Time to appreciate the little things

So, I'm out of town on business -- again. And while I'd much rather be at home, chillin' with my kitty, or kicking ass at trivia with Cute Blonde Boy, I have found a few things here that don't suck.

They've put us up this time at the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago, which is pretty cool. Here's a short list of Things I'm Pretty Thankful For, In A Hotel Room:

• Quiet. The first time they brought us out here, we were in a hotel that thinks quite a lot of itself, and (being very literal here) when I sneezed in my room, someone next door said "Bless you."
• Big-ass towels. Take that "big-ass" in whatever sense you like. It's nice to have a towel that will cover one. Of course, you don't need it so much, if you have been provided with....
• Terrycloth robes. I love mine at home, and am very happy to not have to pack one on the road.
• Good conditioner. Those little bottles of "conditioning shampoo" just don't cut it.
• Water pressure.
• A DVD player. Mind you, none of the 5 slots in my fancy-schmancy Sony DVD changer in this room seem to want to play Eddie Izzard for me, but it's a nice thought nonetheless.
• Feather pillows. Mmmm.....squishy and ball-uppable.
• Feather comforter. Don't have one at home, but boy, do I need to change that.
• Free internet access. How else would I tell you how much I'm appreciating the niceties of this room?

And, even though I'm not much of a schmoozer, if the circumstances are right, I sure do appreciate a meal on the boss's AmEx. So that's where I'm off to -- dinner with the team, much wine, I'm sure, and who knows what frivolity afterwards (this group + karaoke = fun!).

But no matter what, I know I'll appreciate many things in my room when I come back.

Like my plane ticket.