Taking Control

I remember when August in Orlando was supposed to be hot and humid. I had forgotten the one rule of meetings -- never underestimate the power of air conditioning. It seems that at every meeting in extreme climates, people tend to over compensate. In our meeting rooms today with the full blast of the air conditioning, it rivaled a cold winter night. In one of my meetings this past winter in Canada, I noticed the over compensation factor also existed. Most indoor rooms were built too much like saunas.

There seems to be a control factor that people want to exert upon their environment. Why else could one freeze at the hottest time of the year in Orlando, and melt in the arctic climate of Canada in mid-winter? I'd buy a jacket before my next session, but they seem to be out of season in Orlando in August. Go figure.

Later.

Annual Flogging

It's time for yet another sales meeting. I remember several years ago when travel and sales meetings used to be fun and games. Even in the bad years, there was still an element of excitement. But then again, I was on the other side of things, learning and enjoying the ride. Since my first sales meeting all those years ago, a lot has changed. Most notably, when the economy gets a bit bad, travel options aren't always the greatest. There's always the added bonus of the company making sure that you need to travel on a Sunday at 5am from California in order to make it to mandatory meetings by 4pm at the other end of the country. It could be a lot worse though.

Destinations are always an interesting lot. This year, we're going to Florida in August. Yes, that's right -- Florida. I guess it's probably off season for business travelers in the area, so I'm sure we got a good deal on our meeting location. Still, when you're at a meeting to learn all sorts of things about your products or services, most people won't be able to concentrate with the temperature and distraction. I've got the added fun, as I'm now one of the instructors.

So, we find ourselves at our annual flogging, er, I mean, sales meeting. Everyone is so geographically dispersed in our large organization. A meeting of this nature is a great opportunity to see everyone that you normally can only see once in a while when you are playing the road warrior game. But, of course, what you always leave behind is a load of paperwork back in the home office that just doesn't go away.

I mentioned the flogging portion. Yes, it's always a challenge to have a bunch of sales people, who by nature do not like to be cooped up away from the challenge of the playing field, sequestered for a few days. Sometimes, in bad years, it's a management team that might be doing the flogging. In other years, it's the sales personnel that start the process. Though, I somehow always wind up as the one who is flogged. So, let the flogging begin!

Later.

Forget Retirement

I just got my wings back -- top tier status on one of the airlines for the next full year. Looking back upon the last year, I sense that I'm not quite done yet. I've had a couple of decades of stories to tell, and I think there are still a few more stories out there waiting to be told. Even though I was feeling a bit old and tired, I think I still need to continue a while longer as one of those "foot soldiers of the modern global economy," as eloquently stated by some article in an airline magazine that I had read a few years back. It's onward to Orlando in August for a sales meeting. It beats Phoenix, I guess. Not by much, though. Later.

The Road Warrior Recovers . . .

I was looking back at the last time I took a vacation, and it seems that it was a little over two years ago. Coincidentally, the last real vacation that I took in 2006 also revolved around my best friends. I guess history does repeat itself, only this time I had a bit of an expanded version of the vacation.

First, my friend Jon got married halfway across the world in Shanghai. That was an event that I wasn't about to miss, so I got an extra few days off from work, even at the end of the fiscal year. Last vacation in 2006, I think Jon and I went in search of hot dogs at a shopping mall in Buffalo. Unquestionably, this vacation (well, it was a vacation for me, at least) was one of the best adventures that I've been on in quite a while. I got to play best man for the first time, and managed to look decent in a tuxedo. Who could ask for anything more, right? Shanghai was a great adventure, especially the taxi rides which reminded me of a cross between demolition derby and the Indy 500.

To top things off, my young friend James graduated from high school, and it was time to take him on a tour of the USA -- a day after I returned from Shanghai. We managed to tackle Dallas, Worcester, New Haven, Redmond, and Atlanta in less than ten days. We even returned to the same hotel in Redmond from two years ago. I knew we would return there someday. I think I even mentioned that in my post from 2006. It was a lot of fun, and I can still keep up with a teenager, which was surprising to even me. We both really, really, really needed a vacation. That was our tagline. I think it was just what we both needed before he goes off to college.

In both cases, it really wasn't the destination that mattered. What mattered most was the fact that I got to catch up with my friends. So, now it's time to return to the perils of the day job, and start planning the next set of travels. I have some time in Orlando next month, and perhaps a few more adventures before that. I also know that I'm not going to let another two years pass without scheduling some time with my friends. Again, I've been listening to too many movies lately, but I remember someone saying that if something is important, you need to make the time.

Later.

Voice Of The Traveler

I finally got that podcasting dream started. The Road Warrior Podcast is now live, and if the iTunes people let it pass through, you might even see it out on the iTunes Music store, too. How neat is that? Anyhow, I just got back from a quick trip to Orlando, with a detour into Salt Lake City. I did manage to make it back on Saturday morning, when I remembered that I had a few things to do in Los Angeles. I just made it back home in time to finish up the publication of my first podcast. Now I have to get ready for a quick trip to Dallas tomorrow, and Philadelphia the next day. These weekends seem to be getting shorter and shorter. Seems like old times... Later.

Back In Circulation

It's been quite a wild ride for the last few weeks. After several months of being office-bound, I returned to the field. When I return, I really go overboard. I've been to Salinas, Phoenix, Dallas, Detroit, Jackson, Tampa, Miami, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Philadelphia in the last couple of weeks. While it was nice being back in circulation, I am reminded that perhaps there is some sort of happy medium between the really nutty schedule of the last few weeks, and the total absense of travel in the last couple of months. Anyhow, I'm really tired right now. I think I need some sleep.

Boycott Continental. You know you want to.

Later.

Looking Upward

I'm beginning to forget what the airport looks like. It's been about a month since I've been up in the air. It's been close to a decade since that's happened. Anyhow, I just wanted to make sure that all of my readers (all two or three of you) knew that I was still alive. I've been office bound for the last couple of months, but all of that is about to change, as trade show season continues. I'm off to Detroit, Jackson, Tampa, and Pittsburgh in May. I never thought I'd be this happy to see the airport.

Boycott Continental! Yep, I still remembered!

Later.

A Time To Thaw

I'm hoping that this has been my last trip through the snow. I just returned from Duluth, MN, in the winter. Let me repeat that. I just returned from Duluth in the winter. Prior to Duluth, I spent the day in Minneapolis. Before that, it was a couple of days of Milwaukee. Just before that it was Ann Arbor, Michigan. I've definitely been breaking my "no snow" rule as of late. The flight delays seem to be getting longer and longer. I've been noticing that I've been spending a lot more time sitting on a plane that is stalled somewhere on the runway, waiting in that eternal line prior to take-off. I've actually had a lot more misconnects and delays in the last few months. Looking at airline statistics, I've noticed that the average wait time for take-off has definitely increased over the previous year.

It's time for me to thaw. I'm off to Fort Lauderdale for a couple of days. It will be a relief not to have to pack that heavy winter coat.

Boycott Continental. The grudge continues.

Later.

When Worlds Collide

I've started to finally settle in to my new career and I think I have managed to keep up with some semblance of my personal life. I spent the last couple of weeks in Little Rock, Boston, Orlando, and most recently Sonoma. I've been able to mix some personal travel into my schedule. After my trip to Orlando last week, I took some personal time in Napa Valley to attend my friend Kathy's wedding. Those of you who know me can find pictures on one of my other web sites. Yes, I have more than two. You can read all about my adventures and see all of the pictures at my other site. Anyhow, I seem to have been sliding in my editorial duties for the past couple of weeks. I've had a few distractions in the last couple of weeks, but I'm back, and there's no stopping me now!

Congratulations Kathy and Pat!!!

Boycott Continental! Yes, I'm serious.

Later.

Miami Blues

I'm still sick, but Miami is a great place for recuperation. I'm off to Key West tomorrow, and I finish up in South Beach on Thursday. Now, that's the way to go out in style. This is my last cross-country trip for this job. I'm finished after next Friday, but I start the new job the following Monday. I'm going to travel a lot less, so, for all intents and purposes, I'm going into semi-retirement after next Friday. Retirement might not be a bad thing. I'm thinking that I should be home right now, cleaning up, and cleaning out my files. After all, it's been eight years, and the company is not really concerned about me leaving anyway. I really could use some time to do some miscellaneous paperwork, but they're keeping me on the road until I leave, which is also a bit disturbing. At least I'll always have Key West. Boycott Continental! Later.

Home Stretch

I'm trying to get over this cold, but it seems that the cold is winning. I'm off to Florida tomorrow, but Florida will not exactly be catching me at my best. I'm starting the home stretch, in more ways than one. I just returned from a buying trip in San Diego. There are only four houses for sale in the entire area. Isn't that pathetic? Anyhow, I did manage to put a bid in on one of them. Anyhow, it's trip time once again. I've got to get my weary butt back on yet another airplane. I'm glad this is over soon. I'm really starting to get too old for this.

Boycott Continental!

Later.

In Ice And Darkness

I got snowed on! That's something I try to avoid at almost any cost. I'm reporting from a little town outside Dallas, TX, where I can hear train whistles blowing throughout the evening, and I know that I'm not going to get much sleep tonight. I feel like I'm having a flashback to the movie My Cousin Vinny. Ice buildup on the airplane in Chicago caused various delays. In fact, the de-icing truck decided to break down, blocking the airplane at the gate. By the time they towed it away, more ice built up. Suddenly, six hours later, I got to Dallas. I was going to have one of those rare days when I actually arrived at my destination during daylight hours. Unfortunately, by the time I got here, it was already dark. I'm stuck between ice and darkness once again. I could really use one of those tropical vacations, or a Florida assignment... SOON! I'm off to Bloomington, IL, and Sacramento, CA, for the rest of the week. My flight to Bloomington tomorrow was already cancelled, so let's see how I get myself out of this mess. Later.

Back To Basics

After a long absence, I have returned. I realize I've been here all along, but for the first time, I'm feeling a little better about everything in general. It's possible that I feel this way because this is the longest possible time period prior to the next time I'm forced to participate in another sales meeting. This one was one of those more difficult ones for me with all of the additional work that was required for preparation. It's back to basics for me.

As I mentioned, I spent the week at our annual sales meeting in Tampa. This was one of the best meetings in quite a while, and the first one I've attended that I did not perceive as a punitive session. Getting there was half the fun. I was required to be there before 3:30pm on Sunday, so I had to travel a day early in order to get there in time. We had a hotel that was a bit over-the-top. I had a room that was as big as my house. That never usually happens on the road. Anyhow, I'm back to my regular schedule next week. It's onward to Dallas, Phoenix, and Los Angeles for me. At least there's some consistency within the universe... for now. Later.

Another New York Minute

I've been neglecting my editorial duties here. I apologize to my readers -- all three of you. Anyhow, the story continues from New York last Saturday, where I met with Denise to work on a project. I got back from New York on Saturday afternoon. I've been on a working vacation for the last several days, and I'm thinking that I need to reschedule my vacation to sometime in March at this rate. I left New York at six in the morning, or as a friend of mine likes to call it -- 'o dark thirty. Now, as you already know, I don't mix with mornings, unless, of course, it is some time around 3 am, in which case you would be catching me right before bed. There were quite a few delays on the journey home, mostly due to the increased security procedures. My flights were delayed in Dallas due to the fact that we couldn't get to the gate because they weren't done getting the other plane out. That was, no doubt, due to the additional searches that they are doing during the Orange Alert. I was a bit zombified **hey, I invented a new word** while roaming the airport gates in Dallas. I got back in one piece, more or less, and to the right airport. How about that! I guess I can do this travel nonsense in my sleep. It's time for a quick trip to Hawaii before Judgement Day, also known as the annual Sales Meeting in Tampa. I'm leaving in a few more hours, so I'll bid adieu for now. Later.

Twas The Night Before Christmas

Merry Christmas to all of my readers. I posted this on another one of my sites, but I thought I'd run it simulcast here.

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the nation,
Another trip came up, much to my indignation,
The road warriors were home, all except for me,
I was trapped in Orlando on December 23,

The roadways were jammed. It was a terrible place.
And as for the parking, not even a space.
The airplanes were crowded, not even a seat,
For friends and family for the people to meet.

The wait time was longer, about two or three hours,
While waiting in line next to people who don't take showers,
The odor was alarming. It really did stink.
By the end of the line, I needed a drink.

I don't really touch alcohol, not even a bit,
But traveling before Christmas puts me in a snit
The alert level was orange, a step above yellow,
Which made travel nuts, and definitely not mellow,

The agents were nasty, and as rude as can be,
For the week I got searched, not two times, but three,
Wanded and prodded and patted and poked,
It would be easier to just shoot me, as I've often joked.

A woman complained about the size of the plane,
She wouldn't shut up, and said it again.
Her husband was patient, but she was so loud,
Her voice filled the airplane and disturbed the crowd.

The children were screaming really loud in my ear,
In the seat behind me, and kicking the rear.
Our plane trip was over, it was a long way to fly,
Through snowstorms and thunder that lit up the sky.

For luggage, in line, we waited and waited,
On the speaker was someone who seem constipated,
I'm finally home, and that being said,
Merry Christmas to all! I'm going to bed.

I think this sums up the week pretty well. And, as I mentioned on that other site of mine, I guess I can't quit my day job to become a poet. Happy Hoildays to all! Later.

Passing Time

Yet another year has passed, and I'm still on the road. I'm on the road 51 out of 52 weeks this year. I spent the greater part of my birthday today in Minnesota, freezing my butt off. I expected to get stuck in Minneapolis, but they seem to have a good handle on dealing with snow. Much better than I do, anyway. As I mentioned earlier, I don't do snow very well. I especially attempt to avoid it on my birthday. I got delayed in Chicago today, and got myself a hot chocolate. That's about it. Not much excitement, other than the fact that I'm on the road and going to bed in Tampa, FL, tonight. So, another year, and a kazillion miles later, happy birthday to me! Later.

Going To Extremes

I can't believe I have to get back out into the field already. It's bad enough that I don't get to sleep any more, due to these early flights. My birthday is on Tuesday, and I'm spending it in Minnesota, and I'm getting on a plane to Florida after that. Talk about going to extremes, huh? Yep, it's Minneapolis and Tampa this week, and my flight is in a few hours, so I've got to start packing. What happens to these weekends anyway? I spent the weekend working, and I'm still not caught up. I seem to remember telling myself that I would stop working on Saturdays. I wonder what happened to that plan? I'm looking at the calendar, and you can congratulate me, because I've been traveling EVERY WEEK THIS YEAR!!!! This is a first for me. It's already the middle of December, and my first week that I'm not traveling (for business) is the week beginning December 29th. That's just not right. No wonder I've been cranky this year. I'd get a desk job, but not traveling would be an even worse shock to my system. Talk about extremes... Later.

There's No Place Like Springfield . . .

. . . but this time, we're in Springfield, IL. Getting there is half the fun, but only if you share the ride. After Tampa, I caught an early flight to Detroit. Had a great dinner at a restaurant near the spot that Jimmy Hoffa disappeared, and then moved on to the journey into Springfield. Let me tell you that it was a strange adventure. I was on standby on United -- as you already know, for me, having my eyes gouged out seems to be a more pleasant experience than riding on United. Anyhow, I got to Chicago relatively early. Unfortunately, the escape from Chicago proved quite difficult. Apparently, one of the planes caught fire on the runway in Chicago, and there were convicts on the plane. Evacuation proved difficult, so they shut down a runway and closed a few flights, and others were delayed. After a long delay, and a dramatic standby experience for my colleague who got bumped from the earlier flight, my colleagues and I finally got to Springfield. When we landed, it was dark outside, and we didn't see too many sites, other than the TJ Maxx nearby. But even in the middle of the night, there's no place like Springfield. Later.

Insanity Is No Excuse

I just came to the realization that I'm off again tomorrow. I know, I know. Insanity is no excuse. I don't know why the trip tomorrow surprises me, since I'm always in the field somewhere. You see, I just started having a life again, and I almost forgot what it felt like. Anyway, for those of you who know me, you can go to one of my other sites to get more information about that. Anyhow, I almost forgot about the regular routine. You know, a couple of loads of laundry, packing the regular suitcase, rotating the emergency suitcase for last-minute travel, prepping the work for the next day, etc. Instead of doing that stuff, I actually had a regular weekend. What a concept, huh? Well, I'm paying for it now. I'm in the middle of my second load of laundry, and starting the packing routine, a little later than usual. I'm thinking about cutting my six day work week back to five. What a concept! Get ready, Tampa, here I come. Later.

Reporting from Ocala, FL

After returning home last week, I traveled across the country to Florida. Earlier this week, I flew into Tampa, and then went to Fort Lauderdale and back up to Ocala. Long week.... Anyhow, I'm headed out from Ocala to the Tampa airport tomorrow afternoon, and will hopefully get home tomorrow night. I'm thinking of staying home this weekend for a change. See you this weekend.