It was Doomed from the Start

ShannanB — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:44:00 +0000

As many of you from Twitter know, yesterday I was in Oklahoma for work. While the presentation went well, the trip was filled with landmines, many of which I barely escaped.

I’ll explain.

I arrive in Oklahoma City on Wednesday and head to the car rental company to pick up my vehicle. The woman at the desk informs me that all they have left is a Mercury Marquis. Ok. Sweet. I’ll be driving my grandpa’s car, I think to myself.

I head out to the car, load up, get out my Google Map directions and hit the road. Within 5 minutes I realize that my directions are wrong. I don’t know if it was the dead end sign or the fact that I was in a field out near the runway that gave it away, but somehow I knew something wasn’t quite right. I am able to backtrack and decide to follow the signs to the airport exit. Landmine averted.

Once I am out of the airport I am able to reconnect with my Google Map directions and begin to find my way toward Shawnee, OK. The next land mine comes as I near the city and notice that there are three Shawnee exits and my Google Map stops before telling me what exit to take. It just ends with take I-40E to Shawnee. No exit, no streets leading to hotel. Nothing. Luckily for me my hotel has a billboard up along the highway and I figure it out. Landmine averted.

After checking into the hotel I decide to drive to the school where I will be giving the presentation. Since I am not familiar with the area I want to make sure that I can find it easily the next morning (I had to be there at 7:30 a.m.). I once again get out my Google Map directions and head off to the school. I go about 10 miles and get off at exit 176. From there I am lead down gravel roads and into the MIDDLE OF NO WHERE. I drove for ever only seeing a few chickens and lizards along with cows and horses. For some reason (insert sarcasm here) I start to feel like the directions are wrong and I find my way back to the highway. I call my contact at the school and she talks me through getting to the school. Turns out Google Maps didn’t even have the right exit. Landmine averted.

By the time I find the school it’s about 7p.m. Cincinnati time and I realize that I still haven’t eaten dinner. I head back towards the hotel and find a Chili’s restaurant near by. I decide to grab my book and head in for dinner alone (I hate eating by myself). At one point toward the end of the meal I get out my envelope of petty cash to pay the check and lay it on the table. As I am waiting for my server (hey Josh!) to return I decide to pay with my credit card so I can have some cash for incidentals. I pay for my meal and decide to run to the story to pick up a present for the boys. When I get to the register I reach for my cash…. only to find….. that I left the petty cash envelope on the table at the restaurant. I freak out! I get out my credit card, pay for the gifts and head back to Chili’s. As soon as I walk in my server sees me and comes up to tell me that he found the money on the table and his manager has it. I am so relieved. Landmine averted.

The next day I have the presentation and miraculously everything goes well. I am shocked as I was sure that something would go wrong. I head back to the airport that afternoon and settle in to wait for my flight. As I am sitting at the gate I notice that my cell phone is dying and decide to plug it in to charge. After a few minutes I begin talking to my client and our flight begins to board. We get on to the plane and everything is going well. It is not until the airline attendant reminds passengers to turn off electronic devices that I realize my cell phone is still plugged in at the terminal! I jump up from my seat and ask the attendant if I can run back in, explaining my situation. She agrees – only because they are waiting for three passengers to board. I run back in and miraculously, my cell phone is still sitting there. I couldn’t believe it. Landmine averted.

So, while Oklahoma is a beautiful place to visit. I won’t be going back soon, not with luck like that. Cross your fingers that my trip to Michigan on Sunday goes better.

Around the Country in a Month (and a half)

ShannanB — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 03:32:00 +0000

Some of you may have noticed that I have not been blogging as much lately. That is because I have been working on a major project for a client that is getting ready to really take off. This project, which I’ve been working on since October, is finally in the implementation stage which means over the course of the next month and a half I’ll be travelling all over the country.

The big adventure begins tomorrow when I board a plane for sunny Orlando. I’ll be there for just under 24 hours – long enough for my client’s program to take place and the back on a plane for home. I’ll leave again on Monday for the next stop on the tour in rainy (today, anyway) Oklahoma and it just goes on. Me visiting city after city for about 24 hours, for the next month.

Now, while you might not think that type of travel schedule is bad, please note that being gone for 24 hours actually requires just about 2 full days of time – especially for the west coast. This means rearranging schedules, finding care for the boys so my husband doesn’t have to miss meetings, etc. It’s a lot of work.

So, while the posting will be abridged for the next few weeks, please stay tuned as I will eventually return to normal. Feel free to follow me on my adventure around the county via twitter – shannanb. I’m bound to have lots of funny stories (and mishaps) knowing me.

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It was Doomed from the Start

Around the Country in a Month (and a half)