Just wondered if anybody else is stuck working a job a few hundred miles from home and how you're coping. Every night in a hotel...except weekends of course! What do you do in your "spare" time? Where do you eat? How's your family holding up? Does this economy suck or what??? Well, I guess it's better than working in India, which is where most of the good jobs went.

Funny you should ask. I live in Arkansas but right now I'm in Maryland. What spare time? I have to get up at 4:00 in the morning and I won't get back to the motel until about 5:00 at night. The worst part, besides being apart from my family, is this darn sloooooow modem. I miss my DSL almost as much as my wife and kids. The only good part is that I get to eat (and drink) on the company's tab. Love those crab cakes!!

My husband traveled for years--it's all in making a living but know it gets tiring and especially difficult when you are gone for the weekends--not so great for the wife at home either.
Our son left home (IL) for six weeks in San Diego-he's a claims adjuster and is working on the fire claims. He will miss Thanksgiving and his wife's 40th birthday. He was told they will be working 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
Hang in there-you've got to do what you've got to do.

It could be worse. You could be in the service stationed in Iraq.

Las summer, I worked a contract job that kept me on the road 100% of the time, including weekends. Needless to say, I found ways to keep busy and keep my sanity. I did a lot of reading (hint: find a good used bookstore in the town), and I also saw quite a few movies. I learned how to do some craft projects, addressed my Christmas cards, etc. The best thing I did was to make friends with some locals and see a bit of the town outside of the office and my hotel!

Currently in LA... I rest and watch chick flicks and SHOP in my spare time. When I get home I work at my job from 7:30-3:30 and then I am a full time mom and homemaker from 3:30pm - 11pm.
I rest and recharge when I travel on business!
OH... I also eat Sushi and gourmet food, stuff my family hates.