Leisure
As 2002 started - about a month after I started this blog - the dotcom I worked for began its slide to oblivion, eliminating a bunch of jobs in early March, including mine. For almost four years, every job I've had has been a contracting position; every gig has been working on a specific project, ranging from a couple of days to, in one case, a year.
Now, to clarify; even when I had "permanent" jobs with companies that included paid vacation time, I never really took a "vacation"; when I was changing careers (and still married) most of my jobs were contracting; when my kids were little, and especially during and after my divorce (my kids were 6 and 8 at the time), most of my PTO and "Vacation" time went to watching sick kids during their various childhood diseases. For years, if I got paid vacation at all, I was lucky to sneak in a couple of long weekends a year, usually for a Christmas trip back to North Dakota and a brief Fourth of July getaway or two. In fact, since 1987 I've taken exactly one full week off from work (periods of unemployment don't count; they are no vacation; if anything, I work harder when I'm job-hunting, if only because I spend more of the day thinking about it); I spent it painting the house, back in 1995.
We'll see if we can start fixing that; today is my last workday as a contractor; I start as a full-timer on Monday. Among the benefits: 401K, health insurance (thinking about that HSA I've been writing about all these years) - and vacation.
And it's occurred to me; in my adult, working life, I've never really taken a vacation. None. Oh, I've done the odd weekend getaway, and I've driven to visit my parents, and the kids and I took one long weekend in Chicago once - but that's it. And as that occurred to me, I realized that I don't know if I know how to take a vacation. Like, leave work behind and just immerse myself in...not working? I need to find a website on "how to disconnect your brain and learn to take time off". I'm serious; I haven't a clue. Oh, I'll learn; I'll throw myself into it, if need be. But - I'm serious, here - it's going to be hard for me to learn how to use vacation time!
Does this ever happen to you?
Posted by Mitch at
December 16, 2005 06:39 AM
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It's hard to "switch off", I've been kind-heartedly chastised by bosses for dialing in from vacation to "just make sure" that there wasn't anything needed, to ensure that any questions were answered.
It can be difficult to trust that things will get done, though I've generally felt that I'd better trust them (the staff working for me), otherwise I'll be unable to sleep.
My best advise, and it ain't worth much, is get somewhere that you can't be in communication at first, so that you can see how you handle being "gone", but only do so for a few days. You can take the alternate route, i.e. be somewhere you are easily accessible, just to prove you can be "gone", but honestly, if you've not taken time away, serious time away, with your kids, then without being preachy, you NEED to go away.
BWCA is cool if you like the outdoors camping thing, Winnepeg can be cool too, though it's full of them damned lefty Canadiens :)... but I'd go in summer.
Good luck to you on your vacation, congratulations on finding a permanent home, send me an e-mail telling me about it.
Cheers,
Posted by: pb at December 16, 2005 10:24 AMPB
Mitch,
I just went through about a 3 week period where I "unplugged". For me it wasn't so much pulling away from work as it was pulling away from the macro world and focusing on my micro world. Let's chat tomorrow at Keegan's. Maybe I have a couple tips that would be helpful.
Posted by: Nordeaster at December 16, 2005 10:28 AMCONGRATULATIONS on the Permanent gig! Talk about a stress reliever. That, in itself, will be vacation enough for the short term.
Long term, I think you'll manage. If nothing else you can always hang in my garage. there is always plenty of relaxation opportunity there, weather permitting!
Flash
Posted by: Flash at December 16, 2005 11:19 AMThink of it as a sabbatical, Mitch -- you've earned it big time. I like PB's advice of immersing in a short vacation first. You'll have plenty of MOBs to guest-blog for you, and talented NARN staff to cover the radio show. Hey, you could blog a "Rick Steves" parody of travel tips when you get back!
Any places you'd like to see in particular?
Posted by: Nancy at December 16, 2005 11:51 AMDisney World. Pack up your kids and your tent and spend a week camping at Disney Ft Wilderness. The rates are really cheap, especially in comparison to the Disney hotels. Beautiful, clean campground with easy access to all the Disney parks.
Posted by: Elizabeth at December 16, 2005 01:10 PMCongrats on the full-time job Mitch. That post-bubble recesssion was really a depression in the tech world.
As far as a vacation to disconnect from the real world, you can't beat camping. I have to agree with PB that the BWCA is great, although this time of year it's suboptimal, especially with kids.
Want a fun one? Try camping in the Florida Keys. I had a blast down there with our teenagers (ok, it was even more fun years ago when it was just me and the girlfriend ;-). You can go canoeing in mangrove swamps, snorkel in underwater national and state parks, fish, and if you get a site near the ocean you don't get too many bugs. And there are the Dry Tortugas are something else if you're into scuba and old wrecks. And if you really want to disconnect the ol' brain you can spend time in Key West and emulate Jimmy Buffett. This time of year the temps and humidity are wonderful for a Minnesotan: you'll be running around in shorts and complaining about the heat while the natives are in parkas.
Posted by: nerdbert at December 16, 2005 01:38 PMPilgrimage to the Land of Grushecky.
Posted by: Dave in Pgh. at December 16, 2005 05:10 PMDave Pgh: Hmmmmm. I could take the kids on a driving tour of obscure rock; we could stop in Albert Lea (Eddie Cochran), Rockford Ill (Cheap Trick), Pittsburg (the Houserockers), then gun it for Asbury Park!
Posted by: mitch at December 16, 2005 05:14 PMI know what you mean. I was a consultant from 1981-1998 with only 1 week off total. In 1998 I took a full time job and no vacations until the company had one of their proverbial downsizings and I got downsized at the age of 63.
I waited for a couple of months to straighten out my paper work and then just decided there were no jobs out there for someone my age in a field where there were nothing but young people (IT) so I took a 10 day vacation in Rio de Janeiro (very cheap there). I loved it and 6 months later took another vacation there as well and also loved it. Gorgeous city, nice friendly people. Now I wish I had taken some of the vacations I gave up all those years. Big mistake in not taking vacations. Really clear the head.
Posted by: dick at December 16, 2005 08:52 PM