Disasters smell of ginger & orange.

And here's why: both times I've done FEMA training, I have stayed at Marriott hotels. I also stayed at a Marriott hotel for the first few weeks I was in New Orleans. Marriott hotels provide their guests with Bath & Body Works shampoo, conditioner, & body lotion - all in a distinctive Orange Ginger scent. I smelled that shampoo on Monday morning, & had a flashback to NOLA.

I am trying to achieve a couple of goals during this FEMA assignment:

• I'm trying to make this deployment as profitable as possible. I don't have much control over my income - I get a fixed per-diem allowance & can only bill a set number of hours each week - so I am trying to keep costs low. If I have to be away from hotpantsgalore for three months, I want to make the experience worth my while.
  
• I'm also trying to re-establish some good exercise habits to counterbalance the effects of hotel living & office work. Today is my fourth day of FEMA, & this morning was my fourth workout, so go me! I'm pretty sore at the moment, & trying to remind myself that the first two weeks of any exercise program are the most painful. I hope to establish a schedule of six workouts a week (swim-bike-run)x2. I'm not training for a triathlon, but some variety in workouts is a good antidote to burnout.

I will be watching tonight's Vice Presidential debates with my new FEMA co-workers. Since we come from all over the country, it should be an interesting mix of political viewpoints in the audience. Fun times, fun times.