I'm back.

I'm tired.

I have a headache.

What an odd trip that was... my first business trip, and if I had anything to do with it, it would be my last... but I'm sure that won't be the case. The whole thing just had a really weird feel to it. The rides up and back to Nowhereville, IL were excruciating (9-10 hours each, because we had to stop in Chicago at O'Hare to pick up two folks who were flying in from New York for this special occasion... bursts of conversation followed by long, long uncomfortable silences. There's only so much small-talk you can make with people that you don't know very well, and who aren't all that willing to talk back. I spent quite a bit of time staring at trees... and farm fields... and the occasional group of cows.

The school mascot of the town we went to is the pretzel. The 'fighting pretzels'. I can't make this stuff up.

I have come back from this trip rather befuddled, though. Befuddled in a way that I just don't want to talk about right now. Befuddled in a way that has broken my concentration... with one thought stuck in my head right now that won't go away...

It's good to be back.