Sickness, Vacation, and Everything..

On: Monday, December 1, 2008

It's been quite a while since my last post so I thought I would let all my faithful readers (yeah right) catch up on everything.

I took off last week to burn some vacation time but was sick for 80% of it. Actually I'd already been "sick" for about 2 weeks and it finally came to the point where I was sick enough that my wife made an appointment for me while I was still sleeping to go to the doctor (thank you!). So Wednesday I went to the doc's who stated that it's been over 3 years since my last visit and she sounded surpised/impressed/disappointed. 3 years?! Wow. I wonder how often most people go to the doctors. Anyways, she put me on steroids, antibiotics, and codiene flavored cough medicine. I then received my flu shot and got an x-ray on my knee which has been bothering me. Man, it felt like a yearly tune up of something. By the next day I felt much better and by Friday I almost felt normal and no longer stayed up till 2 or 3 am coughing. So I took my new found energy to clean out the Garage; of course 3 hours later I realized that I wasn't fully recovered yet and felt like I was going to pass out. So my week long vacation didn't feel like it started till Friday, but I had been bored since Tuesday.

While I was driving to work this morning I realized that I no longer had such a struggling attitude about my job, whether permanent or temporary only time will tell. I was actually looking forward to work. This made me wonder how, or why, this change came about. Usually my vacation time is spent out of town in places like Colorado, Arkansas, or even big city Chicago. Any place that I generally enjoy much more than my own hometown where it feels like there is nothing to do....ever. When I come home from those places I typically have a feeling of resentment, or at least a disappointment, for my house not being wherever I just left and I feel like I'm back to the same old thing. I shall call it Vacationitis.
This last week however, not only did I stay home, but I also was in poor health which made for a not so enjoyable time. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed my time with my wife and daughter, but I didn't do anything....at all. The only thing I did was clean the garage on Friday and that about wiped me out.

So, I figured out that if you have a vacation that is enjoyable it's much harder to go back to work with a "refreshed" attitude. When you have a crappy, or at least disappointing, vacation the same old grind stone isn't that bad after all. Huh...I may even be nice to people today. Weird eh?

I have a week off in December, I wonder if I should go anywhere....

6 comments on "Sickness, Vacation, and Everything.."

SQLFunkateer said...

Hehehe, the first Monday after our daughter was born, I had a new refreshed appreciation for going to work...the idea of parking myself in my chair, sitting in front of that comfortably familiar shelf of computers and drinking familiar old office coffee, all the while shrouded with blessed SILENCE...well, I know its not fair to the wife, since she didn't get such a reprieve but it was nice.

I likewise have a week off in December, but we're going nowhere in all likelihood.

This week is probably too busy...but how are you next weekend for getting that SMLE barrel cut?

Brandon Briscoe said...

i haven't been to the doctor in probably five years. I think that is bad.

The Unabashed Blogger said...

You Pilgrim, should probably go to the FDA to be tested at this point.

Neuf- For the barrel any Sunday afternoon is usually free, Saturdays are a little hit or miss. Speaking of hit or miss, what week are you off? Wanna cause projectiles to hit targets?

SQLFunkateer said...

Very last weekend, after Christmas. If it is very cold shooting gloves are a must. I remember last winter (at least, I think it was last winter, might've been the one before) taking the Mauser to the range, getting I think 5, maybe 10 rounds off and having to give it a miss, my hands were frozen. Felt more than a twinge of pity for those poor German/Russian sods plodding about the Ukrainian steppe in the harsh winter.

The Angry Coder said...

Neuf- you might be interested in reading The Forgotten Soldier, first person story of a kraut soldier who arrived to front of the eastern front just in time for the tide to turn. It is enlightening but also very bleak and depressing. It made war sound like 'no fun'!

Unabashed- consider taking a water-sampling tour of Mexico! It will be the perfect blend of travel and misery. You'll feet both like you "did something" and will appreciate returning to work! (The amebaes will clear out after a few weeks. Dysentery takes a few months to fully recover from.)

Percussivity said...

Are the snowflakes indicative of the fact that your blog is growing cold from disuse??