Vacation

No I'm not homeless. And I'm in a better humor than the expression on this pic would indicate. This is the picture of a man on a much-needed vacation. Just took it myself(of myself)a minute ago. Thought it might give things a certain spur-of-the-moment quality, as if to say 'this is me right this minute, like it or lump it'.

I'm now on my first official vacation day. Official here meaning that I'm getting paid for it. Well, I had this past Friday off as well for Veterans Day, but that was a day we all got paid for. Sorta like Texas Hold 'em, where you have common cards and then cards that only you(or your opponents)hold.

So I'm on my cards now. The last two days of my vacation--'officially' anyway--are the two days we get for Thanksgiving, so I'll end my vacation back with common cards. With the stuff in the middle. (I used to host a Poker game for some years, and we called Texas Hold 'em "Shit in the Middle" because of the common cards: the shit in the middle. Well, okay, we did a bit of imbibing during those games..)

Actually my vacation began this last Thursday at 4:30 in the afternoon, when I left work. This is my fourth vacation day out of 17. Whether it's charged to vacation or holiday leave, regardless of the cost center or budget code(s), time off all feels the same.

It may not sound like a lot of time, but I've waited six months for this two-week reprieve from the rigors of daygig. My last vacation was a week and a day, at the very beginning of April; then a hypertrophic weekend around the 4th of July(5 days); then a day or half-day here and there, until finally my time was here!

I'm grateful to have the job I have, especially in this day and age, but also appreciate getting the hell away from it for these periods. Without divulging what I do from 8 to 4:30 Monday through Friday, let's just say it has to do with helping people who don't have jobs- and as such, business is especially booming these days, as you can imagine. Very draining at times, given the problems you hear and try to help solve.

And that's all I'm going to say about work. Glad to have it, but also glad to be up and outa there for a little while. Away from the daily grind. It'll be there when I get back..

For now, I'm on vacation! One thing I do every time out is overeat, just like a teenager on a break from school. I don't drink all that much anymore, so this is where the binge instinct manifests itself. Usually junk food, normally Cheetos. And then I pay the price with throne time. Already gotten that phase of things out of the way in the 'pre-vacation' segment of my time off(Fri Sat Sun), both the excess Cheeto ingestion and the penance time moanin' on the throne.

Actually fostering two good habits this time out: regular guitar practice and semi-regular hours. Well, my pets have something to do with this second item, since they're on me in the morning to get their breakfasts going and a few of my other morning chores. There is one window the cats like to look out of, so it is my morning duty to make sure those blinds are raised. I'm both cook and custodian as far as they're concerned.

Ah, vacation! Still very early on. I can't believe I've got two whole weeks. In the words of Elmer Fudd, "West and wewaxation at wast!!" With that, I'm sure more blogs will follow. As always, thanks for stopping in here.