It's interesting because I had the opposite experience with the ticket agent on the return trip. I had messed up the number of bags I checked online and it was very early in the morning and we had driven to Denver in a snowstorm, and I was tired and confused. The ticket was really nice, didn't question my premier status, helped me figure out the bags, checked the extra bags, reprinted my boarding passes cheerfully and restored my faith in United. That said, if I get the cranky guy again when we leave for our next trip, I am going to have to work really hard at being nice.

Hi Nancy, I so appreciate your story. Sometimes I think it's the little things that we remember the most - and those are some of the best memories.

Thanks so much, Andrea. I appreciate your kind words.

I agree, Dan. I think there's a difference between stretching (which is a good thing) and applying for a job that isn't a fit regardless of how much you stretch.

The key for me is "value" - if there is a book, a service, or a a product that offers value to the job seeker and isn't just a duplicate of what available elsewhere free, I think it makes sense to consider how it can help your job search and whether it worth it to you to pay for it. It's the sites that offer absolutely nothing that irk me. On a related note, I have a list of job sites that I think are worth paying for: http://alisondoyle.typepad.com/alison_doyle/2009/02/job-sites-worth-paying-for.html Alison

I'm not seeing career advice?