I have developed a dependent relationship with my Garmin. I hear her voice more than anyone's, it seems. The little GPS device I stick to my windshield guides me through two months of navigating various rental cars on highways, parkways, interstates, exits, on-ramps, stoplights, missed exits, construction, traffic jams...
The magic of my job is its perpetual shift in the task at hand. It isn't always like this, but in the thick of it, it's hard to remember what life is like without an airplane ride every week. For September and October, I become more familiar with hotel rooms and car rentals than with my own apartment and dented Honda; texts and Facebook conversations help me feebly attempt to sustain relationships with real people. I stare at my work Google calendar impulsively, as I prefer to know exactly when I must arrive to a college fair/high school visit/interview with student and attempt to time it just so. Thankfully, Garmin Lady gets me there on time. And to think this is my third travel season, and only my first year with her? How did I survive before?
