Road-loneliness

One thing that I dread about going up to Devon Island next week, worse than being in close quarters in a tent with AR, is the prolonged touch-deprivation. Not the lack of sex (a different issue), but simply the lack of any human touch at all for two or three weeks. It is possible to be in close quarters in a tiny, insular community and still feel quite isolated. No hugs, kisses, no quick hand-clasps or backrubs or quietly leaning against another person.

For that matter, I'm reminded of this because this road-loneliness occurs for me in smaller degrees on ordinary business trips. I've been on the road since Monday (Phoenix, now Pasadena) and it is a noticeable discomfort. Lots of time spent in meetings about integrated vehicle health management... one brief A-frame hug after dinner with T on Tuesday night.

Being in LA doesn't help, either... I know no one in Southern California, unlike Florida, DC, Texas, NYC or Georgia.

Time to get ready to go to JPL this morning, then back home by late tonight (and then time to recharge, touch-wise, over the next week ;-).