On today’s show, we’ll be talking about social media while traveling, a pet travel update with a little bit about Fergie’s latest travel adventures, and we’ll chat a moment about going through security at the TSA. What have your experiences been like lately?  Plus what are the most annoying corporate-speak phrases you’ve heard lately?

Letter from a Reader….TSA pat-downs and what now to wear

Let’s start with this. I received a letter from a reader regarding how Jetiquette and the TSA sometimes clash:

Dear Sky Steward,

I know that you and your readers are hoping to bring civility back to air travel, and that spotlighting people who dress like slobs has been one of the focus activities. Did you know that you have the TSA working against you?

Yes, the TSA.

Their dress code for passengers would ideally be “stark naked,” but since that is not likely they must give extra attention (i.e., ‘enhanced pat downs”) to those who wear clothing that obscures the body. Thus, your average slob wearing spandex shorts or capris, skin tight tank top and a pair of flip flops is a breeze for the TSA. Pat downs are so much easier when all body creases are clearly defined by the tight clothing.

I am a walking TSA fashion faux pas. I almost exclusively wear dresses or suits when I travel. The TSA puts me through the scanner and then they need to find out what the drape of my skirt is hiding. I’ve offered to hike up my skirt, but this is always met with a frighteningly quick “no, no, no” by the agent. Instead, those gloved hands probe the soft areas under my dress by hand.

Dresses and skirts are obviously page one of “How to Finger a Terrorist” (no pun intended, but it does fit, now that I think of it)

Seriously, passengers who have a clue should actually be dressing in spandex. And when it comes to bare feet — sweetie, it is the TSA who says “take off your shoes.”

The so-called slobs are the ones who are being TSA compliant. We need to cut them some slack, if not start dressing to their standards. When it comes to bringing back civility to air travel, NOT being enhanced searched by a TSA worker before every flight is up at the top of my list.

Margery

Thanks for the letter and I get your point. I have to make a confession, the other day I did a test and flew wearing shorts! Yes, I did. I needed to find out for myself if the comfort was worth it. I determined that I like my normal uniform better which is a stylish pair of jeans and a sport coat, worn with some loafers. So, I know it is not a dress, but loafers and flip flops are equally as easy.

Also, how many people have been felt up by the TSA really? It has never happened to me, but of course I know it happens and then we have all of these horror stories about elderly ladies and even infants being violated at the checkpoint.

The only thing I have experienced at this point is the shame of knowing that someone is looking at my naked body in a room off to the side when the airport terminal is freezing cold. I thought about it for a second and then said who cares. It is just what we have to do these days, right.

I want to find out if you’ve become addicted to apps and websites such as Facebook, foursquare and even gogobot as you travel.

Fergie and I have a new travel companion that has really won our hearts and that is all of the cool social media apps on our iPhone. I say our, because Fergie and I share one iPhone.

She does have her own Facebook Fan Page though. Her full name is Fergie Delicata which is a combination of my last name David and my partners last name Licata. De-Licata.

She is a very delicate little thing at less than 3 pounds.

While we have been traveling lately we have become increasingly addicted to Facebook Places and Foursquare. If you are not aware, these apps for your smartphone allow you to check-in while you travel and let all of your friends know not only what you are doing, but you can give them all kinds of recommendations of places to visit to dine to shop.

Also another element of all of this is the specials that are available. Stores, restaurants and other business and brands participate in all of this in order to spread the word about what they offer and many of them give special deals to those who check-in. The reason being that when you check in, you’ve just advertised their business to all of your friends.

I also like that it helps you create a diary of sorts, a record of all of the places you visit in a day. Think about all that we treat ourselves to in a day. It’s all there!

Of course, I have been using Gogobot to post reviews on all of the places I visit. With Gogobot, you are able to post your reviews which then help friends with their travel planning.

Susan from Minneapolis wrote in via the website and she says that she cannot get enough of Foursquare but that she wonders if it will come back to bite her sometime.

We’ll Susan, I’ve thought about this too, but then again…we have nothing to hide right? It seems that it is getting to where some of us feel comfortable with being totally transparent! OH no…a little corporate speak right! I’ll get back to that!

So there you go Susan, nothing to hide no worries….until something bad happens! Let not go there….it’s all good.

Annoying Corporate-Speak Phrases

OK, when I said transparent it got me thinking of those horrible corporate speak phrases that are just so annoying!

• “Pull Back” | Used by managers to request that subordinates cease and desist all activity that may spotlight the manager’s lackluster performance.

“Mike, that is a great idea, but I need you to pull back for a while until we get an all-clear from legal. In the meantime, let me find a way to lay you off. “

• “Let’s Revisit This” | Used when someone asks for a raise

“We can’t make this happen now, but let’s revisit this after I return from my family retreat in Vail. The new unemployment numbers should have you paralyzed with fear and grateful for any paycheck by then”

• “Partner With” | Using each others names in order to appear more together and powerful. Usually delivers a gorgeous logo for the “stand and repeat” at the cocktail reception

“We’ve just partnered with the largest pharmaceutical supplier in the Western Hemisphere in order to extend our reach! This will really put us on the map and calls for a celebration! Oh, can someone go onto Google and grab their logo to go into my PowerPoint for the progress meeting?”

• On facebook, so many new ones came in:
• Julie Lippincott I hear this quite a bit….”Going Forward”………….
• Jeff Williams ‎”it is what it is”. WTF does that mean?
• Brian Leadingham Oh, and… “Just the bullet points.”
• Toni Vitanza At the end of the day, you gotta think outside the box. Otherwise, it is what it is.
• Lisa Tucker Pollard ROFLMAO!!!!!
• Trip Styler What about “At a High Level” ??

The scary thing is that each year more and more of these words and phrases creep into my vocabulary. I can’t help it.

Fitness on the Fly

What are you doing to stay fit when you travel or do you just stop everything while you are on the go. When I was flying as a crewmember I would always lose weight on each trip because I was active first of all and because I did not want to feel bloated while working on an airplane—in full view of hundreds of people. Right?

Well since I have been traveling, I have put on some poundage and I am not happy about it. I am partnering (there’s some corporate-speak for you) with some travel fitness experts to develop a plan for those of us that travel. I’ve been trying out bits and pieces and it does work.

Plan your exercise before you actually travel. Putting time aside in your schedule, making sure you have your vitamins, energy supplements etc. Of course you’ve got to have the right music and I find that downloading new music onto my iPod really helps since I look forward to working out to it on my trips.

I think the biggest hurdle for me is just being kind to myself. Because when I am heavy I don’t like people to see me exercising..and I am working on letting go of that. Who cares….I mean really I walk around with a little Yorkie  in a blinged out pet carrier for goodness sake. If I have gotten through that I can stand letting some strangers see my fat but wobbling down the jogging trail.

I will keep you updated. Like I said on the last show…I ran central park twice and took an amazing walk in Sag Harbor, plus I’ve been climbing the steps.

Now I just need to cut back on the beer and wine a little!

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