Finally committed...

...to my trip to Connecticut in two weeks. I booked the flights today -- non-stop each way on nice, big Boeing 757s, I might add -- and paid for them. The act of coughing up the money makes it certain I'll go.

The last time I did this trip was six long years ago. Oddly enough, I'll be following the same old routine: Fly to Newark, collect car, drive into NYC, catch the Hutchinson River Parkway -- which becomes the Merritt Parkway in Connecticut -- until I get to Greenwich, then stop.

I'll be standing around in the sun Saturday and Sunday -- fully kitted out in blazer, dress shirt, tie, dress pants and tight shoes -- which is fun and torture all at the same time. I'll be gunning down lots of water, too.

After that, I'll head back to Newark, stopping in NYC en route to enjoy a fancy expense-account lunch and discussion of some work possibilities. Then, home.

Four pretty nice days, all for the price of paying airfare in advance (my hotel is being comped). I think it'll be good for me.

In one sense, and one sense only, I already know it will be less of a successful work/holiday trip than I'd like it to be. For four of the five years when I made this an annual pilgrimage, I enjoyed an extra joy that will be missing this time. In fact, I doubt I would have made the trek as often as I did except for that.

This year, the fact that the trip will more than pay for itself, will in fact be profitable -- I have a couple of stories to write from it -- makes me want to go, as do the scenery, friends I'll see and that expense-account lunch.

Perhaps I won't feel the loneliness and sadness of the critical missing element....

Who am I kidding? I know damn well I'll feel it. There will be moments when I'll have to hold my emotions on a tight, tight leash.

But I'm going anyway.