JillFlorio

As I am on a low carb diet, I am always looking for ways to increase my daily fiber intake. Studies show that ingesting 25-30 mg of fiber daily will decrease gastrointestinal disorders and the possibility of colon cancers. I had heard the FiberSure powder mixes in clear, has no adverse taste, and comes with a reasonable price tag.

I didn’t want to use Metamucil, which apparently has an orange flavor (and I suspect might be gritty). And as I checked the fiber powder options on the shelves at Rite Aid, it seemed that most products were much more expensive than this one. A friend had recommended FiberSure so I wanted to give it a try.

At this point I’ve been using this for several weeks and have found the product is everything I was seeking. I can add a teaspoon to just about anything - there is no taste or texture change. I’ve added this with good results to coffee, red and white wine, salad dressing, eggs, oatmeal, soup, Crystal Light drink mix and yogurt. The package said you can add it to baking products, but I have not tried that myself.

The product offers 5 grams of soluble fiber per heaping teaspoon of product. It’s gluten-free, contains no net carbs and is made from vegetable products.

I was impressed that the container has an ergonomic feel in the hand and is easy to pour. I usually don’t bother to measure it out in a spoon - I guesstimate out a teaspoons’ worth and it seems to work fine.

I noticed that I had to increase my fiber dose slowly, which by the way *is* recommended on the label. I actually did notice a difference in my GI tract shortly after starting to take the product. Nothing uncomfortable, but a definite change in the bowels. I do recommend either gradually increasing the fiber dosage over a week or two, or increasing your hydration when you do take the supplement. Either way, this helps everything even out.

Very recommended for anyone interested in easily adding fiber to their diet. This is a super easy way to eat better and be proactive about your health.

Metamucil Fiber-sure Fiber Supplement - 11.7 oz

The Everything Blogging Book is a great starter source for newbie bloggers looking to simply set up and run a blog. There is a TON of useful info to be mined here about what a blog is, who is out there blogging, and why one might build their online journal.

The author discusses such deeper points as establishing your blogging voice/persona, identifying your market and determining your blogging goals, as well as the nuts and bolts of archiving posts, selecting blog hosts and designing layout.

Types of blogs are discussed in detail: political/pundit blogs; health and wellness blogs; blogs for writers and artists; family journals and personal diaries. A lot of attention is paid to how to wring the most enjoyment as possible from your blogging efforts.

Chapter titles:
1. Welcome to Blogging
2. Blogs as Useful Tools
3. Popular Blog Topics
4. Who is Blogging?
5. Why Build a Blog
6. Understanding Online Publishing
7. Planning Your Blog
8. Finding Your Blog Host
9 Deciding on a Blog Host
10. Starting Your Blog
11. Blog Designs
12. Blog Content Development
13. Building Blog Communities
14. Popular Blog Tools
15. Bloggers Beware (disclaimers, copyright)
16. Secrets of Successful Blogs
17. Outside the Blog Box (art,craft and photography blogs, group blogs, multimedia blogs)
18. Blogging Got Business
19. Marketing Your Blog
20. Maintaining Your Blog
21. Measuring Blog Traffic
22. Beyond the Blog (podcasting, vlogging, hand held and mobile blogging)
23. Impact of Blogging (society and the Internet)

This book in particular seems specifically aimed at the personal blogger, not the would-be professional. Some bare bones monetizing info is provided in Chapter 18 (Blogging for Business). While the chapter won’t make anyone rich, it’s a start to introduce small or home businesses to basic online selling principles.

Well recommended for the average person wanting a one stop, complete blogging resource. Not for the aspiring professional blogger - there are other blogging books for that demographic.

The Everything Blogging Book: Publish Your Ideas, Get Feedback, And Create Your Own Worldwide Network

There is nothing less fun than getting caught up in someone else’s gridlock when you are on the road for business….

Avoid large metro cities during rush hour. I know this sounds obvious, but it bears mentioning. There is nothing less fun than getting caught up in someone else’s gridlock when you are on the road for business. For example, if you are driving from San Diego to Santa Barbara, you have allll of Los Angeles to traverse. It may seem cumbersome to plan your travel with the sole purpose of avoiding rush hours that seem to last all day, but you will be the better for it, and get more work done, for using your head when planning your trip.

Travelers Commuting Via Washington Ferry Check Email, Internet

On recent ferry trips between Seattle and Bainbridge, Seattle and Bremerton, and Kingston to Everett, I noticed Wi-Fi icons around the ships. Checking into the matter, there are brochures describing the Washington State Ferry high-speed Internet access system. Apparently all state ferries carry Wi-Fi service hot spots.

On-Board and On-Line

The ferry Wi-Fi isn’t free, but a reasonable fee schedule is available by the quarter hour ($2.15), and also by day or month at a subscription rate.

For business travelers who frequently commute in the Puget Sound region this is a great opportunity to sit back and get get some work done while cruising the Seattle waters.

I have not used the ferry Internet connection at this time but will report on speed and useability on my next sojourn across the Sound. I am not sure how useful this is for the occasional commuter - ie, ferry rides tend to be shorter than an hour. I’d rather have Internet access in the car parking lots when waiting for the next ferry.

Keep your Notebook Safe in Hotels, Cafes and Planes:

Your laptop computer cost you a nice chunk of change. There’s probably some precious documents in there, plus photos and links and emails you’d rather not lose. First and foremost remember to back up your data! And then work on travel awareness - an alert traveler has less chance of becoming a target for electronic theft.

• Hotel Laptop Safety -
• Coffeeshop Laptop Safety -

Airplane Laptop Safety -

• Bus and Subway Laptop Safety
• Taxi Laptop Safety
• Laptop Packing Tips
• Prevent Laptop Theft -

Have any tips to share, or any questions on this topic you’d like answered? Ask or share, right in the Business Travel Forum.

Here are some related articles with some Laptop Airport Tips and Hotel Security Basics to get you started.

When I travel, I want to access my email and web work with no fuss, no muss. I am not the most patient person when I don’t get it.

Like the Cheers theme song says, sometimes you just neeeeeed to get awaaaaay. And sometimes you need to have everything just like at home. When I travel, I want to access my email and web work with no fuss, no muss. This is my biggest concern when I plan a trip - will my hotel have WIFI? I will even plan my whole trip around that and not call it geeky. Hotels are starting to wise on up this issue in our interactive media age, but we still have to be loud and clear, so the hotel managers hear when we say, “I want my MTV!…er, I mean WIFI!”

Make SURE you have your hotel Internet connection before you go…it takes some effort but it’s worth your time.

Avoid Flying the Smelly Skies

Don’t just sit there and breathe in the stench of a fragrant seatmate on airplanes. Tips for handling bad smelling passengers.

Could be a problem with body odor, bad breath or stinky farts. Business travelers don’t have to suffer in silence:

• Airlines can prevent a smelly traveler from boarding. MSNBC reports on an actual Contract of Carriage dealing with this distasteful situation. If you clue in before the plane takes off, they might relocate the odoriferous traveler to an empty section of the plane’s cabin, or even better, give him a hotel coupon for taking a shower before catching the next flight.
• Stuck once the plane takes off? Move to another seat. Excuse yourself to the john to look around for empty plane seats. If you see one, simply grab your bag without apology or explanation, and move far, far away.
• Plane too full? Not a single empty seat? Ask your flight attendants, discretely of course, if you can take a jump seat. Explain exactly why you are asking. They might take pity on your flight plight.
• No jump seats for the taking? Ask those same nice flight attendants for an upgrade, enflight, to Business or First Class. It might even be free if you are nice enough and act pitiful. Don’t try to bribe anyone unless you really know what you are doing. And don’t make a fuss. There may be Air Marshalls on board.

Other options include just dealing with the situation at hand. Look for small, incremental improvements in your local climate:

Bad Breath - Offer a breath mint or three. Don’t engage that person in conversation. Look away, out the window or towards the aisles, whereever the air is clearer. Turn your seat’s air vent up full blast. Pretend to be overheating and fan yourself with a magazine (fan away the bad air and fan in the good air).

Body Odor - Don’t remain seated unless you have to be - try chatting up the flight attendants, hang around the rear of the plane with the people in line for the restrooms, make new friends while walking around. Stuck seated? Spray yourself with cologne. Rub scented lotion or even sunscreen on yourself - anything with a scent that doesn’t say, “body odor”. Ask for fresh, hot coffee or tea, nicer scents to keep under your nose. Don’t forget to use that overhead air vent.

Stinky Feet - This one is easier. Take aside a flight attendant and explain the foot odor situation - they will let the offender know they need to keep their shoes on.

Farts - Don’t even think of lighting a match in the cabin (remember where you are). There really isn’t much you can do about this one. Desperate measure - pretend to be nauseous from the flight, grab the barf bag, and breathe through it for the rest of your flight. The bag might act like a filter. Or you might hyperventilate and pass out, which could also be helpful at times like these.

Oops, you’re gassy? Tips for when YOU are the problem.

Ha, I loved this: Survive your Holiday Office Party, at Suite101.com’s Workplace Culture. I am not a huge partier in any meaning of the word, but holiday parties can be the worst. Why?

• You are with people you may not really like so much.
• There might free booze, which is great, but also a bad thing…
• Because people who have control over your life will see you acting like a moron,
• And loose lips sink ships (again with the booze).
• You also might end up kissing your secretary (this is more of a New Year’s thing but can still get you in trouble).
• There are so many ways you can screw the pooch when you mix work, play and possibly dirty dancing to “Come On Eileen.”

Plan your Party Attack

Being a no show isn’t such a great idea. You’ll be called a Grinch, a Scrooge or worst of all be labeled: “Not a Team Player.”

Arriving fashionably late and ducking out early are good bets. Remember, if you get in later, everyone else might already be smashed, putting you in the control seat. Leaving early also means you’ll never have to be kicked out at the end of the night.

Drinking only a glass or two of the liquor is your next tactic, and saying less than you want to the boss is the best strategy of all. “Merry Christmas Mr. Sprockets,” is a good start, followed with, “Your wife looks stunning in that red dress…you’re a lucky man.”

Say enough happy things to leave a good feeling in people’s minds and slip out before you are tempted to have a really, really good time.

Scoot on home or head to a REAL party with actual friends…people who aren’t going to remind you every day next month about your copy machine capers in the mail room.

With gas prices dipping up and down around the $2.00 mark, it’s good idea to make the gas you buy last longer. Here are a few tips from Consumer Reports:

1. Don’t let your car idle. Turning off your car when the wait is shorter than 30 seconds is more efficient. So in those traffic jams, or at railroad crossings, you might consider switching yourself off.

2. Decrease road rage. Hard acceleration wastes fuel. Driving evenly can save you 33% on highways and 5% in the cities.

3. Drive 60 mph on highways. Each 5 mph over 60 costs 10 cents a gallon.

4. Regular tuneups can save at least 6 cents on the gallon.

5. Test your tire PSI once a month. A slight underinflation of just 2 psi can increase fuel use by 1%.

Of course, you can always buy a hybrid car (that’s pretty expensive), or at least switch to a more efficient gas user (which I recently did, trading my Ford F150 pickup for a Ford Escort). It’s not that extreme an option, and many people are doing just this. The day of the SUV is over. Look for Geos, Hondas, and Subarus to make a comeback.

If you do decide to trade in your gas-guzzler, this Consumer Reports guide can help you choose something more fuel efficient: Used Car Buying Guide.

You could also simply ride your bike more. But in the meantime, I’m saving up for that hybid car!

DAN WRITES: I found this useful article full of helpful hints for preventing and dealing with lost luggage.

I can’t think of a more irritating way to spoil the tone of a trip than to know your stuff is…somewhere…out there…lost. And you are stuck with whatever you had on your back or in your carry-on.

I haven’t had to deal with this yet, but then, I travel light. I am what you might call a ‘carry-on’ person. I don’t check anything and I have no worries. I highly recommend traveling this way, if you have the self-restraint to travel light.

If you don’t, or if your wife forces you to carry extra luggage and check it, you’ll need to review this helpful article on How to Prevent Lost Luggage.