Temporarily Assigned to Planet Earth

Ugh. Fourth business trip since the beginning of September. It would have been 5, but one conference was held in Rockville, an hour by metro from my house.

Finally getting the luggage stuff straightened out. Bought 2 new pieces, one to check, one carryon. Both have wheels; no more lugging the laptop around airports in a tote bag that also serves as purse/carryon. Now I have a small purse that fits into the carryon along with the laptop and various necessities. Voila-- everything is on wheels.

Bigger suitcase to check. Must pack clothes suitable for the meetings, and clothes suitable for nice restaurants, and clothes for hanging out in the hotel room, or running down the hall for ice. Must pack extra everything, to allow for a second change of clothes after hiking around test sites out in the desert.

I judge hotels solely by the shower: water pressure is usually the main criterion, but hot water with low water pressure trumps cold water any time-- as I discovered in this very nice hotel in Williamsburg this morning, when I called guest services and was told that there was no hot water in the hotel; "engineering is working on it." My clean hair is a testimonial to my endurance.

Enough free food at the reception this evening to cover for dinner, nice. Free dinner means I can splurge and order a bottle of wine from room service.

Getting the brush-off from some people, this is nothing new, but I'm getting the answers I need before giving up. This takes guts I didn't know I had a few months ago.

Because I came alone on this trip, I sit alone to eat. When I feel forlorn, I think about kid and puppy. Poor puppy! Down in Charlottesville with no back yard and no doggie door! Poor kid! Trying to study with puppy in very small apartment and no back yard. Hang on for 3 more days-- I'm coming to the rescue. The boss says the traveling will taper off before the holidays. I can only hope.