Business Travel Reality

Some people think business travel is sexy – these are the people who don’t travel for business. Nothing against the job – I enjoy it and think I’m pretty good at it, but some times the travel starts to get to you.Perfect example – an overnight trip to a meeting in Orlando at Disney World. My client said they needed me there so I booked a ticket for the next day. For the record, the TSA loves when you buy a last-minute ticket like that – there is a guy in Security at Newark airport that still needs to buy me a drink after our “screening” time together…

First of all, being the only person in a suit getting on the flight when everyone else was in Hawaiian shirts and flip flops with their children in toe all with that look of anticipation of seeing the mouse and starting a great vacation should have been the first sign. The flight was not bad, but when I got to the hotel it was more of the same. It’s very difficult to get any work done then everyone else around you is on vacation. I was able to meet with the people I needed to at the conference, and it was a very successful day. Now, alone, I have the rest of the night by myself. The happiest place on earth is not so happy when you are there alone. So I did what anyone else would do – made the most of the night and then get an earlier flight in the morning.

So I make my way back to the Orlando airport and the fun part of business travel came back. Despite being very early in the morning, the security line was wrapped around and a round those snake-like strap dividers that always put people in a good mood. Again, Hawaiian shirts, flops and many, many children were the rule, however this time the mood was much different with bad sunburns and bad attitudes of people returning home to work or school dominating the scene. I am in the back of the line when I hear the TSA announcement, “The terrorist security alert has been lowered from Donald to Goofy – please be advised.” At this point I have two thoughts: I need coffee and I need to get home. Happily, I was not scrutinized during my security check – must have been the Goofy alert level – and I was off to the gate. The only seat available was an middle, but it was mine, and I was on my way home.

And You Thought Maggie Was Crazy...

Let's admit it. At heart, Maggie's a pound dog. There's no denying it. We rescued her. Girl's got some issues. There are times when she's sweet and lovable and cuddly. There are times when she's a tad frightening and damn scary. I love her, but 90% of me adores her and 10% of me is terrified of her. We joke that the ghost of Helen Keller haunts one of our spare bedrooms, but truly, the ghost of something haunts Maggie.



Whenever we give the girl a treat or a bone, she trots lively into the office where she proceeds to chew it. And then the ghost steps in. Or so she thinks. She begins this ridiculously hilarious routine of barking at her own shadow or her own tail. It's absurd. Don't even think of going near her when she's got a chewy, or you're not likely to have your nose when you're done.



So when the boy sent me the link to this video, I nearly fell out of my chair. It was so reminiscent of Maggie, I had to post it. Enjoy. I did.

The Art of Catching the Bus

Everyday we venture from our happy little neighborhood of the "Bloom" to the big Apple to work our tireless so called glamorous agency jobs. The day kicks off at 6 a.m.with a Moo walk, OK so the boy got that job, but the reality is I take longer to get ready in the morning. By about 7:10 a.m. we're both out the door to the corner to await the OH so glamorous Decamp bus ride into city. Now, there are a few ways one can venture into the city via public transportation. We have all but sold our souls to Decamp because of their proximity to our home. The other options, like the train and NJ transit require a drive to a large lot where one has to trust that their precious car won't get ticketed, broken into or worse, stolen. Its true - I know a guy. He now rides Decamp.

But don't let me lead you to think that Decamp is wonderful. They are a monopoly on the North Jersey / Manhattan commuter system, abusive with their false schedules and their overly jacked up prices. So it's not uncommon to reach our stop by 7:15 and wait for the bus until 7:30 sometimes 7:45 for not one, but two buses to arrive, one entirely packed still picking people up, the other nearly empty passing overworked and exhausted "standees" by on their way towards route 3.

The art of catching a Decamp bus is to arrive whenever you feel like it without regard for a schedule and crossing your fingers you're not 15 people deep when it finally arrives.

Here's the thing: If you've actually got a schedule to keep and need to get to the office on time, Decamp just isn't for you. The added stress will have you updating your resume and posting it on njjobs.com. I'd suggest looking into alternate transportation. More on Decamp later...I'm sure.