When yesterday became today, I might have just done a little dance. It was a freedom dance. I finished school on Tuesday and as of midnight last night, I am done with work. Done with work means starting a two week vacation. Two weeks!
As mentioned previously, I’m not good at vacation. And not just because I’m such a hard worker or anything. I am a structure person. When you remove urgency and deadlines and places to be at certain times from my life, I basically become a useless blob. It’s like I only have two modes: on and off. I know people will say, “just relax and enjoy yourself,” but Useless Blob Me doesn’t really enjoy the laziness. She usually just feels bad about herself and wonders how her vacation disappeared.
I am wildly optimistic that this time will be different, though I have no evidence to support this claim. The minute I finished my last paper, I started thinking of all the things I would do and read and write now that I have more than the hour before I go to sleep for free time. I thought about making a list of goals, but to be honest, I don’t feel like putting myself under that kind of restriction.
It’s a nice idea to think that it shouldn’t take any kind of self control to get yourself to do the things you want to do, but that has rarely been the case with me, because so many of the things I like to do are difficult and, well, sitting in front of the TV is easy.
Rather than list goals I can cross off one by one, I think I will just state my intentions with Christmas break (like I’m planning to marry her). I intend to read a book. I really intend to read the dozen or so I’ve checked out from the library, but considering that I can’t remember the last book I read for fun, I’m going to aim low. I’d like to read a few books by one of the philosophers I met at the conference I just worked at; her writing is famous for being almost impossibly difficult, so that should be interesting. I’m also thinking of a Chuck Klosterman book of essays.
I want to write in my new black journal. Maybe I should bend some pages or drop it a few times, so it starts to feel as worn as the others. I feel like I need to decompress from a semester that pushed me to my limits. I also need to work through some things, because this next semester is going to be even more of a challenge. That new position I accepted is a little more significant than I might have let on, and it’s going to challenge me on some fronts where I do not excel.
Blogging is not something I really put on hold, because 1) it’s probably my favorite thing to do and 2) even when I am very busy, I use it as away to procrastinate. But, there are 4 or 5 posts that have been floating around in my head for several weeks, and I have not yet written them because they will take me a while to work through. I’d also like to use this break as an opportunity to connect with more bloggers, because there just hasn’t been enough time for that lately. I mourn all the posts and comments that have come and gone where I meant to reply, wanted to reply and failed.
The novel I started while working on NaNoWriMo is still waiting to be written, but I’m having a hard time seeing my way forward. Maybe a visit to Seattle, where the novel takes place, will help.
There are many other things to be done as well. The most important is playing with my nieces, letting them do my hair and give me makeovers (I’ll try to get pictures of the results); they, for no good reason, think I’m a rockstar, and I have to keep that going. There will also be a lot of sibling and parent time that will hopefully include alcohol. Board games played with friends (I am turning 26 after all). And long walks along the water. I’m going to try to work in a deep breath or two when I can.
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Well it sounds like you have things that can keep you busy over your vacation. Do the things that YOU want to do in YOUR time…Things that you have put on the back burner that give YOU joy!!
Enjoy your break! I still have to get through today. It’s so annoying. I don’t have to deal with kids today – just the staff (which, frankly, is worse). I am also terrible at vacations, but I’m really looking forward to this one (which is sure to bring on the disappointment.) Anyways, I’m 27 and I still play board games. In fact, the pub down the street from me specializes in drinking AND get togethers for people to play board games! How fun is that!?
I am excited for my one week break coming up, but I am also happy that my mom is coming because that’ll make sure I actually use my time instead of sitting on my couch watching TV until 2 in the afternoon and then, you know, not have much of a day left to do anything. Usually when I go on vacation, or even if I have a three day weekend, I try to plan something during my vacation, whether it’s going to a particular store or restaurant or hanging out with friends. Just to make sure that my days are filled with something other than reruns of the Golden Girls.
Have a wonderful vacation! I like the sound of your intentions :) Embrace the change of pace!
That’s a lot of things on your to do list. Though I think blogging & board games should take the top 2 spots.
Enjoy your vacation!
Another reason for congratulations and celebrations- you finished up your semester! I also have a hard time properly taking advantage of my vacation time- I always bring a bunch of books home with me and I don’t read half of them. But I think you’re going about this in the right way, once again, because you have very specific “intentions.”
If you’re looking for work, though, I need to start working on my thesis prospectus and finish up some applications and I could use a little help.
Also- Chuck Klosterman is a favorite of Bill Simmons. I brought one of his books home with me, maybe I should try to read it too…?
I also just finished a mad crazy semester and so far, the only thing I’ve wanted to do is stay home and do absolutely nothing. I think the combination of always having to do stuff at home and then constantly running around town doing stuff, I just wanted to sit still for a while. So far? I’ve had one day to do so. And it’s glorious!
Very rejuvenating, and helping me feel like now that I’m getting some relaxing me-time in, I can do things like read and work on fun projects I’ve been putting off both online and off.
Yay for vacation, seriously.
Congrats on the freedom and time off! Enjoy, I’m sure you deserve it.
I am jealous that your time off has already started.
Maybe, if you’re reliant on structure, you can create a daily routine over the break concerning, oh I dunno… blogging? As most of us will be on vacations ourselves, getting more reads from you would be great. :)
Congratulations on finishing your semester and work! It will be so nice to just relax for a couple weeks, I’m sure. Enjoy your freedom :)
well, congratulation for your freedom. enjoy it! it’s hard for me to find one since i’m having a month of working. but glad to know, that i’ll be off for a 4-days vacation this christmas. have a great me-time on your own! :)
Awww yay for freedom! Lol that’s what my blog today was titled, kinda.
Enjoy your break!
We’re really similar that way—I’m a structure person, and I tend to just “waste” my break. I sort of crave routine once I’ve been away from it. This break, though, I am READY FOR. Hope you enjoy some “me time” and some niece time, and all sorts of good things.
I do the same thing! For example, I’ve been on my “break” for a week and have planned on really getting serious on my novel. I haven’t opened the file once. I still have to work during this break and since my alarm goes off at 5 a.m., all I want to do after spending 6 hours with busy toddlers is sleep! So I’ve been napping a lot.
Have a wonderful time on break Ashley! I think reading, writing, adult beverages, games, and fun times with the nieces sound like a lovely way to spend it. I hope you can decompress and just enjoy the down time before gearing up once again in January.
It sounds as if you’re ready for a break. Like you, I have all these plans for things I’m going to do over Christmas, but whether I actually get anything done remains to be seen. Have a good time anyway!
“…I basically become a useless blog.”
I’m thinking you meant “blob” here… too funny. ;-)
one more paper until I’m free like you.
I love reading your blog posts. Ran into it from 20SB site and
now I can’t stop reading :)
LOL, I’m the same way sort of. I’m a “What’s Next?” person and often spend vacation unsure of what to accomplish and then when it’s over, think to myself: “I DIDN’T GET ENOUGH DONE!” I sort of miss the point as well. I have a few days off next week and I think I’m going to attempt to read The Lovely Bones.
Congratulations being finished with school for the season! How exciting for you! And it sounds like you have a lot of things scheduled for your Christmas break. That sounds lovely!
I’m kind of like you. I am either “On” or “Off.” There is no in between. So whenever I have a break (and since I’m kind of on a permanent break), I am a lazy blob, too. I’m trying to get better about this, but so far this season? I’m struggling.
May we both have better luck this break!
I can so relate to most of your winter break goals (ie: reading, blogging, writing) Ugh NaNoWriMo was not good to me and I was not good to her. I should probably get back to the measly 2500 words I wrote.
Well, a visit to Seattle is always a good thing, but I may be a bit biased. ;o) Plus, there’s nothing like Christmas in the Northwest!
Good luck with the productive vacation! I have the same useless blob problem on my breaks from school. I find that making a list of a couple things to do every morning helps me. That and I try really hard not to feel guilty when I sleep in til noon.