Vacation.
You are either good at it or you are me.
And as usual, that’s not a good thing.
Because I stink at vacation.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the time away from home (code: work).
I’m just not good at it.
Vacation is everything I despise.
No structure. No schedule. No reason to set the alarm to get up early. No To Do List where I can scratch off my accomplishments in the order of importance.
Just day after day of sitting around watching time pass by.
It’s unstructured and exhausting.
On the other side of the spectrum, my wife (Tech Queen), daughter (Evil Spawn), and Buddy the Dog are great at vacation.
They have walks to take, books to read, little towns to explore, naps to take, and movies to watch (in the effort of full-disclosure… Buddy isn’t that great of a reader).
This is also exhausting.
Watching them relaxing and accomplishing nothing.
The best part of vacation for me is the anticipation of going. After that it’s all downhill.
Once I arrive at the chosen vacation spot, my thoughts turn to when we have to leave.
When should we start packing?
What time should we leave so we beat traffic?
Will we get back early enough so I can mow the yard?
A vacation is almost more exhausting than staying home and being in my normal routine.
Actually, it’s more than exhausting.
It’s a little pathetic now that I think about it.
Question/snide remark from said “Tech Queen” – A little pathetic?
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Paul
on Jul 27th, 2010
@ 9:25 am:
Glad someone else feels like that. I found this summer, it takes me three days (at least) on vacation to learn how to be on vacation.
Diane
on Jul 27th, 2010
@ 9:36 am:
That IS pathetic.
The question is, why aren’t YOU going for walks, reading, exploring towns, napping (and I know you like to nap), etc.?
Michael Smith Reply:
July 27th, 2010 at 3:24 pm
@Diane, I don’t need a nap while on vacation… I’m not tired because I haven’t done anything….
Melanie
on Jul 27th, 2010
@ 9:54 am:
Next year plan to go to WDW. The amount of structure and planning required will make you quite happy.
Pat
on Jul 27th, 2010
@ 12:16 pm:
You sound so much like my hubby that it is scary! When we go camping, I love to just sit and relax either with my book or my ipod. After relaxing for about 5 minutes (if I’m lucky!), hubby asks, “So, are you ready to go do something?” AAARGH!
Michael Smith Reply:
July 27th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
@Pat, He sounds like a good man…
Carol
on Jul 27th, 2010
@ 1:23 pm:
I love to sit at the pool and relax and read a book. My husband, on the other hand, wants to be “doing” something every minute of our vacation. He only wants to be in the hotel room long enough to sleep and shower. I was excited to get home from my vacation so I could rest for a few minutes.
Michael Smith Reply:
July 27th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
@Carol, Are your husbands related by any chance???
tony
on Jul 27th, 2010
@ 5:17 pm:
you need a trip to Colorado like nothing I’ve ever heard before!
Alfred Thompson
on Jul 27th, 2010
@ 6:22 pm:
I’m not so good at vacation myself. I worry about the detail before going and worry about catching up with work after while I am on it. Good thing for me my wife loves to plan vacations and she likes to schedule every minute. That helps a lot. A structured vacation is easier for me by a lot than a do nothing but relax vacation. I keep thinking I want to just do nothing but somehow when I try it is feel like I am just wasting time.
Tina Francis
on Jul 28th, 2010
@ 6:28 am:
Ok…I must admit…my husband and I are both like this….vacation time is a strange concept. We also look forward to our retirement years so we can work. Is there a doctor for people like us?
Stu Prevost
on Jul 28th, 2010
@ 7:32 pm:
One word.. four letters… GOLF…. I need to find a way to get it to carry over into my work world!!!!
Cyndi
on Jul 29th, 2010
@ 5:42 am:
I like the 50/50 vacation. Work on a huge project cuz there’s nothing makes you feel better than accomplishment. Then go to a resort and chill by the pool with a book for a few days.
Olwyn Hughes
on Jul 30th, 2010
@ 11:11 am:
I am exactly the same way when the vacation is really a staycation. It takes me a couple of weeks of summer vacation to learn how not to be going to work every day.
My hubby and I got back last night from 5 days in San Fran. No planning, no expectations, just hours and hours of walking each day. Amazingly enough, it was really enjoyable. Of course, there is no way that I would have been able to handle having no computer, no plans etc if I was still at home!