My annual vacation debate
Another summer, another round of "what can I do on vacation?" whining.
If you have read my blog for a while, you know not a year goes by without some kind of drama about when and if I'll go on vacation.
I know. #firstworldproblems
To my defense, I need a mental break, or at least just something to look forward to. Even when work is going well, you need a break sometimes.
Besides, I know you all find yourself at least slightly entertained about this annual "whoa is me" session on the topic.
Some years, when I worked at that other place I used to work, I had to fit three weeks in sometime. One year one of my week's off consisted of exterminating lice from my head. The other two weeks didn't go much better. I don't exactly recall what I did the other two weeks, probably because I am trying to block it from recollection.
The one thing about the job I have now is that if I'm going to plan a week off, I need to be a little more strategic about planning the dates for reasons I didn't have before.
If I am going to take the time off, I need to get away and do something. This is true in general, but especially since I work from a home office. (Which reminds me of something else I will go into on Tuesday's blog. I have a light blog tour week, and I need material.) I'm not going to have a stay-cation to do things around the house if I'm taking off. That works for my mom, but not for me.
Seeing as it's been a year (or almost) since I took off a week, I have the itch. My parents aren't going anywhere until the first week of November. Guess where they are going? Branson, of course. I thought about going and working some from the condo just for a change of scenery. However, their friends (the ones that went last time I went to Branson with them), so, I'm going to stick it out at home. I have absolutely nothing against their (our) friends, but Dad has the tendency to want to entertain, and as a collective group, they do different things than I would want to or would do with just my parents. They will have loads of fun, and I'm not annoyed in any way. I've been there and done that though, so if I'm going to have a vacation by myself, I can pick places not as far away with different things to do than Branson, Misery, I mean Missouri.
Another reason I'm nixing that week is that there's a possibility that Jenny and I are going to catch a Jordan Knight concert that week. Seeing as we have been to four New Kids on the Block concerts together (three of which were in the past 6 years as an adult - our bonding moments of guilty pleasure), this shouldn't come as a surprise. Plus, I know someone that works at the Dallas House of Blues who might be able to get us more up close to Jordan than we have ever been before. However, I just have a feeling in my gut that this whole entire plan is going to fall apart. Never the less, it's one more excuse to have in my pocket when my dad keeps asking, "are you sure?" At least for the time being.
In the past week, my latest kick is that I want to go on a cruise. I've evidently magically forgotten last summer when I said, "I don't want to do that," after the cruises were getting stuck out in the Gulf of Mexico and people were wading around the boat in sewer water.
The problem with that is that in addition to not taking a vacation for reasons all of her own, my previous travel buddy, Rakia, remembers the sewer water and being stranded at sea. And my other options for travel companions aren't overflowing. In fact, that pool is rather desert like.
My one and only year where vacation was easy (for a variety of reasons) was when I called her up and asked, "have you ever wanted to go to Seattle?" She and I would both tell you that was one of our favorite trips ever -- not just trips together.
I mentioned at lunch today that I was a no go on the cruise since I didn't have a cruise buddy. Paige and Peyton were exasperated that I didn't think of them. They were more than willing to go. The week I am thinking of going is the week they start school. Plus there's the whole thing of their Baqbaq not being made of money. I don't know if we'd have travel issues since I'm not a legal guardian either. (I have 5 more years to save for the Hawaii trip I am taking Paige on for high school graduation. Peyton and I have not settled on a destination yet.)
In actuality, I could go visit any of my co-workers scattered around the country. Actually, no offense to any of my co-workers, but I'd narrow it down to two I'd go visit. Not because I wouldn't enjoy seeing them, but visiting Omaha, Nebraska or the oldest brothel in Fort Smith, Arkansas just doesn't hold the appeal of the Grand Cayman Islands and Jamaica.
As for the other two, I like my boss and my assistant on opposite corners of the country too much to just say, "I'm coming to stay with you for a week." I say that even though Christine in Tampa has assured me I wouldn't be imposing. (I've not even brought up the possibility to Amy.)
Alas, I just plan to sit home and wallow in my solitude. "I have no one. Being single sucks because I don't have anyone to travel with me."
There are bigger problems to have.
If you have read my blog for a while, you know not a year goes by without some kind of drama about when and if I'll go on vacation.
I know. #firstworldproblems
To my defense, I need a mental break, or at least just something to look forward to. Even when work is going well, you need a break sometimes.
Besides, I know you all find yourself at least slightly entertained about this annual "whoa is me" session on the topic.
Some years, when I worked at that other place I used to work, I had to fit three weeks in sometime. One year one of my week's off consisted of exterminating lice from my head. The other two weeks didn't go much better. I don't exactly recall what I did the other two weeks, probably because I am trying to block it from recollection.
The one thing about the job I have now is that if I'm going to plan a week off, I need to be a little more strategic about planning the dates for reasons I didn't have before.
If I am going to take the time off, I need to get away and do something. This is true in general, but especially since I work from a home office. (Which reminds me of something else I will go into on Tuesday's blog. I have a light blog tour week, and I need material.) I'm not going to have a stay-cation to do things around the house if I'm taking off. That works for my mom, but not for me.
Seeing as it's been a year (or almost) since I took off a week, I have the itch. My parents aren't going anywhere until the first week of November. Guess where they are going? Branson, of course. I thought about going and working some from the condo just for a change of scenery. However, their friends (the ones that went last time I went to Branson with them), so, I'm going to stick it out at home. I have absolutely nothing against their (our) friends, but Dad has the tendency to want to entertain, and as a collective group, they do different things than I would want to or would do with just my parents. They will have loads of fun, and I'm not annoyed in any way. I've been there and done that though, so if I'm going to have a vacation by myself, I can pick places not as far away with different things to do than Branson, Misery, I mean Missouri.
Another reason I'm nixing that week is that there's a possibility that Jenny and I are going to catch a Jordan Knight concert that week. Seeing as we have been to four New Kids on the Block concerts together (three of which were in the past 6 years as an adult - our bonding moments of guilty pleasure), this shouldn't come as a surprise. Plus, I know someone that works at the Dallas House of Blues who might be able to get us more up close to Jordan than we have ever been before. However, I just have a feeling in my gut that this whole entire plan is going to fall apart. Never the less, it's one more excuse to have in my pocket when my dad keeps asking, "are you sure?" At least for the time being.
In the past week, my latest kick is that I want to go on a cruise. I've evidently magically forgotten last summer when I said, "I don't want to do that," after the cruises were getting stuck out in the Gulf of Mexico and people were wading around the boat in sewer water.
The problem with that is that in addition to not taking a vacation for reasons all of her own, my previous travel buddy, Rakia, remembers the sewer water and being stranded at sea. And my other options for travel companions aren't overflowing. In fact, that pool is rather desert like.
My one and only year where vacation was easy (for a variety of reasons) was when I called her up and asked, "have you ever wanted to go to Seattle?" She and I would both tell you that was one of our favorite trips ever -- not just trips together.
I mentioned at lunch today that I was a no go on the cruise since I didn't have a cruise buddy. Paige and Peyton were exasperated that I didn't think of them. They were more than willing to go. The week I am thinking of going is the week they start school. Plus there's the whole thing of their Baqbaq not being made of money. I don't know if we'd have travel issues since I'm not a legal guardian either. (I have 5 more years to save for the Hawaii trip I am taking Paige on for high school graduation. Peyton and I have not settled on a destination yet.)
In actuality, I could go visit any of my co-workers scattered around the country. Actually, no offense to any of my co-workers, but I'd narrow it down to two I'd go visit. Not because I wouldn't enjoy seeing them, but visiting Omaha, Nebraska or the oldest brothel in Fort Smith, Arkansas just doesn't hold the appeal of the Grand Cayman Islands and Jamaica.
As for the other two, I like my boss and my assistant on opposite corners of the country too much to just say, "I'm coming to stay with you for a week." I say that even though Christine in Tampa has assured me I wouldn't be imposing. (I've not even brought up the possibility to Amy.)
Alas, I just plan to sit home and wallow in my solitude. "I have no one. Being single sucks because I don't have anyone to travel with me."
There are bigger problems to have.
Comments