The Summer is ending and this has been a busy one. Especially the last few weeks. I’ve been doing quite a bit of travelling, which has really thrown off my work schedule. This last week I combined a pleasure vacation with a business trip and drove down to Hilton Head, SC (business) and Savannah, GA (family). In Hilton Head, Dawn Josephson and I decided where to spend our advertising budget for our book, Write It Right: The Ground Rules for Self-Editing Like the Pros. Also discussed a few other business items and that wrapped up the business portion of my trip.
My co-horts (sons, 3 and 5) came with me and we enjoyed spending time with my parents while going to the beach at Tybee Island (beautiful and warm water!), and their community’s pool. They live in a gated community in Savannah with golf courses, pools, lagoons, etc., and it’s really lovely. Somehow I didn’t count on it being quite that hot! I’ve made a mental note to avoid summer vacations there. Winter would be much nicer!
We drove down and had a couple hairy incidents driving down I-95. On the journey to Savannah, a mini-van blew out a tire directly in front of me. FOrtunately, he was able to get to the shoulder while I had a tractor trailer right behind me. On the way home, another SUV/minivan type vehicle also blew out a tire. This vehicle was about 4 or 5 cars in front of me. All I could see was smoke, then this van fishtailing and spinning into the center median. How no other cars got hit, I have no idea. Traffic was quite heavy and there were cars all around him. At first I thought it was a collision, but fortunately I was wrong. It got me wondering what causes tires to blow out and I did a little research.
It seems that underinflating car tires, structural problems with the tires, high heat and fast driving conditions can all be contributing factors. For more information, click here.
So, driving safety aside, work beckons. I’m doing editing, research, more editing and more editing this week. I’m anxious to get back to the grind tomorrow.
Until next time.
I used to be the queen of overpacking. I would plan for every possible contingency with the weather, activities, etc. I would be loaded down with all this “stuff,” lugging it through airports, into hotels, etc. I finally had enough. While I don’t know if I’ll ever be so good at it I can avoid checking luggage, at least I can carry what I have without struggling. Here is what I’ve learned:
Less is more: Consider where you’re going: If you’re staying at a decent hotel, they will likely provide you with a hairdryer, lotion, clothes iron, shampoo (though I prefer to bring my own), cups, etc. For toiletries, I only pack what I need. I have invested in trial size bottles of common items, like contact lens solution, shaving cream, toothpaste (free from the dentist), shampoo, dental floss (also free from the dentist), etc.
Match outfits: I used to haphazardly throw clothes in my suitcase, and I’d end up with lots of stuff I couldn’t wear because they didn’t match. Now I match complete outfits before I pack them, and if I can re-wear certain pieces and mix and match, all the better! I roll clothes and they take up less space in my suitcase.
Minimize jewelry: For everyday wear, bring one set of complimentary jewelry. For me, it’s all gold: wedding/engagement ring, my favorite gold necklace (has “rings” representing marriage rings, and the birthstone rings for my 2 sons), a modest diamond tennis bracelet, a gold anklet (if it’s summer) and a gold/silver tone watch. This ensemble goes with anything. If I have a special outfit for a presentation, I will bring an extra set of jewelry just for that. The less jewelry you take with you, the less of a chance it will get lost or stolen.
How long is your trip? If it’s longer than 4 days, consider bringing some laundry detergent and washing your clothes halfway through. It’s easier than packing twice the number of outfits. This is especially true if it’s a vacation when you’re visiting family. If it’s a business trip, you can sometimes write off the cost of having your clothes laundered while you’re on your trip.
Be safe: I watched a scary expose one night about hotel safety. Always be aware who is around you before you walk into your room. If someone appears to be following you down the hall, do not open your room door. They may push you into your room and go in with you. You’re much safer staying out in the hallway where there are at least the possibility of other guest and security cameras. Also, don’t fumble for your room key. Have it out as soon as you enter the hotel.
Have the necessary technology: If you’re going to be bringing your laptop, make sure you know whether a hotel has dial-up, wireless, or an ethernet access in your room. You don’t want to be caught without the right technology.
I just returned from a business trip on Friday and I’m leaving for another one soon. Travel packing is certainly on my mind. Happy packing!
Wow. What a busy month and a half. I’ve done the Billy Graham transcription project, started co-writing my second book, added a few new clients, and now added a subcontractor to expand my service offerings. I’m now getting to the point where I need to be very selective about which clients and projects I take on. That’s a good feeling!
In addition to my current service offerings, I am now offering more general administrative services. I am also forming alliances with providers of related services to my business…for example, a marketing firm, website design, and hope to also get a PR firm and bookkeeping service I could refer clients too. I’d like to be a one-stop solution for my clients so that if I can’t meet their needs, I’ll be able to refer them to someone who can.
August is a busy month. I’m taking a long weekend this month and a short vacation (don’t worry, have laptop, will travel!) so I’m afraid this month is going to fly by. It’s so good to be busy!