The Life of a Semi-Nomad

Well hey, day #2 in a row!

The month of April has proven especially challenging...  Work is always tricky and I constantly live at 100 miles per hour.  I will give you a glimpse/outline of this month and why I am such a cruddy blogger (and what I aim to do about it TONIGHT (no more of this "tomorrow" crap).

• W April 10 - Albert Lea
• We got this sweet snow storm that sent me to IA early
• TH April 11 - Mason City, Waukon, Postville, Elkader
• F April 12 Tradeshow in Dubuque, IA
• S April 13 Grandparents 30th Anniversary in Mason City, IA
• M April 15 Minneapolis Meetings
• TU April 16 Tradeshow in Eau Claire, WI
• W April 17 Des Moines, IA meetings/supper with distributor
• TH April 18 Healthcare Presentation in Des Moines, IA and drive home to another snowstorm (9 inches)  WHAT HAPPENED TO SPRING?? 
• F April 19 Meetings in Waconia all day and home to visit with my sister

Mind you, this all happened in 9 days!! I got my new car on January 4th with NO miles on her at all... and NOW I have approximately 14,000 miles.  Note also that I had 2 weeks off work (and without an automobile to put miles onto).  Poor car.  Needless to say it's going to be a long trip coming up to be gone for 9 days with 500 miles each way.  Oofta.

So what do I pack for a BUSINESS TRIP?  Much different than a personal trip.  By about one bathing suit.  I kid.  Here is my checklist (and this is a LEAN list, so beware you over-packers):

• Business outfits - enough for the days I plan to be gone +1
• I try to plan outfits that I can use the same pair of pants twice or so.  People don't notice and quite frankly I don't care if they do
• Dress shoes - enough to match the business outfits (usually one pair)
• Workout clothes - enough for each day I am there -1
• I usually have one supper per trip where I am out late and don't get to work out that day (most cases it's on the day I traveled there and I worked out at home
•  Tennis Shoes and socks for each day I'm there
• Slippers (never walk on the floors in a hotel)
• Unmentionables - enough for each day of the trip x2
• Jammies (one pair per 3 days - I'm weird that way)
• Make-up (usually fits in a small make-up bag - mascara, eyeliner, foundation, lipstick... that's it)
• Hair stuff - brush, hair dryer, flat iron, headband (in case we have one of THOSE days)
• Briefcase - computer, notebook, literature needed, two writing utensils, computer charger
• Disinfectant wipes

OK so here's the story for the disinfectant wipes... I was in a hotel once and got a chance to see people clean.  Now the name of this particular hotel will go without saying but I think it's of CRITICAL importance to understand where I'm coming from with this whole "disinfectant wipes" thing because I'm not that weird.

So the person cleaning my room used a wash cloth to clean the toilet, then proceeded to clean my coffee pot with it.  NOT KIDDING AT ALL.

 TOILET -----> COFFEE POT

Needless to say I offered constructive feedback and checked out (kindly).  Most recently, I was at another hotel (see the schedule above) and dropped the remote (which had been disinfected) off of the night stand.  I went to pick it up and brushed up against the bed skirt.  When I did so, I found fingernail clippings and cheese-its on the floor like they had been shoved under there.  

I took a picture of these findings and walked to the front desk.  Here is how our conversation went...

Me: Hi there

Him: Hi.

Me: How is your evening going?

Him: Busy, how can I help you?

Me: Well then, I thought I would come down and share with you my most recent finding... *show him the photo*

Him: Oh.

Manager who was listening: Oh my goodness, I am so sorry....... *waits for employee to respond to this fantastic coaching opportunity*

Me: *uncharacteristically quiet*

Him: So did you want to change rooms?

Me: Nah, I just thought I would come share this finding with you.  I had a craving for cheese-its anyway.

Manager who was listening: You can NOT let that woman stay in that room, that needs to be addressed with housekeeping immediately.  I will handle this, take your break.

Me: Nice to meet you Howard.

Him: It's Harold.

Manager who was listening: That's what she said.

All in all it was an enlightening conversation (and a heckuva upgrade).  Worth it for Howard's customer service educational experience.

Have a great night, don't let the bed bugs bite!!! For real though, make sure to check for bed bugs. 

XOXO

Becca