Travel Update

Here's my final post for this morning. My trip to Chicago was ok. I mentioned I forgot my pj's and although some of you think it is so easy to run out and buy a pair (I myself always say, if you forget to pack something, just go buy it), it isn't. Now, if it were spring, summer, or fall and I wasn't pregnant, I probably would have been much more apt to take a stroll down Michagan Ave in search of something. Since it was below zero and I don't walk with quite the same ease as before pregnancy, I opted to stay inside.

Here's the thing with Chicago. I work too much when I go there. When I left Tuesday, I was at the airport around 8:30, worked on my BB until we loaded the plane. Then I worked in the cab, got to the hotel, and started to work. I skipped going to the office since I could get more done, uniterrupted. I ended up ordering room service since it was pretty cold the first night I arrived and I didn't want to walk around alone downtown. Not even Chipotle could lure me out. I worked until 8:45 CT and decided that was enough. *PS, Kevin had a team dinner that ran too late for me to synch up with him. I was bummed I didn't get to see him but happy I didn't have to stay up late waiting for him to call.

I got a couple hours of sleep and then was awake every half hour until 3:30 when I had to get up and check on my monster project we were deploying that morning. I was on the phone with our QA team until 4am. Went back to bed for a little bit (I think I had a good 45 minutes of pure sleep) and then was back up and online with them. Of course things didn't go as planned so I balanced showering and phone calls all morning long.

I headed into the office for a 9:30 am "post mortem" call. The rest of the day was chaotic and our conference started at 2. I was exhausted before it even started. Then my computer's wireless card bit the dust and I lived on BB all afternoon. We had a nice dinner but I was so tired. I crashed when I got back to the hotel.

After waking up every couple hours (see previous post on pregnancy) I got up and called FL to have them do something I couldn't do because my computer was fried. It was before 7am and I was already working. Again, had to balance shower and phone calls to FL. Made it to the office a little after 8 in time for our 9am meeting.

Funny part-this new building has several quirks. It's gorgeous and next to the Sears Tower. You have to go up to the 65th floor and transfer elevators to go back to the 32 floor where our offices are. The bathrooms are under lock and key. You have to ask for a key to go to the bathroom and then have a key card/badge to get back into your office suite. What a cluster! I went to the 33rd floor to get my computer fixed and the person who led me up there left me. I figured I knew my way back and took the stairs. Wrong option, I got locked in the stairwell. I didn't have a key card to get out. The sign said next exit ground level. Hmmm...33 flights of stairs up or 33 down and pregnant. I opted to shake the door and sit until someone came in the stairwell. Luckily, someone walked by right away and let me in.

The meetings were ok but lots of regular work drama was going on so I only paid attention to half of the day. At 2 I got my computer back. The meeting ended at 3:30 but my boss and I stayed until after 7pm. I got back to the hotel and met a coworker for a nice dinner. Then I crashed at the hotel again for a night of uncomfortable sleep.

Back up again Friday to get to the office before 8. Worked until 11:30, hopped in a cab, worked in it and then said to heck with work. I am exhausted. Suffered through the flight home (cankles and back pain). Arrived home without any craziness or drama and came home to dinner.

I am happy to report no ghosts at the hotel this time and this is my last time I will travel until after the baby is born. It can't be good to work that much when you aren't pregnant. Hopefully LBF doesn't learn that working yourself to death is the way to go.