Topic: Vacation Blues

[TechPro]

It's a little odd, actually.  The working man (person) spends most of the year, day in, day out, working for hours at a time. Toiling and toiling at task that (hopefully) he can stomach doing for hours and hours at a time.  The task (or tasks) may be grueling and physically exhausting, or it may be grueling and mentally exhausting (requiring a lot of mental concentration).  Hopefully it isn't mind numbingly dull and repetitive (if it is, you have my sympathy).   Usually all the while wishing for or looking forward to a break of time away from the tasks and work.  Longing for that time away when body and mind can relax and unwind, letting the thoughts and stresses of work just melt away into nothingness and peacfullness soothingly sweeps away the cares and concerns of work.

What's so odd about that, you ask?  The time, the moment, the opportunity finally arrives that he can be away from the cares and toils of "work" and as he gleefully races away (broadly smiling, I'm sure), what does he do?  He fills that away time with activity and doing stuff.  Not truly relaxing/unwinding.  Perhaps he grabs the family, stuffing them (and just about everything else) into a vehicle that doesn't have enough space for it all, and travels many hours (days?) to who knows where, all the time struggling for patience with the children and with other drivers on the road, struggling to reach the destination in time.  Unpacks the belongings into temporary arrangements, searching for the inevitable lost or forgotten item, deals with unfamiliar surroundings, and (of course) excited children who cannot be bothered to stay on task long enough to get things out of the vehicle, never mind anything else.

It doesn't stop there either.  I have yet to see such voyages where the younger ones actually got up at the right times (if not too early) and actually switched activities at the desired/planned time for whatever reason.  Never is everyone satisfied, and never does it go as planned.  Of course, the ENTIRE time away from work is planned with stuff, effectively eliminating nearly ANY chance of the man actually relaxing peacefully.

That's what is so odd about it.  Looking forward to the time away, only to fill it with doing stuff.  Why do we do it to ourselves?

Just the other day (as I was about to begin time away from work) a friend,  correction multiple friends, said that the time away is about done when works sounds more relaxing that being with ... the ones you're away with.

I've decided that's all wrong.  You should always be able to look forward to being with your family and loved ones (otherwise you're doing it wrong).  So here is my advice.  When you go to take time away from work, plan some "me time" so that you can both relax with your loved ones, and so that you too can also relax.

I call it "Vacation".  Look into it.  If you already have, what have you done?  Or what have you planned?

[Sapphirus]

I better choose a class for college for like next week, ASAP

Oh, as for vacation, I didn't go anywhere this year.  (Long story though)

[NUMBERZero]

I supposidly had summer vacation a few days ago, but when I walked into one of my old classrooms yesterday, it felt like I was in there only two days ago. NOT FAIR!

[Foil]

You're quite right, TP.

Fortunately, my wife and I have learned to relax and avoid scheduling activities, specifically to ensure that it's an actual vacation.

She grew up in a family who just goes, goes, goes nonstop... and I grew up in a family that drives, drives, drives before relaxing at all.  Early on, we decided that we want to avoid both pitfalls.

So, during our last vacation (a few nights in San Antonio to celebrate our 10th Anniversary), we scheduled exactly... nothing!  

We had zero plans, and it turned out GREAT!  We were able to be spontaneous and just do whatever we wanted.  If we wanted to go somewhere or do something, we did so, without being tied to a schedule.  If we wanted to relax, we relaxed.

THAT's the way to do a vacation.  

[Kaiaatzl]

I better choose a class for college for like next week, ASAP

Oh, as for vacation, I didn't go anywhere this year.  (Long story though)

I already registered for all my University courses in, like, June.

My vacation is in the last two weeks of August (going to Edmonton and then down to Yellowstone).

Had a bit of a vacation last weekend when I finally got to go down to Klixovann's Kottage (we should have some emoticon for "Kruel's Spelling!").

[-<WillyP>-]

To really relax, you have to get on your bike and ride!

[NUMBERZero]

Foil, you have THE BEST PLAN THAT I HAVE EVER HEARD OF. I remember our trip to Hawiia a few years ago. We were completely booked and didn't even get a full day at any gorram beach!

[SaladBadger]

I went up to michigan last week. Spent time in the middle of nowhere (not really), swam some, went to my sister's wedding, and watched my dad take a giant plywood disc and plastic chair and waterski while sitting on the chair facing away from the jetski. heh.

[Kaiaatzl]

It sounds like you brought your dad insanity .

[Matthew]

Oh boy, this Soupe strikes awfully close to home, and I cannot agree more.

Every year my family makes a trip to Disney world in the fall, and we're almost always doing something. I love the place so much, but it seems there's never enough time. Then one year, we went on a Disney cruise instead... 7 days, and a grand total of about 2 hours of actually planned activities, and an entire ship to do whatever I want, whenever I want. That year was by far the most fun and relaxing vacation I have ever been on.

If you want a real relaxing vacation, go on a cruise, you won't regret.

[Scyphi]

...except cruises are expensive, and my family certainly can't afford one right now.

Me, personally, my idea of a wild time and relaxing vacation is to stay home and do what I'd normally do to pass the time.

[SaladBadger]

It sounds like you brought your dad insanity .

He managed it. The only reason why he tried is because he got his disc back from his teenage years and he heard of someone doing just that.

[Kaiaatzl]

I was on a cruise last year.  But I didn't go anywhere for it (just downtown).  This was for my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary.