Charlotte trip

I will be in Charlotte, NC for several days this week for an all-hands offsite. It's a chance to meet some of my new teammates in person, and build relationships.

When you work on the other side of the country from most of your team, a face-to-face meeting is a rare priviledge. In my last assignment, I was quite close to many of my team, having worked with them day in and out for several years. Yet, I might go two years between actually seeing them. So it was always nice when those few chances came. This is a little different; I'm just beginning to know my new team, so this will put faces to names and kickstart some relationships.

It will also be interesting to finally visit Charlotte, the main headquarters city. Of course us old West Coasters remember all too well that San Francisco was "World Headquarters", and it's hard not to feel resentful about the stolen moniker (not to mention the thousands of jobs that go with a major company's HQ city). But that battle was lost years ago, alas.

Still, I am glad business travel is not a common occurrence for me. I hate being away from my family, even for a few days. At best it's a necessary evil. And even with these few days away, I will be missing my son's first days in high school.

I'm afraid I'd make a lousy "road warrior" with this attitude.