Despite my personal feelings otherwise, my travel for the period October through January (three trips ticketed for next month) is about double my historic norm. I'd love to cut back if I could. It's just not going to work.

Business is growing beyond what our staff can handle, I inherited four direct reports 2,050 miles from my home three months ago, and my company is "assimilating" 300 people (50% head count increase) in a merger effective 1/1/02. There is just no way to cut back anytime soon. I'm going to end this year with nearly four weeks of vacation time that I haven't taken. Unfortunately I'm real close to even losing the ability to accrue more.

Even if I had the time to take some vacation, the thought of flying somewhere has little appeal. Overcoming the massive airport hassles and the paranoid airline employees has taken all the enjoyment out of business travel. Up until 9/11 I still got a thrill (albeit minor) out of any business or pleasure trip by air. And this was after 19 years of playing road warrior.

[This message has been edited by Craig6z (edited 12-26-2001).]