Reprieve over people! My ass is and was back on a plane! The first of many 2014 Sarah trips took off this past week. In a random state of circumstance, I happily converged personal and professional – Norfolk to Orlando as happy daughter and wife, and then onward to San Diego as dutiful contact center advocate, research analyst and presenter of all things customer experience.

In 2013 I documented my travels with a concise but comprehensive list of what I was wearing, what was around me, and what was in my possession. Oftentimes I would be drafting these in-airport, in-flight, and on-the-go to keep them relevant and momentarily interesting. WTF was I thinking? I have enough stress on the road without trying to blog from my iPhone in a Uber car.

2014 = New Year; new strategy.

Let’s talk post-trip. Let’s reminisce about what went right and what just bit the big one. Let’s discuss the good, the bad, the boring. Let’s simultaneously lament about the fat man next to me and giggle about the absurdity. Let’s expand our reach to lounges, and hotels, and dining, and colleagues. Let’s play the true #roadwarrior game.

Here’s a snapshot of the good: There’s actual sunshine in San Diego. There’s pretty people on the news in the morning that brush their hair, understand makeup, wear pretty dresses and appreciate all things Botox and plastic surgery. I like pretty in the morning before the caffeine truly kicks in. The good folks at Peet’s coffee comped my cup of black when they ran out of almond milk; good on you. I got to hang out with brilliant customer service folk and have a “celebrity” dork-out when I met the VP of Global Customer Support for Amazon. Swoon. There was a hot man in the United Club that was on his way to Amsterdam and kept smiling at me. (I’m ecstatically married to a hotter man; I’m not dead.)The United Club in IAD now stocks popcorn. I spent a weekend in Orlando with my freaking funny and lovely parents, my hot husband and my dear Dayna. I have fabulous parents. They bought me a punchbowl. And I finally met Dayna’s caustic and brilliant husband. NPR’s ‘All Song’s Considered’ introduced me to Phosphorescent. Epcot has alcohol; lots of alcohol in many colors. I drink too much. My new Reebok bra rocks. I ran for the first time in ages; I ran along the bay in San Diego. I almost didn’t come home. Norfolk hates me. (Wait, that last one goes i the bad column.) I won a Nexus 7 by making fun of a friend. Uber kicks ass. My new BillyKirk bag is even more ass-kickery. The window in my San Diego Hyatt opened to the Bay. PreTSA is fucking awesome!

And…here’s what I could have done without: WTF with this damn weather? Snowing in Norfolk and raining in Orlando. Cold. Mother-fing cold. I hate cold. I am currently stuck in IAD. WTF??? Always stuck here. You can’t drink in Texas before noon on Sundays; even in the United Club. There should be some sort of allowance when work traveling on a weekend. I haven’t really worked out all week. I acquired a cold in California. I think the state was telling me not to leave. Every flight this week was full to the brim. I drink too much. Travelers are becoming fatter and flirtier. Stop all of that. My dog misses me and is having severe separation anxiety. My husband yelled at me, hung up and then apologized. I chalk it up to the dog’s separation anxiety. CrossFit makes my jeans tight. I’m still not home. I miss California; I hate Virginia.

There you have it. Trip one down, many, many, more to go. All in all, this one ranks…good.