Hello, travel season!

Well, friends, I just spent two days on a long date with travel season. We're getting along thus far, and I think this new relationship might actually end up working out quite well! Right now, though, I am back in Des Moines at my apartment --which is actually way too hot and sticky due to this heat wave, and our refusal to turn the AC back on. Anyway, what was I saying? Oh yeah, my date with travel season. So, yesterday I spent the day with another admissions counselor, Andy, at a few high school visits. Our last was in Webster City, and from there I headed straight to Cedar Falls to settle in for the evening. Now, I figured that at some point throughout travel season I would have some issues with maps, and getting lost, etc. What I didn't expect is that it would happen on day one. I am driving down Hwy 20 and I have the directions I printed from the Internet that are supposed to lead me straight to my hotel. I must add that I have not been to Cedar Falls since my cousin's high school football team went to state or something and played there--I was like 8. So, back to driving--I am looking and looking for this exit I am supposed to take, and all of the sudden I realize that I am driving through the Waterloo exits, and it dawns on me that I have clearly gone too far. So I call the hotel to see where in the world I was supposed to have gotten off the highway--sure enough the exit I am looking for doesn't actually exist. Big sigh. Anyway, several unnecessary miles later, I make my way to my hotel.

This morning, I was awakened by a hotel alarm clock that was so loud I literally jumped into being awake this morning; after surpassing the fright, I got ready, checked out, and made my way to the Dome for my fair. I find it very easily, parking is a breeze, and I make my way into the building. Last night, I had a momentary bout of panic as to where and what time I was supposed to be places, and so after re-reading the information, I know there is going to be no elevator. It says something like, there will be one flight of stairs.... Okay, cool, my stuff weighs about 704 pounds, but I can handle that. Imagine my surprise when I find the stairs and realize that by one flight they actually mean like four stories worth of stairs...needless to say, I was sweating and gross by the time I had my table set up...right on!

But, when the students finally arrived, I had a blast--I met a TON of AwEsoMe students today--there were just so many great people! You all know I'm the rookie here, so to actually be out meeting students, getting to know them, and doing what lies at the heart of this job--well, that was great. And, frankly, it was a lot of fun.

After that, I drove back to Indianola, went to the office and realized how much stuff I have to do. Then, I got all sorts of anxious, tried to knock a lot of it out, but then decided I was too tired and really just wanted sweatpants so I decided to bring the work home, and on my way into Des Moines I decided that I really really wanted Fazolis and so I went and got it, but it is so out of the way of my house--well, not really any farther from home, it just takes about twice as long, but come on, when you want pasta, you want pasta. Anyway, by the time I got my food, and got all the way across town I had wasted several minutes of precious time. And now, I am blogging, but have to finish my work, and repack as tomorrow I am back in the office in the morning and then I am leaving at noon to head to Dubuque for a college fair (see you there) and then after that I go to Fayette, stay the night, have a fair there and then one in Decorah on Thursday, and finally on Friday I will be heading back to the office to catch up on work and go to meetings all afternoon. Somewhere in there, I am going to find a second to breathe...and, in all honesty, I LoVe it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!