United Airlines..... My patience is running thin

So, I have been in Ithaca, NY at Cornell University for 36 hours and I have still yet to receive my bag. My patience is running very thin. The worst is that I saw the bags on the luggage tram that in Newark, NJ that was turned away because the small plane was full with the weight of the other baggage. Because when we landed in Ithaca and 1/3 of the passengers didn't get their bags, I can only assume that this is either a common problem or that there were other bags that United Airlines were sending on the flight that bumped my bags.

I realize that there was weather in the area that caused many delays, but the lack of customer communications really bothers me. Several of the people that I am traveling with have called and are not getting any good information.

So what I have I done so far??? Well, I had to go to Target to buy some under garments and some other essentials that is now totally $80.00 this is plus the $25.00 baggage tax (sorry fee). So I am out $105.00 so far and I don't know when my bags are arriving. I am still wearing the same pants that I have had since Friday morning.

An irony of all this is that I am here at Cornell University for an EMBA program. I believe that I am living a case study on lack of communication and understanding the customers.

I fly United out of loyalty. So far this incident does not provide me confidence and starts to question my loyalty. What can United do to help repair that confidence and build back my loyalty?

United -- You have to start to wake up.

The Power of Thank You

Everyone knows the power of 'Thank you' or if you don't you should. Two words that at the right moment can mean so much. At my work, the organization provides employee recognitions to employees from other employees, but sometimes a simple hand written thank you card will do. I got one such card today. It was better than any other company sponsored program yet it was so simple.

It reminded me to make sure to thank people for a job well done. While I believe I do a pretty good job at it already, I am going to double my effort and make sure that I spread the power of thank you. And, when the situation warranted, I will sit down and hand write a thank you card.

A redbox night

Making it a @redbox kind of night

Monarch Butterflies.

Cooper eating cake at D & B.

Cooper eating cake after mooching from others. So funny.

Accepted!!! - Cornell-Queen's Executive MBA (CQEMBA) Class 2014

I will soon begin a path to complete a long term goal. I applied and was accepted into the Cornell-Queen's Executive MBA program. This has been many years in the making. I have wanted to go to business school for a while now and I was always looking for the "right time." I realized that there really is never a "right time." So, I (and my family) took the plunge. I am excited, looking forward to all the challenges ahead and contributing to the MBA program as well as the knowledge that I will be bringing back to my organization.

Why Cornell University? Good question. Cornell University was one of my schools that I thought of going as an undergraduate. As a matter of fact, I completed the application for transfer my Junior year, but a condition for transfer was for me to have one year of organic chemistry. (I was a genetics major then...) Now, I didn't have that and I was ready to move on. UC Davis was not requiring that full year of organic chemistry for me to transfer. So, I went to UC Davis to complete my degree.

Do I regret going to UC Davis? Not on your life. I loved going to UC Davis. The things I leaned, the friends I made changed and made the life that I have today. I wouldn't want to give that up. But, sometimes history has a way of repeating itself. Cornell came back into my life as an option to attend for graduate school and I did not want to miss this opportunity.

A bonus to all this is that I also get to attend classes at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. I don't know exactly to expect. However, I am looking forward to adding a global perspective to my business education.

I would like to also take this time to solicit for any contributions to my graduate education fund. In return, I will be happy to provide you with IT consulting. Contact me anytime.....

Modified Droid Incredible 2 Silicon case for OEM Extended Battery

Last week, I bought the HTC OEM Extended Battery for my Driod Incredible 2. I wanted to have a little more juice for the phone. There are several extended battery brands, but I chose to purchase the HTC OEM. A review on that maybe later.

I was disappointed that I could not find any type of case that would fit properly over the HTC OEM Extended Battery. I did try the Hyperion HTC Droid Incredible 2 Extended Battery Silicone Case, but like the reviews say it will not work with the HTC OEM Extended Battery. You would think that some case manufacture would mold a silicon case for this HTC product. I needed to have some sort of case for protection around the edges and to raise the front up a little when I set the phone on the front glass. Because I don't have access to my own silicone mold (yet), I did the next best thing. I bought a regular silicone case for the Incredible 2 and cut the back out. Not ideal, but will give me the protection that I am looking for right now.

I will continue to look at other avenues.

Picture 1: Droid Silicone Case.

Picture 2: Ready to cut the back from the case

Picture 3: Finished. Not perfect, but will work for what I need right now.