David J. Danto

 

Business travel thoughts in my own, personal opinion

 

             

 

eMail: ddanto@IMCCA.org      Follow Industry News: @NJDavidD

 

NOT Traveling Blog, 5th Week Of July

 

In 2014 I was voted by USA Today readers as one of the top ten business travel bloggers in the USA.   Now mind you, I turned out to be number ten on the list of ten, but I did make it on (with my thanks to all those who voted.)   Now that we’re all stuck at home and not traveling, I had to think about what to do with my blogs.  I could stop writing them entirely – waiting till we all get through the current COVID19 pandemic / crisis.  I could wax nostalgic and/or complain about past trips.  Or, I could focus all of my efforts on my day job – growing the use of collaboration technologies – especially in light of how many people are now forced to use those tools for the first time.  In reflecting upon those choices, what I decided to do is compile an ongoing list of observations during the crisis.  Some of these may amuse, some may inform, some may sadden and others may help.  My goal will be for you to have seen something in a different light than you did before you stopped to read the blog.  I was going to apologize for how disjointed these thoughts may seem when put together, but then it dawned on me that feeling disjointed is our new normal – at least for a little while.  

In my best New York / New Jersey sarcasm, I’m “shocked…just shocked” that the Boeing 737Max probably won’t fly this year.   COVID19 was and is a disaster of epic proportions, but it was a gift to Boeing, taking the focus off of this poorly planned, poorly executed aircraft that arguably should never have been built. News came out as I was writing this blog that the 737Max likely won’t fly again till 2021.  Of course, that is happening in the shadow of the reality that passengers have still not come close to returning to air travel in pre-virus numbers, and most likely will not until there is a widely available treatment or vaccine, and the US airlines are likely to slash jobs and schedules even further in October – so I’m not thinking the lack of availability of an aircraft with questionable safety is going to be an issue for anyone except Boeing.

As I’ve mentioned before, the New Jersey Coronavirus transmission rate has been holding steadily under the 1% benchmark that would indicate that the rate of spread here is not growing.  Because of this I’ve actually scheduled a weekend away with my wife on the Jersey Shore late in August.  We’d drive there of course, and pack our own pillows, disinfectant, coffee maker and other items we’d never consider bringing on a short road trip in the past.  At this point I think there is a 50-50 chance that we’ll go.  I’m personally also split down the middle – part of me wants to go (anywhere) and part of me doesn’t want to take the risk (as I understand the unlikeliness that visitors from the 41 states that didn’t follow common sense when reopening will respect the 14 day quarantine requirements.)  We have about a month to see how it’s going and decide.

The National Retail Federation conference – typically scheduled for mid-January in New York – has already been postponed for 2021.  Instead of happening in January that industry’s largest show is now scheduled to take place in June.  The NRF show’s original slot is of course just after CES – the largest conference in North America.  As of now The Consumer Electronics Association is still intending to put on CES in the first week of January.  Just as in my own plans above, my gut is also telling me its 50-50 on that one.  There are some really smart people at the CEA and I can’t imagine them not being smart about their event as the virus continues its ravaging course throughout the US.

Continuing with my promise to share videos from my travels last year, and acknowledging that baseball (even in an odd, fan-less, crazy-rules version) is returning this week, here is a video excerpt from just about a year ago of John Fogerty in concert doing Centerfield:

This was part of his “Woodstock’s 50th Anniversary” tour, and was honestly the best concert I attended last year.  If you ever get the chance to see this ~75 year old rocker in concert, definitely don’t pass it up.  I do hope both real baseball and concerts come back next year – I really miss them.

As always, please feel free to write to me with comments or items I should add to a future Not Traveling blog (or if you just need someone to write to.)  Stay safe, be well, hug those you’re sheltering with (but no one else) and do your best to stay positive.  We’re going to be in this for a long while. 

This article was written by David Danto and contains solely his own, personal opinions.

All image and links provided above as reference under prevailing fair use statutes.