick. Seeing it written down imprints the meaning in my mind and the act of writing it seems to make it real. I have a Daytimer book with zipper case in the two page per day format. The left hand page has my To-Do list and hour by hour schedule and the right page is an open journal page (which usually gets filled up with notes, quotes, doodles, and password reminders).

Every morning I make my lists. I love the feeling of checking things off. Virtual checking off is just not as satisfying to me. I do have a program called Things on my Mac that is good for complicated on-going projects, but I don’t use an electronic calendar and I leave my Blackberry for emails, texts and phone calls.

I took one of those Franklin-Covey classes once and I like the idea of rating the To-Do items alphabetically. A - You are going to die or get thrown in jail or miss getting the money if you don’t do; B - You pretty-well better do these or you are going to worry and just have to face them tomorrow; C - These should probably get done but if you get lucky they will go away, get changed or get done by someone else and D - I sure am going to get around to that someday. My two overall categories are Gotta-Have-To and WBNI (Wibney) aka Wouldn’t It Be Nice If.

Sometimes it seems like a contest to see how many things you can have on your list. “I’m busier than you are.” If something appears day after day and doesn’t get done, there’s a message for you. Making a “not going to do” list is good too. I sometimes barter with friends and trading the thing on my list that I can’t done for something of the same quality from their list. Just explaining what needs to be done can often break the logjam in my mind that keeps me from accomplishing the task.

Another thing I remember from the class is to think of your dream goal – that thing you always wanted to do but keeps getting put off. Then back up and figure out what is the thing that you can do today, tomorrow or this week that will get you started on the path to that dream. It may be a simple as doing a Google search or buying a how-to book. This is your investment in your future and your own satisfaction. It also is the first step on the way to convincing yourself that you can do it. After all, now you’re working on it not just thinking about it. And you can check it off.

See you on the road (and we can compare lists!),

Road Reporter Deborah Harter Williams

Labels: daytimer, dream, Franklin-Covery, lists, organization

Labels: airport security, busiest airport, LaGuardia, O'Hare, Orbitz, Thanksgiving, travel

Labels: casting call, woman road