Not Quite Betty Crocker

Looking around my home office this morning, I realize I never actually sit in the comfy couch near the window, but I like it there anyway.  I like to imagine that I’ll sit there, laptop in lap, notebook in hand, comfortably working my life away.  But I don’t.  I sit here, in my cold semi-uncomfortable office chair, just looking at the couch.

I’m happy that way.

When I travel, I like to stay at the same hotels, eat at the same restaurants, order the same food.  Seriously.  While in Indianapolis a few weeks ago, we stayed at the Hilton downtown – the one with McCormick and Schmick’s in the lobby.  We ate there three nights in a row and I returned again the next week without a shred of embarrassment.  And I may or may not have ordered the same thing two out of four nights.

I’m a born “regular,” and restaurants love regulars.

So while booking this week’s travel (and it’s a doozy, folks: Indianapolis on Thursday for a major presentation with a bunch of corporate bigwigs, Seattle on Friday for another presentation followed by six interview sessions), I debated following Penelope’s advice on surviving business travel and staying at the tried and true (for us corporate types) Marriott.  Hotel status is a happy thing.

But I like this hotel.  They have a wine reception every evening in the lobby, which I rarely attend but because they once allowed me to take a glass (or two!) to my room, remain forever in my good graces.  Their beds are super comfy.  For one dollar extra, I get a little ticket good for one free drink for every night I stay.  And the restaurant in the lobby is fantastic – and they let me take a tray of dinner up to my room so I don’t have to mess with politeness and chit-chat and staying awake long enough to eat, all while avoiding room service charges.

And, once again, I’m reminded that that (perhaps unintended) brilliance of Ms. Trunk’s posts isn’t that they are steps you should follow absolutely, but that they remind you to make the best decisions for yourself.  She is extremely good at being herself (one could argue she can’t help it), and I’m reminded every time I read her posts that I should be that good at being myself, too.

So I’ll be traveling on United for the airline points (due almost entirely to my loathing of Delta rather than any affinity for United) even though the schedules aren’t as great, but I will stay wherever I please, even if that means I’m at a Hilton.  First-world problem, I know.

I’ll try to get to the Q&A later this afternoon; if not, tomorrow!