A few recent experiences on the road left me feeling like I was doing my 21st century job in very 20th century hotel rooms. It got me thinking about what my wish list would be for the web worker hotel room of the future.
Power
The typical hotel room is currently vastly lacking in power. Usually there are two desk-level outlets, a pair of vanity outlets, and a couple of inaccessible outlets behind the nightstand. Typically, none of them have transformer-friendly positions or spacing. Read the rest of this entry »
For most of us, there may be no more tedious activity than waiting in a traffic jam. In this case, I mean waiting to clear security at an airport. Since 9/11, we have all become accustomed to the routine of shedding jackets and shoes, removing laptops and putting liquids and gels in 3-ounce containers.
At the risk of making your blood boil at the mere mention of the Transportation Security Administration, it’s time to step out on a limb and give the TSA credit for steps taken in recent months to reduce the natural anxiety we feel as we shuffle along in line.
The improvements are timely because the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, the most dreaded travel times of the year, are upon us.
The checkpoint process
The most recent development from the TSA is the establishment of “family lanes” at checkpoints at every U.S. airport. In many larger airports, the process goes a step further with the creation of three lanes for different types of travelers, using the same kind of diamond symbols that designate expert, intermediate and beginner ski slopes.
Read the rest of this entry »
Being on the road is a necessity for most web workers. While it might be fun to go on a business trip or to re-tool at a conference, work still has to get done. With a little planning and communication, your business contacts may not even know you’re away from your normal work habitat.
Plan your connectivity: whether it’s an EV-DO modem that gets you online wherever you can get a cell signal or a Starbucks Wi-Fi plan, be sure you know how you’ll be able to get in touch. I was surprised on a recent trip when I couldn’t find easy Wi-Fi to hop on. Use tools like JiWire or a Starbucks locater to plan out your connected trip.
Read the rest of this entry »
Web Work 101: How To Escape The Cubicle
