Like math, vacations are hard

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Rory on Hanselminutes

Rory - Neopoleon — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 11:57:36 GMT

Chris and I went over to Scott Hanselman's house a few days ago to work on a couple nerd projects. While...

re: Like math, vacations are hard

Reeve Fritchman — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 21:00:48 GMT

Vacation is easy. It's the getting ready for vacation that's searingly, abdominal-crampingly painful. Returning from vacation is just a migraine headache.

In high-performance environments, you have a lot of mental plates spinning. And before you check out, you have to get those plates spinning fast and get some new ones spinning just as fast. And you have to deal with gut-wrenching anxiety the last few days before you go. I know this from years of struggling with it.

In almost all cases, airline travel is required; notwithstanding the indignities thrust upon us, getting on an airplane is geographical displacement.

When you're finally away, 'cause "vacations" at home are totally worthless and don't even count, it may take you four or five days-at least-to not shive a git. That's when the vacation really starts. If you're smart, the laptop stays home (I'm not and it doesn't; I had a laptop that committed suicide when I was gone).

After several days of bliss (not unlike the days after you receive your MSFT offer letter), the vacation endorphins lose their salutary effect and you slog back to the dismal-ity we know as "Seattle in the winter."

Then you show up early to see if any plates are still spinning. If you have a good team, many will still be going. If you have a great team, most will be spinning, you won't have a "mailbox exceeded storage capacity" message, and your manager will walk by saying "Nice tan", and keep walking.

Even if you live to work, as I do, remember that you'll be a lot happier working when a great vacation memory flashes back every now and then.

re: Like math, vacations are hard

HeatherLeigh — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 01:21:29 GMT

Reeve - you and I are very different WRT that getting ready for vacation thing. Maybe it was because that I boycotted travel this holiday season, but getting ready to be out was cake; probably in part because I knew I could jump online if I needed to. OK,OK, so that's not A Vacation, it's just vacation....vacation time, maybe. I didn't need the stress of travel and all the people that I needed to see I have seen recently.

As for the dismal Seattle winter, I'm positively impacted by the sunshine today. No worres abuot the trains running while I am out. Nature of our work...nothing dire happens if the trains stop for a week or so. And the boss? She's in North Carolina.

So I guess that still leaves me with:

1) hideous insomnia

2) shopping bags with loads of stuff with the tags still on

3) inbox as much under control as when I left

4) a feeling that this time off was semi-satisfying

5) itchy to get back to work before my mind gets mushy

Alas, no tan to speak of. But I did make it to the gym several times :)

re: Like math, vacations are hard

mrscrooge — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 21:53:22 GMT

RE:taking more relaxing, meaningful vacations - thats certainly on my agenda for 2008 as well. Going to visit family for me, is not really vacation. So I'm going to make the effort to plan more 'fun' getaways, maybe coordinate with some friends and actually enjoy my time off.

Do you really have insomnia? I was talking about this with my friend last nite, was very surprised to hear she had my same issue of just not being able to go to sleep (I usually stay up till 2 or 3am). In my case, I think its probably due to excessive caffiene (I hate the starbucks coffee but still end up guzzling 4-5 cups a day), too much work on the brain (its not stress, just thinking about stuff and working out ideas in my mind) and lack of exercise (this is huge for me, I sleep better if I've been working out but I just can't stick to a schedule).

RE:The sunshine in the past few days - its been such a relief! Even better is the fact its not been bone-chilling cold like it was last year. Have you ever tried one of those SAD lights? Me and the roommate are thinking of getting a few of those for the apt to help with SAD http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_affective_disorder.

PS Have you heard of http://www.43things.com/? Its like a public blog of your 43 goals you want to achieve, my friends who've tried it swear by it.

Happy new year and have a good day off - its our last for a while ;-)

re: Like math, vacations are hard

HeatherLeigh — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 22:23:48 GMT

Scrooge....you have the right idea about vacations. That's what I should be doing as well.

I do have insomnia. For me, it's partly the brain ticking too (same deal, not stress....just thinkin'). I also sleep better if I have been working out. But if I work out late in the day, it keeps me up (endorphns perhaps?). Too much caffeine in the afternoon does the same. Sometimes it's for no reason at all. It did feel so good to get out into the sun the other day. I do think that helps. I haven't tried the lights yet, but I have been thinking about it. Yeah, I've got a whole host of those kinds of things I should talk to the doctor about (not to mention that I'm starting to get the full bloom of mild OCD behaviors, but don't ask my mom because she thinks I don't have it....anyone who sees my leaving-the-house ritual knows I do and I think I have had it for a long time but didn't know what to call it). Messed up head stuff is fun!

I'll check out that blog. 43 seems like a bit of a random number (?)

re: Like math, vacations are hard

Andy — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 02:40:44 GMT

Guess I must be the weird one. Vacation rolls around and I drop everything done or not, mid-sentence or not and go have fun. I don't check my e-mail during vacation and I don't even think about work at all until the day I get back. Work will still be there when I get back and there will always be some deadline looming and some emergency to fix. I am most definitely of the "f#ck it" attitude when it comes to stuff like this. I love my job but my job is not my life and if it goes away or I quit I can just get another one or find something else to do for a living.

re: Like math, vacations are hard

HeatherLeigh — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 05:29:32 GMT

Andy - you are the healthy one.