TheBanyanTree: Not Much

[Margaret R. Kramer]

This is the “not much” time of year for me.  Our Christmas stuff is put
away.  I don’t have to shop anymore.  The house is clean.  There is no snow
to shovel or cold weather to battle.  Our nights are getting a little
shorter.

I’m going on a business trip tomorrow.  It’s my second one for this project
and it’s much better than the traveling I had to do for the North Carolina
project.  I worked with a weird team member, and her weirdness got worse
when my company tried to replace her with another weird team member.  Our
counterparts in North Carolina were also dysfunctional.  And we worked like
dogs while we were there.  Working until 10:00 pm or later was not uncommon.

This project is set up so much better.  The lessons learned from the
previous project were implemented in this one.  We don’t leave until Monday
and we come back on Thursday afternoons.  I’m working with a happier, but
crazy bunch of guys.  Our counterparts are less dysfunctional and we
actually make progress in our meetings.  And we work hard, but not like
dogs, and my head can hit the pillow at 10:00 pm.

Our meetings are at the hotel we’re staying at, which means no travel time.
The hotel is nice, too, and is across the street from a mall, a Target, and
a grocery store.

I’m also due to get my own company laptop, which is a bit of status boost
for me.  Right now, I have my desktop in my cube at the office, but I use a
pool laptop when I travel.  I found out Friday, I got approval to have my
own laptop and I should get it before I leave on Monday afternoon.  It would
be nice to get a raise, but a laptop is OK, too.

Well, today kind of continues “not much.”  I’ll go to workout later this
morning and fight the New Year’s resolution people for a machine.  I’ll pack
my suitcase.  I’ll do some reading.  I’ll cook dinner – ham and baked
potatoes are on the menu tonight.  Not much.

Margaret R. Kramer
margaretkramer at comcast.net

I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the
starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and
brotherhood can never become a reality.... I believe that unarmed truth and
unconditional love will have the final word.
~Martin Luther King