After three weeks in the office (an extremely unusual occurrence); it is time to take to the road again. Three straight weeks in the office was the work equivalent of lent. Lent, for those who don't know, is a 40 day period before Easter where Catholics generally give up (something like candy, carbs or single malt scotch) to deny themselves in spiritual preparation for Easter. For me, being in the office more than a few days feels a lot like lent.
By way of explanation, my job is to make sure the company's products are sold for the highest long term economic benefit to the company (and to our customers in an ideal world). Meaningful commercial activity for my business tends to take place in meeting rooms in Tokyo, Shanghai, Seoul, Houston, and other business capitals (or on golf courses nearby) not in the office. Office time is often filled with inconclusive, mind numbing meetings and administrative stuff that I am happy to let others more passionate about the outcomes handle.
From a work perspective, I look forward to getting out, seeing customers, and meeting old friends but there is a dark side to my travel schedule - I am really enjoying being home; the surrounding nature and life in a golf community. A week of unusually warm weather found me getting fidgety about 3PM as I began to plan my office exit so I can rush home, change clothes and play a few holes of golf before dark. It seems I am a 4th grader again - rushing home, ignoring my homework, changing clothes and "playing" until dinner.
Now that our kids are both in college and we are new empty nesters and in a new location - I am surprised that the pull of home, especially a new one where we haven't developed a strong social circle, is so strong. I guess my rediscovery of "after school" play time was more significant than I thought.
