T-Minus 3 Weeks

I only have a handful of visits left before I will be putting my patent pumps away for a little while, and although I’m sad to be ending with The Organization, I smile profusely when I think back on the year I’ve had. The traveling alone has been priceless, and I know for sure that staying put in one place for more than a week is going to be a strange transition for me. Yesterday, as I was traveling to Arizona- where the weather is currently perfect, by the way- I reflected on how I have changed when it comes to the art of traveling itself. The physical act of packing, and getting to the airport, and checking in, and going through security, and waiting for your plane- all that stuff that seems stressful for a lot of people, has become second nature to me.

Saturday, I slept in and casually packed for my next few visits within the hour. Normally, this would have taken at least a few hours, while I tried everything on, and folded it all into small piles, being sure to match shoes with accessories and so on and so forth. Now everything has its place, certain shirts go with particular pants or shoes, and all my stuff packs up, folds up, zips up, rolls up and tucks away neatly into an organized roller bag. OK, there may be two large bags, but I’m on the road for weeks sometimes. A girl needs two bags if she has to look good all the time. And on occasion, shop for a new work shirt, or a pretty dress.

My patience while traveling has improved a lot. Not that I was too cranky to begin with- I love people watching, seeing new things, etc.- but now I just go with the flow if things cramp my style; these would be referred to as nonlethal inconveniences. I find that a large coffee fixes nonlethal inconveniences rather quickly. I don’t mind the lines at the airport anymore because I’ve discovered ways to get around them or talk my way to the front. My favorite is the “frequent traveler” line at most airports, because it is usually empty, and I justify my using it because I have a snazzy briefcase and, let’s face it- travel frequently. Sometimes, I can even get through 10-12 emails while waiting in line thanks to my Blackberry.* (*This would include work and personal e-mails thanks to both oh my phones!) Checking in for flights is a breeze now that United and Southwest airlines have barcode scanners that will interface with my Blackberr(ies). And sitting next to a crying baby or a Chatty Cathy- puuhhlease… I have my noise cancelling headphones. So, I can work productively on my flights, or catch up on some sleep- usually the latter, let’s be honest.

Some people hate traveling, but I love the stress of it all. Not traveling consistently and being on the go is going to be different- I’m sure I will develop cabin fever. But I guess to combat the cabin fever, I gotta develop a new schedule. And that will include, primarily, the gym. Like I said, patent pumps will be stored for a while, and tennis shoes will take the lead.

Enjoyed a lovely week off in San Francisco and the Napa Valley with friends; stay tuned for SF posts- now back to the grind for the last three weeks!