What a week I've had! I have been in a paper mill for the last four days, finding equipment and noting all the pertinent details of it. Now that sounds easy enough, I know. But it was really hot outside, even hotter inside (lots of steam involved in the paper making process), very dirty, and exhausting. It was also frustrating at times, because we couldn't find all the equipment; sometimes it was too high for us to read the nameplate, or too dangerous to get to, or the equipment tag number was missing.

I come from the generation that won't leave the house unless we are showered, powdered and perfumed, with our hair and makeup in place. Well, for the last four days I went to work in the same jeans and tee shirt (I did wash them at night, though) and with no makeup. It would have melted in the heat. Between the hard hat and the humidity, my hair was a sight to behold. I had the maintenance crew laughing when I told them that I'm not used to working for a living -- I'm a salesman, I drive around in my air-conditioned car and take people to lunch. I know I got their respect, especially since my competitor flatly refused to do a plant survey. The point of all this is to get more of the business. I can't say that it was fun, and sometimes it was downright scary (like when the boiler would let off steam), but it was very interesting.

You would think that with all the sweating I did, and all the miles I covered finding the machinery, I would have lost weight. My jeans are looser; I feel lighter. So last night when I got home, I jumped on the scale, all excited -- and it said I gained two pounds!

Might as well go eat some chocolate...