Been a While Since a Biz Trip in These Foolish Things

Good morning, all! I feel like it’s a Monday of new beginnings for some reason. I’m back from my first business trip of this new-ish job and it was fantastic to be traveling again!

This time it was to a trade show. I’m working in the same industry I had been in before The Cutie Pie Company, so I knew I was going to run into a bunch of people from my old job.

Sure enough, I not only saw the awesome people I miss working with, but I also saw my old dick of a boss AND my former CEO. I really didn’t want to talk to my old dick of a boss, but he was cordial and actually gave me a little side hug when we saw each other. And I was able to have a good, long talk with my old CEO, whom I really admire.

I did a couple of really lovely dinners - one with my former PR group (it was a suuuuper expensive dinner and they added me to their tab, so that was really nice of them), and another with C., my former running buddy from my past life. C. is someone who traveled with me to China and other locations a lot and we have had some of the best times together. I consider her a really good friend, and our dinner was nothing short of soul-soothing. I felt like my old self with her.

I think this was my first business trip I’ve ever taken completely sober. How weird is that? I didn’t even miss it at all - certainly not the early morning hangovers! And at both of the dinners, the cocktail menus featured non-alcoholic drinks. Very cool.

But I’m still a nervous flyer (hi, [Elaine Benes]!), so it was weird not having any of my pre-flight prosecco. I did, however, bring in-flight valium since I knew we were going to be skirting around storms for each flight, and it worked out just fine.

PLUS!! I took my service dog with me! Yes, I got Martini certified as a service dog via the FAA and she now has a service dog number for flying! She was suuuuch a good girl and did absolutely perfectly for each flight. I honestly didn’t know how she was going to react to being on a jet with all of the noises and bumps and movements and people. But she sat in my lap and looked out the window and was never scared at ALL. In fact, she soothed my nerves just by sitting in my lap and letting me pet her.

OH! But the hotel I stayed in was super gross. See, I had to make a proposal to the company to go to this show. Long story, but I tried to make this very budget-friendly and thought I could get everything done by staying just one night. So after I’d gotten my proposal approved, I realized that I needed an extra night. So I then had to fit another hotel night into my budget. The only thing that really fit was an old, scuzzy place that had me locking and double locking the doors and wiping every surface with clorox wipes. It’s not like it was in a dangerous location at all…I felt very safe in this neighborhood, but it just wasn’t a nice place. I’m going to do this differently for the next trip I take.

But I was able to do everything I needed both personally and professionally. I got my hotel-friendly workouts in…I just made sure that no body part touched the floor EVER and I cleaned the shower before I got into it. But did all of my 75 Hard stuff and ended up not gaining (or losing) any weight on this trip.

Sad to say no flirty-flirty with anyone on this trip. That’s not normal, but it’s probably because there was no drinky-drinky, ya know? Plus, I’m also over all of that shit for the most part. Most of the time it’s married dudes anyway. Meh.

Got home late Friday afternoon and spent the weekend unpacking and getting ready for the workweek ahead. I’m also getting things organized so that my friend Jackie can come stay with me for a couple of days/nights this week. Her daughter is a track star in college and she’s coming here to compete. So I’ll have a houseguest where I’ve been officing for the last few months. Gotta get it all together.

Better go. Duty calls…reports to write!

Love,
GS