Sunday, March 21, 2010

Up in the Air

Well hello there.  I hope yall had a wonderful weekend.  Mine was busy, but very nice!  I worked a bunch, but I also had dinner with friends on Friday and walked in the Beaufort Twilight Run last night.  Today I spent a few hours at work and went to the commissary to get everything we need for the week.  After an afternoon of flipping between college basketball and meaningless reality tv, Mark and I decided to watch Up in the Air.

Have yall seen this Oscar nominated movie yet?  I really didn't know what to expect as I had only seen a few bits and pieces during this year's awards shows.  I have to say I have mixed feelings on this movie.  While I thought the characters were all very interesting, there was just something so sad about them as well.  Mark reminded me that a depressing movie can be a good movie too, and while I know he's right, this one just came out of nowhere for me.  I guess I should have expected it to be something other than a light airy love story - those never get nominated, but it really just bummed me out.

The lead character in this movie travels all over the country, and spends more time in a plane than he does in his own home.  It reminded me of the very short time I spent traveling when I worked for one of the big four accounting firms.  While this character felt more at home in a hotel room than in his own room, I hated traveling for business more than anything in the world.  I can remember feeling this deep pit in my stomach when I would open the door to the empty hotel room.  I hated how quiet everything was.  I didn't like feeling unsettled and unfamiliar with my surroundings.  Watching this movie reminded me of how much I enjoy having a job where I go to the very same desk every day.  It also reminded me how much I like coming home to two funny little puppies and one wonderful hubby.

Do you travel for work?  Is there a trick you have to feeling at home on the road?  If you don't travel, do you ever wish you had a job that took you around the globe?

7 comments:

  1. I'm a former flight attendant, I think some people mold with that lifestyle much better than others. Now that I'm in the same place, I get serious cabin fever. I am a lot like George Clooney's character! The thing about hotel rooms, they don't have to feel like home. Just a clean bathroom, comfy bed, and cable tv was all I needed- oh and access to good, new, exciting food and shopping!

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  2. Such an interesting movie; I saw it and could identify quite a bit about the amount of travel I do, hell, I even advise my husband on where to stay when he travels (i.e. who had the best cookies at check in, best pillows, best towels, free wi-fi, tv's built into the bathroom mirrors lalala!)

    It was a bit depressing seeing it early on, knowing a lot of my friends and colleagues had recently experienced layoffs...and how impersonal they can be, especially the thought of receiving the news via online session..a lot to think about...

    That said, to answer your question:

    1) I always travel with a mini picture frame of my family. Granted I REALLY need to update it since it's from our wedding 5 years ago, but still, it makes me happy.

    2) Always pack cute jammies. Even away from Matt, at the end of a stressful day, sometimes a bath and jammies with a little Colbert show will do the trick to unwind.

    3) Also always pack (healthy) snacks. There is nothing that sabotages my 'somewhat' healthy diet than being stuck in an airport on a delayed flight, etc. and at the mercy of fast food junky type restaurants. Worst case scenario I grab a magazine and bag of pretzels and wait it out.

    Have to say, their fun night of crashing the hotel convention party seemed like a ton of fun!

    Big hugs to you XO

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  3. Haven't seen the movie yet...but I could probably identify as I used to travel every week for work. I did this for YEARS. It was all fun and games before 9/11, then it became a big pain in the bootie. I must say - all that traveling REALLY helped me "develop" my Shopaholic ways, as it exposed me to stores and goodies I'd never seen before. Should I go thank my old employer now???? :-)

    Have a great week! XOXO

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  4. my friend who lives in Beaufort also ran the twilight run. she's member of a local running club. are you in the running club too?

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  5. I just saw Up In The Air 2 weeks ago and left feeling really sad for the characters lives. In the end, they are just alone. You dont realize it but traveling and livingout of hotels takes a toll onyour life... leaving you missing out on living it.

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  6. Hi ladies - great work travel tips! Thanks!

    Andie - I wish I were disciplined enough to be in a running club! What's your friend's name? Small world isn't it!

    PS - I graduated from MCA in 1998.

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  7. Ahh....still haven't seen this movie b/c we are so far behind but it was almost exclusively filmed in STL so we are dying to check it out!

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