Convention Hangover

Now that I am back from the GCLS convention in Orlando, Florida, I am suffering from that post convention hangover, or the real life smacked me in the face reaction. Those of you who travel for business know what I'm talking about. Smack one...no matter how good or bad the trip is, days on the road are exhausting, then you come home and everyone thinks you've been on a vacation. Smack two...something always needs your attention when you first walk through the door. Smack three...you have to get back to work.

Sarah and I along with many others from the con stayed over on Sunday night and flew out on Monday. It gave us a little more time to rest. A group of us got to go out to dinner and actually talk to each other instead of rushing through a meal to get back to the con. I actually came up with a great idea for handling the problem I have been having with my second book. I love talking to other writers.

Then came Monday. I woke up with a stuffy head. We had to rush to pack and check out, get to the airport, turn in our rental car, and go through the hassle that has become the norm at airports. We were early, so check-in was the easy part. Of course, TSA took Sarah's cold cream and that very dangerous jar of peanut-butter we carry for times when we are too rushed to have a meal.

Our flight home was not the worst flight I have ever had, but it was a bumpy ride. The seat belt light was on the entire trip. Bouncing around makes Sarah worry. When my spouse is tense I worry about her. We are both good at finding reasons to worry about each other. That means we were kind of wired when we got home and all the raw nerves were prickling. All our worry comes through the door with us and there are no buffers.

We have a friend who stops by and looks after the house while we are away. Still, there is that closed up feel our house gets when we've been gone. It will take a day or two for home to feel homey again. Then there was the evil computer problem. Our home network isn't working. The pile of email will have to wait until I get home tonight with the new modem and hopefully get web connected again (we are running out at lunch to get the new modem). Then there is the real mail piled on the kitchen table. The lawn needs attention too. Oh, the joy of coming home.

Today it is back to the office, stuffy head and all, and to the pile of mail and problems that will be waiting for me.  I am not sure what waits, but I'm early enough to not have to deal with it just yet. The university server is up and running. Now, if only I could get rid of this hung over feeling and get a little air to go through my nose...I might get some work done.