The Return of the Business Trip

 With a mask on my face, I’m embarking on my first business trip in nearly three years..and it’s a big one. I’m flying to San Diego as part of a “New Jersey team” for a five-day conference to discuss early learning policy and implementation and frankly, I feel out of sorts.  

I fit everything into a carry-on.  How can that be?  We have been fortunate enough to take some trips as the specter of COVID ebbed and flowed (all travel happening during the ebb periods) and I have found that I nearly always had to take the “luggage sit-on” approach to zipping closed my suitcase.  I recognize that San Diego is warm and consequently, I do not need the multiple hiking layers and bloody hiking boots that take up so much room in a suitcase, but I’m still worried—and for anyone who has spent any time at a multi-day conference, you know what I mean.  

The hotels in which they are held can only be described as sub-arctic.  For someone like me who is usually cold in the summer, conference  dress apparel always has to be one step below a good winter coat with fur lining-mittens optional. And so my biggest fear is that I have forgotten some significant warm piece of clothing and will need to show up at various plenaries and break-out sessions wearing the jeans I have on  for the flight or my pajama bottoms which my dear husband has described as “middle age cruise wear.”  I will let you know if  all my fears have been for naught.