'There's no place like home...'
Back from the ‘swamps’ of Tampa, Florida after a glorious and grueling 15 days for a sales meeting.
If I never get there again I certainly can’t say I’d be saddened.
And it’s not because I think Cleveland is so amazing. It’s because the heat and the atmosphere, the bugs, and SOME of the people conspired to make it miserable. I simply need a more temperate climate, no bugs in my food or in my house, or biting me…and on and on…
I missed my husband, who was kind enough to write out cards for me while I was gone – but cards don’t take the place of being in bed with him, of seeing his face, of having his arms around me.
There were things from home that of course I did not miss...but I digress....
Whether I was missed is irrelevant – I am sure at some point we all get sick of one another (don’t we?) – So I guess ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ and ‘familiarity breeds contempt’ or some such cliché bullshit...
Obviously it was not ALL bad. I got to meet some wonderful people. I felt very useful and needed in my job duties. I had fun creating and working with others to pull off a very difficult task with last minute changes that we had to handle. Basically we were putting on a show, complete with audio-visual needs, movies, awards, scripts and very high-level presentation work. I could do it for a living, including the travel, but I suppose I’d need to have my baby with me because I don’t know if I could spend so much time away from him (or my loved ones…)
It was nice to be able to mingle with others that I’ve been working with for a couple of years but had yet to really meet. I showed off my golf putting skills one night at a party and impressed a couple of colleagues. I learned how to dance those dreaded line dances (electric slide etc.), from weddings because one of the girls taught me (we had a blast and were quite a hit that evening).
What I will miss:
The cute black kitten with the white paws and chin that followed me all week
Using walkie-talkies to talk to one another – YES I GOT TO PRETEND TO BE A KID AGAIN and use walkie-talkies, complete with our own ‘lingo’
The camaraderie of a great team that managed to pull it off yet again – the laughter we all had when we managed to sneak in time to relax together
The food and drink (WAY too rich and booze was WAY too abundant – but it was 5-star rated all the way)
Being able to do my laundry in my swim suit
Being able to be by the pool soaking up the rays (responsibly of course)
The amazing wildlife (NOT BUGS) that were down there – wood storks, herons, alligators
The nice days (between 70˚ and 80˚)
The amazing spa treatment I was able to have while down there
What I won’t miss:
The 10, 11 and 12 hour days of non-stop work
The 90+ degree heat that was oppressive and unbearable
The bugs
Being able to do my laundry in my swim suit (ugh – ‘cause I am sure it was not a pretty sight – LOL)
Being away from Erin and my home for a couple of weeks
The inability to get decent reception in order to talk to Erin
The really rich food and drink – which made me gain weight
The rudeness of a certain co-worker whom I was trapped in a room with non-stop for 10 of the 15 days and she should consider herself lucky to be alive….by the end I was ready to strangle her – she is rude, obnoxious, loud and incredibly overbearing – oh and did I mention rude?
The rudeness of people and in general (somehow this seems heightened when traveling - example - the woman seated next to me on the flight home - kept taking up her seat and mine. At the end of the flight she informed me and the french girl seated next to me that we had to leave our seats so that she could get on the wheelchair they would be bringing down the aisle to get her - nevermind the fact that we were in the 17th row on the plan and people would have to deboard before this bitch would be getting on any wheelchair....)
There is the possibility that I may have to go down again at the end of June – which means that that heat will be even worse – but if I am told to go I will go...
And, just like childbirth, I am sure I will forget all about the pain and next year sign up to do it all over again – hopefully though next year it won’t be for 15 days and if it is I am thinking I am simply going to have to kidnap my husband and force him to relax and golf while I work.
If I never get there again I certainly can’t say I’d be saddened.
And it’s not because I think Cleveland is so amazing. It’s because the heat and the atmosphere, the bugs, and SOME of the people conspired to make it miserable. I simply need a more temperate climate, no bugs in my food or in my house, or biting me…and on and on…
I missed my husband, who was kind enough to write out cards for me while I was gone – but cards don’t take the place of being in bed with him, of seeing his face, of having his arms around me.
There were things from home that of course I did not miss...but I digress....
Whether I was missed is irrelevant – I am sure at some point we all get sick of one another (don’t we?) – So I guess ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ and ‘familiarity breeds contempt’ or some such cliché bullshit...
Obviously it was not ALL bad. I got to meet some wonderful people. I felt very useful and needed in my job duties. I had fun creating and working with others to pull off a very difficult task with last minute changes that we had to handle. Basically we were putting on a show, complete with audio-visual needs, movies, awards, scripts and very high-level presentation work. I could do it for a living, including the travel, but I suppose I’d need to have my baby with me because I don’t know if I could spend so much time away from him (or my loved ones…)
It was nice to be able to mingle with others that I’ve been working with for a couple of years but had yet to really meet. I showed off my golf putting skills one night at a party and impressed a couple of colleagues. I learned how to dance those dreaded line dances (electric slide etc.), from weddings because one of the girls taught me (we had a blast and were quite a hit that evening).
What I will miss:
The cute black kitten with the white paws and chin that followed me all week
Using walkie-talkies to talk to one another – YES I GOT TO PRETEND TO BE A KID AGAIN and use walkie-talkies, complete with our own ‘lingo’
The camaraderie of a great team that managed to pull it off yet again – the laughter we all had when we managed to sneak in time to relax together
The food and drink (WAY too rich and booze was WAY too abundant – but it was 5-star rated all the way)
Being able to do my laundry in my swim suit
Being able to be by the pool soaking up the rays (responsibly of course)
The amazing wildlife (NOT BUGS) that were down there – wood storks, herons, alligators
The nice days (between 70˚ and 80˚)
The amazing spa treatment I was able to have while down there
What I won’t miss:
The 10, 11 and 12 hour days of non-stop work
The 90+ degree heat that was oppressive and unbearable
The bugs
Being able to do my laundry in my swim suit (ugh – ‘cause I am sure it was not a pretty sight – LOL)
Being away from Erin and my home for a couple of weeks
The inability to get decent reception in order to talk to Erin
The really rich food and drink – which made me gain weight
The rudeness of a certain co-worker whom I was trapped in a room with non-stop for 10 of the 15 days and she should consider herself lucky to be alive….by the end I was ready to strangle her – she is rude, obnoxious, loud and incredibly overbearing – oh and did I mention rude?
The rudeness of people and in general (somehow this seems heightened when traveling - example - the woman seated next to me on the flight home - kept taking up her seat and mine. At the end of the flight she informed me and the french girl seated next to me that we had to leave our seats so that she could get on the wheelchair they would be bringing down the aisle to get her - nevermind the fact that we were in the 17th row on the plan and people would have to deboard before this bitch would be getting on any wheelchair....)
There is the possibility that I may have to go down again at the end of June – which means that that heat will be even worse – but if I am told to go I will go...
And, just like childbirth, I am sure I will forget all about the pain and next year sign up to do it all over again – hopefully though next year it won’t be for 15 days and if it is I am thinking I am simply going to have to kidnap my husband and force him to relax and golf while I work.
posted by Colette at 6:36 PM
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