What a difference a week makes...

Friends,

Last time we chatted, I was wrapping up my stint in Pennsylvania. Specifically, I was in the heart of Amish country, driving through back roads in small towns scattered through the middle of the state. Some of the roads in these towns weren't paved, but the real kicker is that some of the accounts I visited didn't have indoor plumbing. They run vibrant, busy stores with a lot of customer traffic, but if you need to use the restroom while you're there, you need to head for the outhouse. Seriously. I know this because I used it.

I bring up this unpleasant detail because I now find myself in New York City just two days later. This is an eye-opening realization for me. My job has given me the opportunity to basically interact with people and cultures at each extreme end of the spectrum. From communities in Pennsylvania that don't use electricity and basically live life pre-1900, to New York City, arguably the center of the world! At the risk of being cheesy, this is a pretty cool thing.

Last night I spent the night in Danbury, CT, and this afternoon I made my way from West Chester, NY, over the Hudson and through the Bronx and Queens to my hotel in Westbury, NY, in southern Long Island. It was a beautiful drive, but a little stressful. The next several days will be spent in greater NY metro, so I'll be gripping the wheel a little tighter than usual...

Tomorrow I'll spend time in Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island before flying to Charlotte for the weekend out of JFK. I hope you're all well and thanks for reading!

On the road,
Matt