Friday Five: Business Trip

For today's Friday Five, we're invited to share our "experiences with the exciting, challenging world of business travel"...

1. Does your job ever call for travel? Is this a joy or a burden?
The only significant travel related to my job (optometrist) is when I attend the continuing education conferences. (We are required to have at least 50 hours biennially). The words "joy" and "burden" both seem a bit extreme in trying to describe the CE. For the most part I like (and benefit from) continuing education, but sometimes it can be a bit mind-numbing.

2. How about that of your spouse or partner?
Since Hubby's career is the same as mine, I'd have to just say "ditto" to answer #1! We often attend the same conferences.

3. What was the best business trip you ever took?
Hmm... a glaucoma symposium in Woodinville, Washington last year was really pleasant. (Beautiful location, good food, great classes.) This garden was just outside the conference center:
(Photo credit here.)

Actually, CE conferences are generally scheduled in nice locations. We have tended to stay "close to home" while raising Offsprings #1&2 but I suppose we could get more adventurous now that we are empty nesters. (There is a winter conference in Maui that Hubby always finds very tempting.)

4. ...and the worst, of course?
One year Hubby and I hit a really bad traffic jam heading to classes in Portland, arrived late, and were "docked" credit hours. (The credentialing people are very strict about clock hours, which they should be...)

5. What would make your next business trip perfect?
One example of "perfect" CE would be to schedule the conference at a ski resort. We could attend classes from 8:00 a.m. to noon, then break for a light lunch followed by afternoon skiing. Of course this wouldn't be very efficient in terms of the number of education hours, but I'd be willing to sacrifice efficiency. :)

Here's the theoretical me after a morning of classes:


(of course I really just googled the pic)