Winding down or up?…wait…What?

06 Dec 2011 1 Comment

by tradeshowgypsy in Wait....WHAT? Tags: , , , ,

AAAAHHH!!!!

The season for 2011 is getting close to ending for the year. Traveling is now one of the biggest challenges for gypsies and show attendees! The year has been a full one with a variety of results all along the year of shows, conferences, events, training (maybe 1), and internal planning sessions. Gathering the gypsies at this time of year is a tough sell; as everyone has had enough travel, selling and business. Keeping that optimistic attitude and keeping the team focused can be an all-consuming energy drain. You can do it! Make every show count there will be a reward at the end.

Compiling year-end reports, personal year-end performance appraisal materials and the general “where did all this paperwork come from?” With the holidays here  and the realization of having to take vacation as the year is running out…don’t panic gypsy – there is plenty of time, take a deep breath and one day off – completely off – no email, voicemail, shopping, family, no one but you!

Now is the time to use your gypsy spirit and run away – go to a spa for the day (what money you say) – go to your nearest Massage School and get a good rub down on all of those sore body parts for a lessor fee if you are watching your nickels, and head for a museum or quiet hang out place, a library, a boutique hotel lounge.  Yes, as a gypsy there are certain things that are like the shoemaker’s kids that do not have a shoe in sight – return to your second home a hotel but this time enjoy the space and facility.  Invite your significant other to join you at the end of your day and have a nice dinner and spend the night.

Take your day but make sure to get out of your house, otherwise you will get roped into a variety of should do’s, or it will feel like a sick day – get out and do something for yourself – anything that will help you get away from it all – take a drive to a scenic area – a wind down not up day – no skiing or gym to the point of over do…wind down! Change your thought process to, I deserve … get your image of a dry eraser board and eraser, every time work, home, bills, guilt for taking the day, or anything negative; erase that baby right off the board, and enjoy life!

YOU Gypsy have worked very hard all year, battling everything from changes in complete show venue’s due to political issues in certain countries this year; internal cuts or consolidations that have doubled or tripled your schedules and workload – not to mention the daily nemesis of every gypsy – SHIPPING! Makes me shake my head just thinking about it!

So before you have to gear up and get into the planning stage and dig through all of that paperwork that will carry over into your weekends fraught with holiday madness – take a day – you will be much more productive and re-energized to get through the last shows of December and the reporting cycle of budget reconciliation for this year and planning and readjusting (for the 3rd time) your budget for next year.

I can smell the rose petals now!

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Holiday…NO, Labor Day…wait…Really?

02 Sep 2011 Leave a comment

by tradeshowgypsy in Wait...REALLY? Tags: , , , , ,

Holiday?

Tradeshowgypsies have to make their own holidays! The Labor Day Holiday is usually the kick-off to the fall trade show season –get ready this year is going to be a lulu! This means is it a prime show-set-up weekend with labor costs doubling or even tripling!

Adding insult to injury! Be wary as your travel can be quite the challenge. With some families and schools starting after Labor Day families are trying to squeeze in that last tiny bit of summer, or college students who may be having a bit of angst moving into dorms and the starting of classes; not that they are going home necessarily but they are traveling out for a little break before full-blown focused time hits between now and the “real” holidays (gypsies are rarely home for Halloween and Thanksgiving is always in question).

With all the whooharrah in the airports, there you are with you trusty gypsy suitcase loaded with work suits (polo-latest color and logo/button down just in case/black, black, black…ok last days of khaki, khaki and those show set-up jeans, etc. etc.) sigh.

Thinking of family or friends that are going to be “celebrating” in whatever manner, makes a gypsy quite sad and frustrated with the traveling situation. Feeling like a cast off and “working” the gypsy mind goes on thinking, all of this is for free-as of course tradeshowgypsies are on salary! But, you get to travel, you know that wonderful vacation type travel that your colleagues who do not travel all swear you have the easiest job!

HURRUMPH! Visions of hauling them out of their family outing and making them stand in this line with the screaming 6-3-0 year old(s) and overwhelmed parents; college students laughing and carrying on with no tags on their bags not to mention where is my ID?? GRRRR you think, just go, go, the kiosk is open! You drop your trusty gypsy suitcase for its next meet-up with a variety of its own challenges *please make it one more trip! After many other irritating incidents you finally arrive at your home-base window seat (necessary to keep from head-bob during the nap that begins before plane is off the ground).

As you open those groggy eyes and the plane touches down at the new camp, a switch goes off in your body and brain. The gypsy magic has occurred and you are on GO! No more anxiety with other travelers, time to fetch the magic tradeshowgysy suitcase and bring this show to life! Amazing, how those holidays that are cut short seem to meld away into just another, “I avoided the DOUBLE-TIME for SHOW LABOR day!”

You just saved Labor day costs, don’t forget to keep track of those savings as the % of money you saved your company by traveling on the holiday, your hotel room/food if you get any is only about 1 hour worth of labor costs, so yes you saved money!

If I can say one thing about missing many holidays being a tradeshowgypsy – make sure to cut a deal with your clan leader and get your Holiday(s) and make them special! Your family, friends, TSG Cat knows you are missing those holidays so be creative and don’t just clean house or sleep…make those days HOLIDAYS! Safe Travels gypsies!