Up at 0600, van at 0700, two hour ride to a meeting, 1 1/2 hour meeting, 2 hour ride to the airport, 4 1/2 hours sitting in the airport, 8 hour flight, land at 0700L, clear customs (appx 1 hour), get bag, go to local gym, SSS, clean clothes and go to another meeting at 0900…
I ‘really’ don’t understand how people think this crap is fun…
sigh…
I truly envy y’all that have a stable life, home every night, sleeping in your own beds…
I’ll quit bitching now, because I DO have a job, and at my age, I can be happy that I do…
I got an email asking why I hadn’t posted on the politics or anything else, and honestly it’s because I’m just so damn tired of the BS…
Y’all have a good evening, or morning as the case may be!
Been there, done that, have mucho sympathy for you.
I lived out of a suitcase for 6 years when I was a Project Engineer for McGraw-Edison.
It’s no fun waiting for a flight, and get a call to the “white courtesy phone” that’s your boss telling you to swap out your tickets for someplace else!
Sending hugs
Pax
Posted at 1:10 am…
Better you than me NFO.
Safe trip and good luck!
I once met myself at the airport while leaving on a jet plane….arriving!
Jet lag is no joke.
I wonder how many people know what SSS means? It belongs in the Annals of Ancient and Obscure Witticisms.
I’m wondering why you left out the part about the three gourmet meals per day and the beautiful young women who come standard with every hotel room in those places that you go to.
And if it’s not true, don’t spoil my illusions, ok?
SSS…Had to laugh. Only GI’s and ex-GI’s would know. Brings back good memories. Woody
I stopped the traveling when the concept of someone else paying for the best meals I could find wasn’t enough anymore. Though I do miss that self-making bed and self-cleaning bathroom thing.
Sounds like you are in need of some range therapy.
I have wondered how you do it for a long time. You will always have a place to call home when you can get here.
And I do know what SSS is by the way :P.
I don’t know how they think it’s productive or cost effective.
Yep I have the t-shirt.
Gerry
Is telecommuting an option?
You’ve alluded to engineering matters so I understand if you have to “lay on hands” for some meetings.
I’ve a professional interest ’cause my last job with General Dynamics was teaching worldwide users how our online collaborative tool worked. I had students 18 hours apart sharing photos, documents and other data on their desktops. Sure, some had to stay late or arrive early due to time zone differences but that’s better than being flogged around airports.
While I’ve never travelled as much as you have, I do know how you feel. Back in my computer fixin’ days I put in many miles on the road. I once put 500 miles on my car and never got outside of metro Kansas City. I missed four of my daughter’s first six birthdays.
Traveling can wear. It can wear on your family and it can wear on you. At some point, you’ll reach a point where you decide enough is enough. When that will happen only you will know. It will be a relief when the decision in finally made.
I know how commitment to a job, to a group of people, to friends, and loyalty to an employer will postpone that decision. When the time comes, do so without regret.
SSS. Heh! BTDT. Always seems to be on the run, too, no pun intended.
I’ve never thought business travel was fun. Fortunately, I’m done to only about 4 or 5 trips a year now.
Not to put too fine a point on it, business travel sucks. I remind myself of that on the once or twice per year that I begin to wax nostalgic about travel.
A sharp blow to the head usually clears that right up.
It does wear on one after a while! I was talking to a friend one time that was traveling big time and asked him where he was. He said “hold on” and pulled the phone book out of the nightstand so he could tell me.
Jennifer and I had vocally mused about whether that ever wore on you. I empathize for you. If you’re ever randomly in our area, give a shout and we’ll make sure you get smoked meat and a beer or something.
Welcome home. Hopefully you get a few weeks home before jetting off to another exciting and exotic destination.
Did it for 25 years.
SSS in some weird places but you do what ya gotta do.
As I worked for a multinational, as I suppose you do, at least the per dium covered good stuff.
Nicer digs,anything on the menu, sometimes the company plane, and like Crusis said I missed all of the good stuff.
20/20 hindsight, ‘tween the money and the life….I dunno.
drjim- Yep, BTDT… sigh
Pax- Thanks!
MSGT- Oh ‘thank’ you 🙂
Carteach- Hangin in and hangin on…
Mr. B- Yeah, I know the feeling
PE- good point, bit tired ya know… 🙂
Murph- You’re screwed 😛
Woody- Good 🙂
PH- True, that is the ONLY nice part..
WSF- Sunday!!!!
FM- Thanks!
Gerry- It keeps people alive, THAT is the payback…
Stretch- Periodic face to face meetings ARE required, and I’ll leave it at that…
Crucis- I’m debating that issue now, trust me…
Andy- Trade ya!!!
Rev- Yep, either that or the spilled (fill in the blank) in the lap…
Keads- That ONLY works if it’s in a language you can read… 🙂
Evyl- Thanks, y’all ARE on my list 🙂
DB- STILL on the road, and I wish too… but… 🙁
Skip- Good points all, and yeah, you DO second guess yourself quite a bit…
I agree. But with the budget cuts, we have taken a hit on our travel. Which makes me very very happy. . .
You must be rich on all that TDY pay… 🙂
I understand. I traveled alot when I worked construction.I hated being on the road also.
N1- Yeah, I noticed that…, now I have to come see y’all instead of the other way around… sigh
Ed- Yeah, right…
Fuzzy- At least yours was mostly US travel right?