Friday, January 18, 2008

Boston To Do List

I had a new and unusual experience this week - I found out about two restaurants that use organic ingredients. What is so new and unusual about that? It isn't the what - it is the where! I found out about them in the free magazines you find in a hotel room!

I usually find myself flipping through the Where magazine and whatever else I find in the hotel room at some point during my stay. This week I discovered two places to try - which at this point it will be on a future visit. Henrietta's Table in Harvard Square look fancy but once in a while it is important to max out the expense account. Life Alive - Urban Oasis and Organic Cafe in Lowell looks all veggie so I may not find as many people interested in going with me, but I'm good with tofu once in a while.

There is also a brand new Hampton Inn and Suites near the office that I need to check into for my next trip. If I can get a room with a fridge for a similar price and a much shorter commute, life will be very good.

SML

Thursday, January 17, 2008

The show must go on

There are many advantages to corporate training over academic training but one one the disadvantages is adverse weather policies.

With academics, there are many weeks (if not months) to "catch up" on a missed day or a delay. With academics, it is easy to find out if there is a delay or cancellation through local media. With academics, the students (or the majority) are local and don't have to worry about rescheduling plane flights.

With corporate education - The show must go on. Students travel in from out of town for a class that is jammed packed with information and fills the entire week. There is not time to miss a day and catch up later in the week and no way to alter the curriculum that significantly. A company will often help a student reschedule a class or allow them to audit the missed days in a future class, but they can't help with the costs of rescheduling the travel. And since the class goes on for those students who can attend - the instructor has to be there too - with the help of trains and automobiles when there are no planes and even when there are few if any other employees in the building.

I've have several stories I could tell about how the show must go on. This week I had the adventure of being north of Boston for a January Nor'easter. I had flown in early to visit with friends and family but Monday morning I had to get from the hotel to the office through snow falling at several inches per hour. We only ended up with 10inches total but in the morning it was coming down so fast that it was sticking to the window of the car faster than I could get it cleared off. There was no school for the kids and while businesses were open, many people (thankfully) stayed home that morning. It didn't take me that long to get to the office and I had left plenty of extra time. And most of my students made it to class as well.

In the afternoon it stopped and since it had been an all snow event, the roads were quickly cleared. Once I got the car cleared (again) I had no problems. It all turned out to be one of my more boring "snow meets work" events.