Comments for FS Tips and Tricks http://www.sixpica.com/blog Getting the most out of your Foreign Service Career Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:22:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 Comment on Pack it up, pack it in by scottyk http://www.sixpica.com/blog/2008/06/03/pack-it-up-pack-it-in/#comment-17 scottyk Wed, 27 Aug 2008 06:18:27 +0000 http://www.sixpica.com/blog/?p=26#comment-17 kind of an unrelated question but would appreciate the help. I work with USAID in Tel Aviv. My shipper dragged their feet and this has resulted in a singificant delay in arrival of my POV and HHE. There is no Mission transport from home to work and once my use of self-drive expires, I will have to rent a car or taxi due to Security preclusions on using mass transport. Either will cost me about $50 per day. Is there any way I can recover this? Thanks. kind of an unrelated question but would appreciate the help. I work with USAID in Tel Aviv. My shipper dragged their feet and this has resulted in a singificant delay in arrival of my POV and HHE. There is no Mission transport from home to work and once my use of self-drive expires, I will have to rent a car or taxi due to Security preclusions on using mass transport. Either will cost me about $50 per day. Is there any way I can recover this? Thanks.

]]> Comment on Y is full fare, YCA is not on AA by albus999 http://www.sixpica.com/blog/2008/06/11/y-is-full-fare-yca-is-not-on-aa/#comment-16 albus999 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:06:41 +0000 http://www.sixpica.com/blog/?p=30#comment-16 Well, to post a success story: following advice from this blog, I was able to upgrade a flight from DC to Atlanta, and more importantly, the 14 hour segment from Atlanta to Dubai on Delta for 25,000 miles and, thankfully, no "co-pay". Luckily, I had some flexibility in travel dates. Before booking the ticket with Carlson Wagonlit, I called Delta and asked for the dates for which they had upgrades available: they only had a few- July 6, July 30th, and August 8th. July 30th was close enough, and after I was ticketed the upgrade was as easy as a 2 minute phone call to Delta. Unfortunately, I only had 25,090 miles to begin with - the lion's share from opening a Delta AE credit card - so I may have to suck up my next flight in the back of the plane. Well, to post a success story: following advice from this blog, I was able to upgrade a flight from DC to Atlanta, and more importantly, the 14 hour segment from Atlanta to Dubai on Delta for 25,000 miles and, thankfully, no “co-pay”. Luckily, I had some flexibility in travel dates. Before booking the ticket with Carlson Wagonlit, I called Delta and asked for the dates for which they had upgrades available: they only had a few- July 6, July 30th, and August 8th. July 30th was close enough, and after I was ticketed the upgrade was as easy as a 2 minute phone call to Delta. Unfortunately, I only had 25,090 miles to begin with - the lion’s share from opening a Delta AE credit card - so I may have to suck up my next flight in the back of the plane.

]]> Comment on Flying business class on PCS orders by Y is full fare, YCA is not on AA | FS Tips and Tricks http://www.sixpica.com/blog/2008/03/27/flying-business-class-on-pcs-orders/#comment-13 Y is full fare, YCA is not on AA | FS Tips and Tricks Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:27:42 +0000 http://www.sixpica.com/blog/?p=4#comment-13 [...] on On reinventing the wheelUpgrading to business class on codeshare flights | FS Tips and Tricks on Flying business class on PCS orders [...] [...] on On reinventing the wheelUpgrading to business class on codeshare flights | FS Tips and Tricks on Flying business class on PCS orders [...]

]]> Comment on Pack it up, pack it in by admin http://www.sixpica.com/blog/2008/06/03/pack-it-up-pack-it-in/#comment-11 admin Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:55:58 +0000 http://www.sixpica.com/blog/?p=26#comment-11 The process involves a large Timbuk2 bag (without the divider in it), extending the straps as long as they go to cover the whole computer, shoving as many cables as I can in there, and then pretending that the thing doesn't weigh more than 40lbs. to the friendly airline folks. TSA sometimes raises an eyebrow, but they've provided me with outlets to plug it in and then sent me on my way. The process involves a large Timbuk2 bag (without the divider in it), extending the straps as long as they go to cover the whole computer, shoving as many cables as I can in there, and then pretending that the thing doesn’t weigh more than 40lbs. to the friendly airline folks. TSA sometimes raises an eyebrow, but they’ve provided me with outlets to plug it in and then sent me on my way.

]]> Comment on Pack it up, pack it in by crstbo623 http://www.sixpica.com/blog/2008/06/03/pack-it-up-pack-it-in/#comment-10 crstbo623 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:23:35 +0000 http://www.sixpica.com/blog/?p=26#comment-10 I would love to know how you fit an iMac in your carry on! That is the worst part about moving, leaving the (intel) Mac behind! I would love to know how you fit an iMac in your carry on! That is the worst part about moving, leaving the (intel) Mac behind!

]]> Comment on How to: Defray pre-departure expenses by joeking http://www.sixpica.com/blog/2008/04/04/how-to-defray-pre-departure-expenses/#comment-9 joeking Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:31:57 +0000 http://www.sixpica.com/blog/?p=8#comment-9 Do you have any experience with saving receipts during home leave and deducting them from your taxes? I'm about to PCS and am wondering about how this process works, and if it's worth the effort. Thanks! Do you have any experience with saving receipts during home leave and deducting them from your taxes? I’m about to PCS and am wondering about how this process works, and if it’s worth the effort. Thanks!

]]> Comment on On reinventing the wheel by DS http://www.sixpica.com/blog/2008/05/15/on-reinventing-the-wheel/#comment-8 DS Fri, 16 May 2008 15:22:24 +0000 http://www.sixpica.com/blog/?p=23#comment-8 I'm all for not having to reinvent the wheel. David Allen has an excellent blog on GTD. Check out Zenbe for a cleaner inbox, won't work with official email though. Anyway, I'm just going to add that for anyone with ambitions of becoming COM one day, it's not enough to just make friends with a good GSO. I know of folks who don't want to do a GSO tour, but that's the area that teaches one the basic workings of a mission, take away a good logistics person and things do fall apart. GSO, and of course, a consular tour. I’m all for not having to reinvent the wheel. David Allen has an excellent blog on GTD. Check out Zenbe for a cleaner inbox, won’t work with official email though.

Anyway, I’m just going to add that for anyone with ambitions of becoming COM one day, it’s not enough to just make friends with a good GSO. I know of folks who don’t want to do a GSO tour, but that’s the area that teaches one the basic workings of a mission, take away a good logistics person and things do fall apart. GSO, and of course, a consular tour.

]]> Comment on Flying business class on PCS orders by Upgrading to business class on codeshare flights | FS Tips and Tricks http://www.sixpica.com/blog/2008/03/27/flying-business-class-on-pcs-orders/#comment-5 Upgrading to business class on codeshare flights | FS Tips and Tricks Mon, 21 Apr 2008 03:14:17 +0000 http://www.sixpica.com/blog/?p=4#comment-5 [...] it means a lot to you, it might be worth it to cost construct/use points & miles. As I said in the earlier post you’re on the hook for any additonal charges, but you might think about using points to pay [...] [...] it means a lot to you, it might be worth it to cost construct/use points & miles. As I said in the earlier post you’re on the hook for any additonal charges, but you might think about using points to pay [...]

]]> Comment on How to: Defray pre-departure expenses by Transferring back to the US without going broke | FS Tips and Tricks http://www.sixpica.com/blog/2008/04/04/how-to-defray-pre-departure-expenses/#comment-4 Transferring back to the US without going broke | FS Tips and Tricks Mon, 07 Apr 2008 20:31:32 +0000 http://www.sixpica.com/blog/?p=8#comment-4 [...] How to: Defray pre-departure expenses [...] [...] How to: Defray pre-departure expenses [...]

]]> Comment on Tracking Tenure by digger_or_diplomat http://www.sixpica.com/blog/2008/03/31/tracking-tenure/#comment-3 digger_or_diplomat Thu, 03 Apr 2008 01:24:20 +0000 http://www.sixpica.com/blog/2008/03/31/tracking-tenure/#comment-3 I think I had lunch with you today at FSI...good luck on tenure. I have added a link to your blog on my blogroll at http://lifeafterjerusalem.blogspot.com I think I had lunch with you today at FSI…good luck on tenure. I have added a link to your blog on my blogroll at http://lifeafterjerusalem.blogspot.com

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