Frantic Wednesday

Recently, I was placed on a project that involves developing internal software. I was identified as the best person to be the Requirements Expert (doesn’t that sound smart?) and I was told that I would need to fly out to San Francisco to spend some time with the guy who is doing the actual developing. So, here is my itinerary for the next few days:

Wednesday

• 11:15am: get picked up to go the airport
• 2:30pm: flight takes off (hopefully)
• 5:30pm (Pacific time): flight lands
• 7pm: I call a co-worker to meet for dinner

Thursday

• 8am: arrive at the office so the tech guys can fix my computer
• 9am: get locked in a windowless room called the Bat Cave – seriously – with my development buddy
• 12pm: get released for lunch
• 1pm: back to the grindstone
• 5pm: out for happy hour (amen!) and dinner
  

Friday

• 9am-5pm: repeat Thursday’s schedule
• 5pm: coerce some co-workers to spend their Friday evening with me
• 10pm: take off on a red-eye flight back to the east coast

Saturday

• 6am (Eastern time): flight lands in Philadelphia
• 7am: arrive back home, most likely an attractive combination of disheveled and disgruntled
• 7:02am: fall into bed for a couple of hours of non-plane sleep

Doesn’t that sound great?!

As of this morning, I hadn’t packed at all, unless you count a chicken-scratch list on the refrigerator white board, so if you had had the misfortune of being at my house this morning, you would have seen me running around and muttering things like:

Don’t forget the phone charger! And those materials that consultant asked me to bring along! Wait, what’s the weather like in San Francisco? Do I need a heavy coat? What time is my ride coming? Oh, no, I forgot to run those reports from Monday! Can I finish twelve of them before 11? Will I have internet access at the airport? How many pairs of shoes do I need?

I’m happy to report that I was packed and showered before I logged on to my computer at 8:30, I sent out all twelve reports before 10, and I remembered to record an out-of-office voicemail on my work phone. Even though I ate Thin Mints for breakfast, I consider this morning a success.