I never check luggage when I fly. Why? Because I'm often spending only a night or two in a given place before moving on, which means that if luggage is lost, it never catches up with me. This is particularly true when I travel for work.

Take next February. When I tour for Family Tree, it'll be three weeks, one city each day. Can you IMAGINE where my luggage would end up if it's lost?

More to the point, what do I use in the meanwhile? OK. I can take a change of clothes in my backpack. But what about makeup? When I'm on stage, which is what touring is about, I wear makeup. Hey, I wear makeup coming up here to my office to work each morning, and my office is in my own home! Last weekend, when we were flying to see the grandkids, I inadvertently left my mascara in my carry-on. It was confiscated. Fortunately, I had mailed some (plus foundation, moisturizer, and toilet water) on ahead.

So that's one option for how to deal with touring -- sending ahead small bits of those liquids to the hotels where I'll be staying, to be held for my arrival. I'm open to other suggestions. Anyone have any?