Giddy with excitement

I'm positively giddy.

Why, you ask?

Because I get to take a "business trip"!

Did you ever travel for business? Way back when I had a "career", when I was a rising star, the youngest "senior technical writer", I went on business trips. I always managed to work everything out so that I had some time to play as well as attend meetings and training sessions and talks. I've spent a weekend enjoying the white sand of Pensacola and wandered through Muir Woods outside of San Francisco. I've whiled away an afternoon in the aquarium on Pier 39 and bumped along on the Kilimanjaro Safari in Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Ah, yes, those were the days.

I did like to go alone and do the things I wanted to do when I wanted to do it, but the absolute best times I had on business trips was when I had a co-worker or two along for the fun.

So you, my "coworkers", are officially invited to join me on my "business trip".

On Monday, December 7th, the Pioneer Woman will be in Atlanta to sign her soon-to-be-released cookbook.

Pioneer Woman is a writer, a blogger, a homeschool mom. Me, too! So going to meet her at the book signing qualifies as a "business trip". There's nothing quite like going to a book release or a book signing. You're surrounded by excited people who are all talking about the book. Everyone talks to everyone else, an instant camaraderie created as you share your experiences with the book or author, what you've learned, what you love and what you hate.

So I'll probably be driving down early that day so I can find the bookstore and a hotel. I'll do a little exploring, grab an early dinner, then I'll be getting in line early and just enjoying the atmosphere. After a late night of hanging out at the bookstore, I'll be up the next morning for some shopping/browsing/touristing before I head back home to Charlotte.

If that sounds like something you'd love to do, then join me. We'll share the cost AND the fun! I've already got "buy-in" from my "boss" who will be handling my job as well as his own for the two days I'm gone. He did mention something about turning in a "detailed expense report" at the end, though. Maybe I should take it easy on the shopping...

So how about it? Are you in?