On the Road Again

I’m afraid this week is going to feel like a long one. I’ll only be in the office for about a day and a half before heading out to a conference for the rest of the week. I’m not exactly thrilled about the trip over and back—not because of the destination, but because of the person I’ll be riding with. Let’s just say that “pleasant conversation” isn’t her strong suit. I’m planning to bring my Kindle and use my hearing aids as earbuds so I can listen to a book while pretending to read. (I can’t actually read in the car—it gives me a headache and makes me carsick.) Usually, I like to talk on long drives, but since my travel companion rarely says more than a few words to me even on a good day, I don’t think that’ll be happening.

I usually do the driving on these trips, but she decided she wanted to drive this time. I think she thought she was being difficult—you should’ve seen her face when I thanked her for volunteering. With this pinched nerve in my back, long drives can be painful, so I was genuinely grateful to hand over the keys.

Once the conference starts, I’m sure things will be fine. At least I’ll be out of town for a few days. Other than my trip to Alabama last Christmas, I haven’t gone anywhere overnight since the last time I attended this same conference a year ago. Honestly, I need a real vacation—not a work trip, not a family visit—but I don’t see that happening anytime soon.

The bright side is that I’ll get to see a few friends I rarely get to catch up with, and maybe I can do a little networking while I’m there. Like I said yesterday, you never know when a small act of kindness or a good conversation might open doors down the line. Here’s hoping the week goes smoothly, the conference is worthwhile, and the car ride passes quickly.

Wishing everyone a good week ahead!