Vacation Blue..Skies
Once a year, my family and I take a strict no-work vacation. Okay, so the no-work rule is sort of loose. DH and I each work a tiny bit in the morning, and for me, work means checking e-mail, maybe sketching out plot ideas, and sometimes proofing a manuscript. I don’t write, but I do the other things. DH does the same, and then after breakfast, our day is our own, more or less. Every year, we vow to take more time off--to truly take the week off and actually have a true vacation, then don’t. Until this year, because Fate intervened.
This year, our Spring Break on the beach seemed destined to be a true no-work week because my computer at home (which I log into to check my e-mail) has been incommunicado. I finally improvised and found a way around it, to get to my e-mail late in the week. And you know what?
I didn’t miss the e-mail links at all. Of course, I had about ten gazillion spam messages to weed through before I got to the important stuff, but it was worth it. Because I had DAYS on end with no work. Literally.
I can’t remember the last time I had that. And this time, I spent the time on the beach. On the balcony of our condo, watching for dolphins. In the hot tub, making friends with our condo neighbors. In the pool, playing with the kids. Doing things like going on fishing trips with the rest of the family and best of all--
Reading.
I read five books in as many days, soaking up the words like a sponge. If I could have gone without sleep, I would have, just to read more. When I’m writing a book, I don’t read much, if anything, just to prevent anyone else’s words from bleeding into mine. Between deadlines, though, I DEVOUR books.
But now it’s back to real life. Our Spring Break vacation is over, and we’ve packed away the swimsuits and sunscreen. We’re back to work, back to real life. Every time I dig out a book or a notepad from my totebag, though, I find a little bit of sand. And it reminds me of what those few days of NOTHING were like.
Almost makes me want to set up a kiddie pool in the living room, turn the lights and heat up high, then pretend my computer is broken. For just a week or two ;-).
Shirley
I think it's come up a few
I think it's come up a few times here lately that it's hard to remember what it was like before the internet and computers were so handy and such a part of our lives, though I know people who still really don't use them much. And I admit, when I go away, I don't use my computer or even my PDA at all -- I bring them, thinking I will, and then I never do. And I don't miss it.
Of course, without the computer I would miss a lot of things -- you all, for one big one, *G* -- all the friends and people (and my husband -- a really big one) that I never would have met if it weren't for this wonderful device that connects us to the world. Maybe my writing career. Definitely ebay and amazon. *G*
However, I do think I waste too much time even on a given day on the computer sometimes, and could be doing other things -- reading, sewing, etc. We plan this summer to be outside and doing things a lot more, because last summer we were in all summer working on the kitchen, so I think we will find more quality time away from the computer in the coming months -- thank God for the internet in the winter though... :)
Sam
I agree, Sam...
Ut's too easy to get sucked into electronics, whether it's TV or computers!
Shirley
Your Week Off
Everyone should take time off you need it. You need to stop and smell the roses so to speak. Life is just to short to spend all your time working.
I agree!!
Now I need another week to get caught up on the laundry, LOL!
Shirley
Hi Shirley
What an excellent vacation. I bet you feel so fresh and ready to go.
Sam--the thing that slays me is how panicked I get when I forget my phone. Now, granted, I do have a 45 minute drive through nowhere to get to town, and having broken down I can tell you, it's a long walk to a phone, but really...how many years did I travel without one? An excellent safety device, and I will continue to carry one, but I need to remember that it isn't essential. (Usually .)
Me too!!
I have gotten so attached to that cell phone that I can be ten minutes from home and feel panicky if I'm without it. It's not like I have to have it - for Pete's sake, I did live without one before -- but have had enough emergencies before cell phones (and one time when my daughter choked when I did have a cell phone) that I just feel better having one.
Shirley
Sounds like a great vacation!!
Glad you had the chance to unplug, Shirley! I love it when we do, but I do find myself antsy to check in to Cigars and a few other online communities :)
But all those books!! :) So, what did you read?
I read...
Dennis Lehane's A Drink Before the War, John Grisham's The Partner and The Street Lawyer (those two were in the condo and I hadn't read much Grisham before), a book called Just One Look by a guy whose last name I can't remember (it's a long one John Something) and the fifth one's title escapes me. I left a couple of them behind in the condo, gave a couple others away to other people down there. I started a sixth one (another Lehane) that I'll read on another quick trip I have to make this week.
Shirley
Everyone should take time
Everyone should take time off, free from the internet, work, etc.
How nice
Shirley,
That sounds like a terrific vacation! I think I'd have a really hard time giving up the internet... but wow - to *really* get away from it all. :D What bliss. I'm all for the kiddie pool idea :D
I remember...
When my kids were smaller and would just play in the kiddie pool all day. It was great. Now they are old enough to just head down to the pool or beach alone, or better yet, make friends on their own and just head off with other kids to the pool or beach. It's a whole new kind of freedom for DH and I! I blogged about the honeymoon part of our trip on our Wedding Planners blog here:
http://harlequin-theweddingplanners.blogspot.com/2008/04/being-love-bug-again.html
Shirley