I both love and hate business trips. When you are on constant work travel, you become a pro at navigating security lines, picking optimal flight seats, and packing to fit everything into a carry-on bag no matter how many days you are there. You also develop some quirky habits.

These odd habits can be your safe-flight rituals. I pack a special toy given to me by my son that I hold onto as the plane takes off. Your rituals can include always buying coffee from the same location in the terminal. Your ritual can also include the odd things you always seem to come back with.

For instance, I never turn in my hotel key card. When my son was younger I would always give them to him. Not too sure why my five year old liked them, but he did. And thus, I brought them home. He no longer, at the age of 9, cares for them but the habit stuck.

I’m known for being a pen thief in the office. But a finicky one at that. I like my pilot gel blue ink fine point pen. I see that at a table, it’s mine. On my trips, I’m not so finicky. I just bring back any pen I come across. I’m so tired of finding all sorts of pens in my bags, dressers and bathrooms at home. It’s like a disease. I have way too many Marriott pens. Moving on.

I love working out on the road. I work out twice each day, if possible. I try to make the most use of my hotels. I maximize. I also use the gym towel to dry off. A long time ago, one of those sweaty towels got folded in with my clothes. I ended up with a cute odd shaped blue towel at home. The same thing still occasionally happens. I laugh at that bit of silliness and forgetfulness.

I do, however, purposefully take all the lotions they give me. Tbey are great for the work desk, beach or just to carry in a purse. I like them but I won’t go crazy driving DC for a hotel lotion bottle. If only I had an assistant to do that for me. Yes, that was a bit of shade that I will not unpack. Pun intended, I suppose.

Anyway, back to the subject at hand. I hate wearing baseball caps. My head just does not look good in one. I’d rather wear a scarf than a cap. Now, with that said, I still tend to buy a baseball cap on my trips. I like having totally random city/town caps. I usually give them to my son. What makes me laugh is when people look at the cap and they ask if we are from that particular town. Nope, just traveled there. Who wears a cap from where they are from? Have you ever seen the movie PCU?

“You’re wearing the shirt of the band you’re going to see? Don’t be that guy.“

And so it is…