@katbyter This. Ive travelled all over the world for my former job, and people are always like "oh you should see this and this" but all you end up seeing is the office and your hotel room, and if your lucky a resteraunt that is still open so youre not calling down to the kitchen at 1am local time for them to microwave you some frozen crabcakes.
I know I'm strange for using my phone for my home wifi for the past 5 years, but Jebus Rice how strange can I be for thinking a 4G connection makes a decent on the road connection? Being grandfathered into an unlimited plan can be pretty sweet.
Working on vacation. Since I do freelance writing, if the wifi is a bit sluggish it doesn't cause me problems while I work in work. But as I said, working on vacation, it's just annoying because you feel tied to your computer at times.
How about the "you are stuck in a conference room with 10 other people and you are all trying to find laptop space". I spend more time at these off sites getting stuff plugged in, and " click this then reboot and the corporate WiFi should work" and "we need another power strip".
@Pamtha Yeah, my department is funded by HUD and sometimes when we go to their trainings they will have round tables and seat everyone elbow to elbow around them, which means the little pie slice which is your share of the table isn't big enough to put down the handouts they give you, much less a laptop. At least they finally figured out that hosting people from all over the region, many of them coming in on red-eyes, saying "No food or drinks allowed" then spending four hours reading them Federal regulations was a sure way to be talking to a room full of sleeping people.
Tiny screen. Also the fact that the company doesn't pay all the expenses I have when traveling. Gotta pay the pet-sitter; she doesn't work for free. Also communicating with people back home on the East coast; they get up annoyingly early for when I'm there, so it's just insanely early Pacific Time.
Everything is annoying about an out of town work trip. I did too many for too long. It begins with the attitude that you are going to take over their department, so lack of cooperation. The company expects you to work 18 hour days because you are to get so much done in a short time. Poor facilities, because they aren't equipped for guests. Hotel rooms that aren't home, and eating out for the whole time (except for Residence Inns with kitchens). And number one - missing my significant other.
@Kleineleh I drink daily. Not a lot, just enough to un-clench my jaw from the day's work. Without the convenience of purchasing in the normal bulk amounts, you have to buy it one at a time, and that's more expensive; that makes it a business expense. After 10+ years with the company, you think they'd at least buy me a damn beer.
@PocketBrain Right? Especially when a huge part of my job was networking- which happened at the bars after the conference. When I was touring we were just handed a wad of cash each week and that was the end of it. I was stunned when I got a "real" job and had to start keeping the receipts.
I used to travel about 5-6 times per year for my about-to-be-former company. They actually have a pretty decent travel expense policy. In 15 years they never hounded me about which airline I used, which hotel I stayed at, what car I rented, or what food I expensed. The per diem rate for food was always adequate, and meals under $25 don't even require a receipt as long as they are paid with their corporate Mastercard. That's how it should be. You're doing the company a favor by leaving your home and family. The guidelines should be relaxed enough that you should be able to travel how you want, and without worry of possibly having to foot the bill for stupid shit like a beer with your dinner.
The wifi problem is big, but I find food is a worse problem. It is hard for me to find something to eat that is worth eating after work while travelling.
Trying to find a woman that will...
Wait, I mean Crappy WiFi. Yeah.
By the time you get out of work, everything you want to see is closed. And going everywhere alone.
@katbyter This. Ive travelled all over the world for my former job, and people are always like "oh you should see this and this" but all you end up seeing is the office and your hotel room, and if your lucky a resteraunt that is still open so youre not calling down to the kitchen at 1am local time for them to microwave you some frozen crabcakes.
Why is it so many cheap hotels have free wifi, but expensive hotels charge for it? And why is it so crappy?
I know I'm strange for using my phone for my home wifi for the past 5 years, but Jebus Rice how strange can I be for thinking a 4G connection makes a decent on the road connection? Being grandfathered into an unlimited plan can be pretty sweet.
Finding a power strip at the airport.
The worst thing is going out of town. I hate traveling.
The definitive worst annoying thing about doing work on an out-of-town trip is actually doing the work on that out-of-town trip.
Working on vacation silly. The point of vacations is no work.
Working on vacation. Since I do freelance writing, if the wifi is a bit sluggish it doesn't cause me problems while I work in work. But as I said, working on vacation, it's just annoying because you feel tied to your computer at times.
How about the "you are stuck in a conference room with 10 other people and you are all trying to find laptop space". I spend more time at these off sites getting stuff plugged in, and " click this then reboot and the corporate WiFi should work" and "we need another power strip".
@Pamtha Yeah, my department is funded by HUD and sometimes when we go to their trainings they will have round tables and seat everyone elbow to elbow around them, which means the little pie slice which is your share of the table isn't big enough to put down the handouts they give you, much less a laptop. At least they finally figured out that hosting people from all over the region, many of them coming in on red-eyes, saying "No food or drinks allowed" then spending four hours reading them Federal regulations was a sure way to be talking to a room full of sleeping people.
Having to use the stupid laptop keyboard and trackpad instead of my docked keyboard and mouse.
Tiny screen. Also the fact that the company doesn't pay all the expenses I have when traveling. Gotta pay the pet-sitter; she doesn't work for free. Also communicating with people back home on the East coast; they get up annoyingly early for when I'm there, so it's just insanely early Pacific Time.
Everything is annoying about an out of town work trip. I did too many for too long. It begins with the attitude that you are going to take over their department, so lack of cooperation. The company expects you to work 18 hour days because you are to get so much done in a short time. Poor facilities, because they aren't equipped for guests. Hotel rooms that aren't home, and eating out for the whole time (except for Residence Inns with kitchens). And number one - missing my significant other.
Per diem that doesn't cover alcohol
@Kleineleh I drink daily. Not a lot, just enough to un-clench my jaw from the day's work. Without the convenience of purchasing in the normal bulk amounts, you have to buy it one at a time, and that's more expensive; that makes it a business expense. After 10+ years with the company, you think they'd at least buy me a damn beer.
@PocketBrain Right? Especially when a huge part of my job was networking- which happened at the bars after the conference. When I was touring we were just handed a wad of cash each week and that was the end of it. I was stunned when I got a "real" job and had to start keeping the receipts.
I used to travel about 5-6 times per year for my about-to-be-former company. They actually have a pretty decent travel expense policy. In 15 years they never hounded me about which airline I used, which hotel I stayed at, what car I rented, or what food I expensed. The per diem rate for food was always adequate, and meals under $25 don't even require a receipt as long as they are paid with their corporate Mastercard. That's how it should be. You're doing the company a favor by leaving your home and family. The guidelines should be relaxed enough that you should be able to travel how you want, and without worry of possibly having to foot the bill for stupid shit like a beer with your dinner.
@jsh139 So why leave your about-to-be former company? Sounds like a real good deal when traveling for them.
@rkwilcox I think his company left him.
@rkwilcox They're moving my position to Raleigh, NC and I'm in the Philadelphia area.
@barnabee They said "It's not you, it's me" But I have a feeling they were just being nice.
@jsh139 Well, now you have a new job and this one's going to be even better!
@barnabee Haha, yup! And I don't think there will actually be any travel required :)
It isn't the small screen of a laptop, it's the small keyboard.
Who has two thumbs and a no-travel clause in his work agreement? This guy!
The wifi problem is big, but I find food is a worse problem. It is hard for me to find something to eat that is worth eating after work while travelling.