Some people love to travel. I’m tired of it. I’ve spent a huge part of my life in hotels, VAQs, BOQs, and tents. It is always good to get back to my own house, family, and routine.
I’m not a social person. It is very hard work for me to engage in small talk. I can do it, but it really wears me out. Today is a perfect example. There is a reception going on for the symposium I’m attending, and here I sit in my room writing and watching the Golf Channel.
Not that I don’t try. I went into the area twice looking to talk with a young man who now works at Arnold Engineering Center on the rocket test cell I helped rebuild twenty years ago after it blew up. He wasn’t there, so I grabbed a Shiner and stood around eating munchies. I waited about twenty minutes and left. Too many people there talking about things I don’t understand. And I don’t have a personality. I can remember being in meetings when everyone paid close attention to what I had to say. I often could dominate a meeting whether I was in charge or not. But as soon as business was complete, I became a non-entity.
I’ve told the boss I don’t like to travel beyond the borders of the Republic, so most of my trips are to Houston, Fort Worth, or San Antonio. I love all three (Dallas is okay, too) and they all have nice golf courses. I plan on spending some time on one tomorrow afternoon.
Me too. In German class our teacher is always asking us about places we’ve been in Germany. Other students yammer away, and I sit there thinking “I don’t like to leave post if I don’t have to.”
Comment by Sarah — May 12, 2004 @ 3:49 pm