I’m expanding my editing skills at work. I’m honing my interviewing skills as we help others understand their technical systems. And there’s some travel along the way.

It’s an interesting experience to travel for work. There’s the “pack professional but light” challenge. Sometimes there’s the rush to the airport and trying to look calm and professional as TSA checks me out. And trying to look especially calm when they remove the peanut butter from my carry-on, with “You can’t take this, Ma’am; it’s too large a jar.”

“Really? What’s wrong with peanut butter? It’s solid.”

“No, Ma’am, it’s not. I’m sorry, but according to the Rules, peanut butter is a cream.”

“Oh! A cream? (Well, the jar did say, “creamy peanut butter”!) I guess I can’t take it, huh?’

“Right. I’m sorry.”

“Me too; part of that was dinner.”

And I trudge out of the check-in line in search of some nuts or something protein-y I can eat for dinner.

Traveling by car is so much easier! I can throw in whatever I’d like to take. As long as I make sure there’s gas in the car and I have good directions (and some snacks, of course), I’m on my way. I can even find interesting sites to see while on work travel. For example: Who knew that there was a cute park with a lake a mile from Disneyland? Complete with ducks, geese, and picnic benches! What a great place to relax after a charged day!

Yes..travel by car for business wins hands-down. Yet air travel does present some great learning experiences – like finding out that peanut butter is a cream. Who knew?