After last night's baseball game, I returned to the hotel totally tired. As usual, as soon as I was in bed my brain decided to reactivate. At first, I started thinking about the movie 1408 and hotel ghosts. So for a while, all the city lights, ventalition noises, and bedsheets were bothering me more than usual. After I decided that my room was not haunted, I started to think about how really good my life is and how other people would perceive it. I work hard and I have stress. That is true and real. I also have unique opportunities to go to a free baseball game, stay in a nice hotel, and splurge on a better beer when I deem the free beer to be not to my liking.
St. Louis downtown is really a depressing place to be. Leaving the baseball game last night, we had to run the gauntlet of people begging for money. Some may have been truly needy, others were simply slackers who choose the easy way out. While my life is built on long hours and a bizarre work ethic, I know that my choices have led to my life. The people on the street also have choices. Who would I rather give money to? The guy who is playing the sax or the one who's just sitting there? For me, the sax player is at least entertaining the pedestrians and there is an exchange of energy going. The one laying around waiting for the windfall and for the world to make it right, he needs to look at himself.
Tonight, I return to my room after a 9 hour day followed by a 4 hour training debrief with a new employee. I'm wiped out and I've worked hard. The hotel room that is luxury to some is simply sanctuary to me before I repeat the day.
As a business traveler, I see the best and worst of the world and sometimes at the exact same time. I have nothing witty to offer on this. Last night I saw ghosts and poverty. Tonight, I hope only to see the pillow of nothingness as I drift off to sleep.
St. Louis downtown is really a depressing place to be. Leaving the baseball game last night, we had to run the gauntlet of people begging for money. Some may have been truly needy, others were simply slackers who choose the easy way out. While my life is built on long hours and a bizarre work ethic, I know that my choices have led to my life. The people on the street also have choices. Who would I rather give money to? The guy who is playing the sax or the one who's just sitting there? For me, the sax player is at least entertaining the pedestrians and there is an exchange of energy going. The one laying around waiting for the windfall and for the world to make it right, he needs to look at himself.
Tonight, I return to my room after a 9 hour day followed by a 4 hour training debrief with a new employee. I'm wiped out and I've worked hard. The hotel room that is luxury to some is simply sanctuary to me before I repeat the day.
As a business traveler, I see the best and worst of the world and sometimes at the exact same time. I have nothing witty to offer on this. Last night I saw ghosts and poverty. Tonight, I hope only to see the pillow of nothingness as I drift off to sleep.
Great post!
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