I've had exactly one week of vacation this year.
And, for the longest time, it seemed like that's all I was going to get. Because of the hideous cost of everything associated with travel, going on a personal vacation didn't make much sense. Can you really enjoy yourself if you're freaking out about how much everything costs all the time? Do you really want to drop a massive chunk of cash on something that could be used for less frivolous things? Like eating and paying rent?
So I decided to have a "staycation" and try to make the best of a vacation at home. Since I have to travel all the time, this came as kind of a relief. Not only would it save me some money, but the idea of not having to deal with airports, hotels, and all the other headaches would be a nice change of pace. Relaxing at home could be the best vacation of all.
Except that's a load of delusional crap.
I know full-well that if I were to stay home I would end up doing everything except relax. I'd work. I'd do chores. I'd run errands. I'd refinish my dining room table. There's positively no way I could relax and do nothing if I were at home.
So I bit the bullet and booked two weeks away from it all next month.
Because I know if I didn't, I would probably go crazy. Or, I guess I should say "more crazy," because all the non-stop work has pretty much put me there already. It may cost a fortune, but I need this so badly...
In other news, can I just say how much I admire Michael Phelps? Not because of his record-breaking eight gold medals in the Olympic Games, but because he has the courage to speak out about being bullied when he was growing up. He can be such an inspiration to kids who are relentlessly tortured every day just for being different, and I hope he continues to talk about it and raise awareness. I am in constant amazement at how cruel kids can be to each other, and if even one bullied child can see how Michael Phelps not only survived bullying... but excelled in spite of it... well, that may be the one thing they have to help them get through it. The alternative is just too horrible to contemplate.
Congratulations on your well-deserved success, Michael, I look forward to seeing what you do with it.
Maybe one day you'll do "Daveanda, eh?" That would be cool.
I've always been really curious as to what you do for a living that you travel so very much. Don't tell me though, because my whole 'Dave's an international spy' theory makes you seem very cool in my book. Ha ha...
Posted by Karen Sugarpants on August 18, 2008 | Reply
You need a vacation... a nice time without any work, chores or anything to hinder relax time.
We try the local vacation (well, Park City) and I see your point. It kind of works, but somehow, people know you are only 30 mins from home and then the time you expected only to do nothing gets interrupted with running home "for a quick check on things"
It's good to see people like Phelps in the spotlight because they don't hide behind some facade of reality. It is reality to them what they went through and training to accomplish their goals. Kids need this more than anything today.
Posted by ChillyWilly on August 18, 2008 | Reply
Totally away from it all? Leaving laptop at home? That's probably the only way I'd *really* get away from it all. Just unplug and relax. I spent two weeks in England but like an idiot, I had to take my laptop with me. So didn't really get "away" from anything for very long.
Posted by Kevin Spencer on August 18, 2008 | Reply
So are you going to reveal where you are going on vacation??
Michael Phelps is THE man IMHO!
He sure makes it look easy but he works so very hard to get to where he is at now!! Plus he can EAT a lot!!!
M
Posted by michelle Jacobs on August 19, 2008 | Reply
I already said everything I had to say about the vacation part, but... yes, it's wonderful to have Someone of Importance speak out about bullying. You know the bullies just had bad childhoods and tend to not know better but that doesn't stop me from wanting to back in time and punch Jack right in his junk multiple times.
Oh Bullies - how I hate them. The schools (at least ours) really don't do much to help, either. When my child has experienced bullyish behavior she is told to handle it with her "I" messages. "I don't like it when you...." Sure, great advice, but someone still needs to kick the little dickwad's ass. The approach is to teach the picked on kids to deal with it, rather than to kill/maim the pricks. I do believe in dealing with your problems, but I also believe in punishing the bad.
Have fun wherever it is you're going!
Posted by Coal Miner's Granddaughter on August 19, 2008 | Reply
I'm also jumping on the "Where is Dave going?" bandwagon! Is it a contest? ;o)
I absolutely agree about Michael Phelps being a wonderful role model. All of the interviews I have seen with him have been lovely. He has a dignity and humility that totally blows you away when you think of what he has acheived.
Michael Phelps is amazing. I don't drool over him like a lot of girls/women do, but what his body can do makes me a tiny bit weak in the knees. I am a swimmer, and I know how hard/exhausting it is. To find out that he is an amazing person in addition to that makes him a hero in my book. You are an awesome person for noticing that in him. (I must have had some love potion sprinkled on my cake this morning because I am all in love with everything/everyone).
Bullies suck. My oldest daughter was bullied just a tiny bit in Kindergarten and it broke my heart and made me think really bad things about the kid who bullied her. I almost never dislike anyone, but the way I felt about that girl bordered on hate. Luckily the principal is on top of things and got it taken care of, but still knowing she had to deal with that makes me very sad.
Posted by radioactive tori on August 19, 2008 | Reply
Staycations can be lots of fun! I have turned Davelouis into a staycation of sorts. I'm just staying at my friends' place and bumming around the city, getting outside in a different environment is great even though it's only 125 miles away. Not really a Staycation I guess but pretty close.
Had I been stuck in Columbia, I'd probably be cycling around finding new places and enjoying the time just as well. :-)
I have been wondering what in the heck Michael Phelps will do now. He says no more Olympics but what exactly can he do? Seems like he has invested so much time in his swimming... I wonder if he has developed any other skills/talents.
I do hope the best for him and anyone else, he has been an inspiration for many; the second coming of Lance Armstrong!
Posted by Justin Scott on August 19, 2008 | Reply
As a second grade teacher, sadly I see a LOT of bullying behavior. I have zero tolerance for it, and supposedly my entire school does....but it still exists. I have seen things from 7 and 8 year olds that I never believed possible. And parents who absolutely will NOT believe that their precious child would ever misbehave. It's mind-boggling, really.
What impressed me so much about Michael Phelps is his ability to take criticism/trash talk/etc. and use it as fuel to further inspire him to win.
Also how he talked about using his imagination. It's not something I associate with sports, but you have to believe something's possible in order to achieve it no matter how improbable or impossible it might seem to others.
Yay, you're going on vacation! Hope you get to really relax and unwind... And that there are no snags with the airlines or hotels!
Posted by Atomic Bombshell on August 19, 2008 | Reply
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