Time To Get Back To Work

These are the personal thoughts of the blogger and no more . . .

I had the opportunity to have a relatively normal (by car) business trip this week to visit a key supplier. It was a refreshing experience and it is time to encourage everyone to get back to normal, in my opinion.

The travel day was cold but sunny and a four or five hour car trip was involved. However, a stop half way and a normal lunch (masks in and out, but not at the table) was great. Good food and the restaurant was half or a quarter full, but vibrant.

Another few hours to our destination and an hour meeting or so. Check in and a form to fill out for tracing purposes, but just paperwork to my mind.

Sitting in a meeting room and talking about the current difficult situation in the urethane industry. Exploring options that wouldn’t make it to the Zoom discussion (no two second delays). Real empathy between the participants about their current situations, none of which are good.

But a chance to sit face-to-face with people we’ve known for years to figure out solutions.

Followed up by a simple dinner among friends. We still discussed business, but also our personal issues and triumphs and (hopefully) small failures. How we’ve all fared this past year.

Followed up by a few tasks, and a new agenda to help us get through the current shortages and crises.

Then back to a hotel with no restaurant, not even an open front desk. No health club either, and masked guests in all public areas. But great nonetheless.

The next day, it was up with coffee and an apple for breakfast left over from the day before. Some time to catch up on emails. A brisk walk. Then off in the car for the trip home–phone calls the whole way until a lunch break. A great small restaurant recommended. Back to the office late that afternoon. Lots of details to catch up on, calls to reply to, emails to be sent. Another hour or two in the office.

It is time to get back to normal!