Last {we'll see} Travel Week 2012

This {last} travel week of the year was spent in Tampa, Homosassa, Naples, Ft Myers, and Cape Coral.

Some take-aways from this week:

Asked the question, "Can anyone tell me what the 2 most commonly used words, by media, to describe the stock market are?" at a shareholder meeting on Tuesday night.  For the first time EVER, I had an older man reply with, "BULL......SHIT!"  I couldn't keep my composure and laugh very hard right along with everyone else.

Just because you're old, doesn't mean you can't have fun.  I've learned that old, retired people are some of the heaviest drinkers, most foul mouthed, and generally happiest people I've met.  They know how to have a good time and aren't even opposed to hanging out at the Blue Martini until it closes.

Lastly, life is always being put into perspective.  I've been through many, MANY airports throughout my career and I've always noticed the on-site Airport Fire Department.  Maybe I'm blonde, naive, or just not that smart, but I assumed it was there in case a plane ever caught on fire.  What I witnessed today in the Fort Myers Airport at gate C3, put my life into perspective.  As I approached the gate, all of the patrons were gathering their stuff and changing gates.  It was because there was an elderly man lying on the floor while the Airport Fire Rescue team administered chest compressions on him for at least 15 minutes.  One day there could be a fire one a plane and I'm sure the Fire Department will be there to help extinguish it, but I now will think of the poor man, who was traveling alone, laying on the floor when I see the onsite Fire Department.

*God, I know you're watching over that man.  Please place a healing hand over him so that he may pull through..  I pray that his family is comforted in knowing that he was being taken good care of and that even though he was alone, there were people like me praying for him.  Amen.

Traveling definitely keeps you on your toes.

By The Numbers...

I travel.  A. LOT.  

Growing up, you're always told, "get a good education, get a good job, and travel on someone else's dime."  

Well, I've taken that to heart....literally. 

So.  Here.  Is.  The.  Recap.  By the {numbers}

52 total weeks in a year.

47 of those weeks I'm expected to work.

22 of them spent on the road.

46% of my time was spent away from my home.[humph]

25% of time away from home is what my job description says. [sigh]

102 nights spent in a Marriott Hotel in Florida

10 additional nights I spent cheating on Marriott with Sheraton's, Omni, and the Drake in Chicago.

350 advisors visited over the year

2 1/2 vacations

and I'm glad to report, just

ONE more week on the road!

The feeling of coming home gets sweeter and sweeter, everytime.

For the record:

Marriott is the BEST hotel chain with the BEST reward program

Southwest is, hands down, the most economical airline, but more importantly, you matter to them and they feed you on their planes!

Hertz treats GOLD members like Kings and Queens

and Window seats will never go out of style!