My Life on the road | Peaches Prattlings

{August 9, 2016} A good day and a red letter evening…

The day was exciting, the evening riveting, ha!

I taught another great class, it was nice when some of them came in and told me that they heard the class last week was great and I was pretty good too.

Here’s where it gets riveting, hold on to your hats! After class, I went back to the hotel, ate left over Chinese food from lunch, finished my updates to the materials, did my hair, put on my jammies, painted my nails, cross stitched while I watched movies, talked to you and then I’m going to pass out.

What an exciting life I lead! Hold me back! Actually, it was nice, after the very busy weekend and the crazy travel day yesterday, it was nice to relax and almost do nothing!

How was your day?

{August 8, 2016} What a travel day!

Did anyone else get caught up in the Delta debacle?

My flight was scheduled for 535am this morning as it has been for the last few weeks out of Boston. I got to the airport about 430am and the security lines were crazy, I’m so glad I have TSA Pre-Check! The lines for bag drop were crazy and at the Sky Priority line for Delta it was almost out the door with ONE person working, what!? Apparently the system was down, I thought just at check in, so luckily, I had two small bags and decided to travel with my checked bag. Off to security I went.

I get to the gate and find out that the system is down globally! No idea why, but down, uh oh. Since the system is down, they can’t print paperwork for the pilots and if they can’t print paperwork, we can’t get on the plane. They also printed paper tickets for us in case they can’t scan.

So, about 630, they still have no updates, I get on the phone to call my travel company. I wait for 30 minutes to talk to someone, it’s understandable. I get booked on a 730 Jet Blu flight, problem is…by the time I get to the terminal it’s too late to check in and get a boarding pass, so I call the travel company. One hour later, someone picks up the phone…

I am now booked on an 11am from Boston to Chicago. So, off to the gate I go, sit down, plug in and get to work.

Finally get on the plane, 1st row is nice, nice guy sitting next to me, was in the same boat I was, I think quite a few people were…

I finally got to Chicago, took a taxi to the airport and got in to the office about 2pm, only for hours late. But…everyone knew what was going on. GES texted “Are you on Delta?”, when I emailed someone at work to let them know I’d be late…their only response, “Delta?”

How did you all know? It was on the news! While I was switching terminals, there were at least four news stations there.
I got to the office, printed what I needed and in less than two hours, out the door for Amtrak for Springfield! I got to Springfield, took an Uber to the airport for a rental car, then to the hotel. It’s about 930pm, think I’ll make it past 1030? We’ll see…

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2016/08/08/delta-air-lines-system-outage-causes-worldwide-delays.html

{August 2, 2016} A great class!

Today I taught a new class and it was great!

A while back I was told I would be teaching this new class, I’m also the only one teaching it, no pressure!

I downloaded the materials and started looking and studying, but I had to hold off on some parts and testing because there we changes coming. The classes also got moved from July to this week and next, great, more time to prep!

I worked with a bunch of awesome people to get the data set up so we would be ready today and it was worth it! The extra time and staying late to get cases built.

The funny thing was, I was going through all the scenarios so much over the last two weeks that I didn’t really pay attention to how I would teach, but then when I started teaching today, it all clicked and made sense.

I also had a great co-trainer who works for the client and has been on the testing team so she has all these hear “real world” examples and can speak to b what works in the live environment.

The learners have been great, some were apprehensive about learning something new, worried they wouldn’t get it, it’s normal, no one likes change, but they all wanted to find out what’s coming and we worked together today and they left on a positive note and I think they’re ready for more tomorrow.

I was jazzed, it was great! I had my runner’s high at the end of the day! I love that!!! Can’t wait for tomorrow! Let’s go!

{July 29, 2016} ST>WH>KAB, CS, LB, LS, BA, BE>SDL, CKM>JB

Got your attention, didn’t I?

Well…the day started at ST’s house, I crashed at hours place last night when I got to Atlanta. We motivated and went to Waffle House! Yum!

I worked for a few hours then fought Atlanta traffic to get to Dallas and see KAB, Baby A and his sister Baby E, CS, Lily Bean and her sister, Princess L. It took me almost three hours to get there so I didn’t have a lot of time with them, but the time was well spent! As many hugs, kisses and snuggles as I could get. Oh and the giving of gifts of course!

I left just in time…as the no nap melt downs were about to start. Oh my but I do love those fabulous wee tots! Their mom’s too! And how much do I love my new artwork for our new place in Hawaii!! JJ’s ‘tweet hearts’! Those are Baby A and Baby E’s footprints turned into birds!
I left and headed straight to girls night dinner with two of my besties, SDL and CKM! We had Thai food, lots of laughs and catching up and then on to the movies to see JB…the new Jason Bourne movie! CKM noticed when we were sitting, she was in a J sandwich, ha ha.

After the movie, back to SDL’s, kiss the sleeping Miss A, talk to you and then pass out. Full day, huh? Wonderful day! Let’s see what tomorrow holds!

{July 27, 2016} Technology in hotel…good or bad?

I am a techno-geek! There is said it.

I like the latest and greatest. Sometimes I want it all! I have a work laptop, an iPad and my personal computer is a Surface Project 3, which is is pc/tablet. I have my fabulous “phablet”, that would be my large smartphone that is almost like a pc/tablet so they call it a phablet and finally, well, I think finally, my smart watch.

There might be more and I have forgotten! Could I have more, why not! If money was no object, go for it! I am a software trainer, I work with technology, I want to know about the latest and greatest and I appreciate what’s out there, don’t understand it all, but I appreciate it!

Hilton has implemented their digital check in and keys, which I love. If you don’t know about the digital key, you request it and when it’s ready, hold it up to the door you want to open and it does, just like a plastic key. No more carrying a key and worrying about losing it.

Down side…sometimes the digital key, like everything else, might be having a right day and just won’t work. I’ve had that happen at my room, I call and they reset it or bring me a new one. Sometimes it just doesn’t worth in front of some doors, case in point, yesterday, I stood in front of the girl gym trying to get in, then go down to the front desk for an actual key.

The new thing some Hilton hotels are putting in are the digital elevator. I’ve seen it in other hotels. You put in the number on a key pad, it decides which elevator you take and then it goes.

That’s great until you have too many people and the doors are closed and you don’t move. Hmm…that’s what happened last night when I got back from dinner. Hey, I hadn’t eaten that much!

After a few minutes we all started to wonder, jokingly, if we had hit the weight limit! Someone pried the door open finally and we all got out. There was a gentleman who worked for the hotel counting how many of us there were, about 11. Five adults and six little kids, really? Ok…

We all got off, I tried to take it again, no dice. Next elevator, all good. Apparently this is an old elevator, ok…Made it to my room, all that matters, right?

So, technology in a hotel…good or bad? Not stopping me…

{July 25, 2016} To travel Sunday or Monday…that is the question.

So…the life of a consultant, well not the entire life.

When you’re on a project, it all depends on the project when you need to be at the client site, if at all. Some projects you might be in your local office and never go to the client site at all or maybe just once in a while. For me, I am project based so I am there all the time.

That being said, some projects you’re onsite Monday through Friday, some Tuesday through Thursday, the thought being that you are in your local office Monday and Friday. Most projects are traditionally Monday through Thursday, which is what I am on now.

The difference being, when you are on a training engagement, all bets are off, it’s all dependent on when you teach. I’ve been on projects where I’ve taught six days a week, especially when your client is a hospital and the students are medical professionals, six days a week, could be all hours. This project has classes Monday through Friday.

So, when you have schedules like that, you have to figure out when to travel. Since classesstart at 9am, I travel in the night before, I never take a chance on morning of travel and I generally fly out the day after my last class. That’s what I’ve been doing, fly out on Sunday, back on Friday.

Now that training is over, I have a choice to fly out on Monday morning, be at the office by 11am and fly out about 5pm on Thursday or stick to my original schedule.

So, I’m trying something new, fly in on Monday mornings and out Thursday night. This gives me more time at home, the opportunity to spend more time with family and friends and the cats and work from home on Fridays instead of traveling.

The only thing you take a chance on is that you are at the mercy of the airlines. Monday mornings can be tough, with flights getting canceled, the lines are crazy getting through security, especially if you don’t have TSA Pre-Check. Then there is the getting up at 4am or earlier to get to the airport on time.

So…so you fly on Sunday, leisurely, maybe get to the hotel early, or like me, by 10pm, but your already in the city you need to be, you get up at a reasonable hour, unless you’re going to the gym! and get to the client site by 8 or 9am or do you spend the extra time at home and get up before the sun to travel.

Hmm…to travel Sunday or Monday…that is the question.

{July 21, 2016} Delta came through

So…a few days ago I moved up with my Delta Airlines status…Platinum baby!

There are many advantages with having platinum status. One of them is priority upgrades.

Today, I was booked on two United flights from Springfield, IL. First flight was supposed to leave at 530am, didn’t quite make it out until close to 645am. We landed in Chicago about 6 minutes before my next flight took off.

Untied booked me on a 540pm flight. Huh? So I called my company’s travel port and they got me on a Delta connector…Chicago to Cincinnati to Boston, give me those segments. My first flight was leaving in about 45 minutes, I had a decent seat in coach and within a few minutes of arriving at the gate…first class.

We land in Cincinnati and that flight is delayed. It was supposed to leave at 1030am, then it was 11am and then 117pm. Ok, time to settle in and get some work done. I get on the plane…giusto class. Sounds like a good deal to me.

So…Delta came through and that status helps. What’s the American Express slogan “Membership has its privileges”. Spoil me, I can take it!

{July 21, 2016} Could this be more true?

Fortune cookies can scream at you!

I got Chinese food for lunch and my favorite thing about Chinese food is the fortune cookie. The messages can be silly, funny, introspective, good advice and sometimes it’s spot on.

Could this be more prefect for me? My desire to discover new frontiers…it’s time to travel! Let’s see…does tomorrow’s flight count? ? Or the next big trip PSM and I are planning for the fall? Or, um…moving to Hawaii? Yes think?

Let’s go!!!

{July 20, 2016} Skin of my teeth didn’t cut it this time

I was traveling to Springfield, IL from Chicago today and I was going by rail…and missed my first train.

I booked the train for 145pm and since I booked traveled on Amtrak through my travel port before I didn’t realize it was just a reservation and I still had to pay at the station.

I also found out the hard way that you can’t arrive 10 minutes before your train leaves, you need a little more time.

So…I rebooked for the 515pm and paid while I was there, went back to the office, one block away, got more work done and then at 445, left for the train station again.

I got in line, found a seat next to a nice person and settled in for my 3+ hour journey and we made it, a little late, but we made it.

There were delays, loud people, crying babies, sleeper, oh, and conductors making cheese you announcements!…it was just l like being on a plane. Just no drink cart going by.

I got work done, some conference calls, commiserated with the guys next to me until the annoying woman behind and across from us got off the train, then we had a nice chat about Philadelphia, where he lives and traveling. Then we were at our destination. Nice.

{July 18, 2016} I think travel kicked my…

You guessed it.

The day started at 430am, flight at 6am, delay and turbulance on the first flight, enough time to get to the next flight, only to sit on the tarmac for over an hour before taking off, this was due to the lightening storm going on outside.

Finally got to Chicago about 11, then on to the office. Did get some lunch about 1245, I was hu-hu-hu-hungry! Breakfast was at 530 EST!

The day was productive, but sitting, the travel delays and my allergies kicking in for some reason was kicking my butt! Oh, and I think it being Monday has something to do with it!

I left the office about 630, headed to the hotel, got some dinner and I am now in my pj’s at 845pm! Let’s see how long I make it!

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