Strange Day

Vacation looms. Yes, I'm actually taking a week of vacation which will start, officially, at 7:01PM on Sunday night.

This means that there's a ton to do in the office before I go. I've found you have to work a lot more before you leave and when you get back so you can actually enjoy the vacation. There was lots to do yesterday.

But...

...it was like my brain knew that vacation time was afoot and said,

"Yes. I know we have a lot to do. Yes. I know it's important stuff because your co-workers will want you to have done your work because your part affects their parts. Yes. I know that the people covering your class load will need sufficient instruction. Yes. I get it. Lots to do...

...but what isn't going to happen today is actually focusing on what you have to do.

In fact, what I'm going to do today is develop a severe case of Attention Deficit Disorder. This will be temporary, but it will be a violent case of it. The minute you open a drawer to get a pencil, I'm going to make you think that it's high time you should clean out that drawer. The second you answer that e-mail I'm going to bring to your brain 3 other e-mails that maybe don't need immediate attention but why not do it now? When you decide to get after that compiling of study notes, I'm going to remind you that there might be some more helpful notes in a file...you think...somewhere...around here, now where, exactly are they?

I'm going to do all sorts of stuff like that today, okay? So, let's just know that going in and try to get just enough done that you feel like you got some of the bases covered but just guilty enough because you didn't do everything you should've done to serve those who are covering for you while you're gone. So, have as happy a last office day as you can knowing all that, okay?"

And, my brain turned out to be pretty accurate.

The only response I could think of after such a deflating day was to have a night of vacation practice to get ready for the real vacation. So, Tracy and I went out with friends to a nice little restaurant in Grapevine (the only way I know to describe it would be "Texas-based Kinda Mexican Cuisine." They had fajitas and lots of spicy stuff but not really full-blown Mexican restaurant--I mean, one of the sides you could get with your fajitas was mashed potatoes & gravy--but not fully Tex-Mex either. You could get chili with onion rings. Strange. But good nonetheless.) and then kinda walked the quaint little main street town square.

I got amused at some of the places that were empty because of Friday Night Football games. I got amused at the reality that the cover band at one of the establishments was playing a Steppenwolf song--who covers Steppenwolf these days? I saw a shirt at one of the wine-tasting places that said, "One time, when I was at wine camp..." which made Tracy and I laugh out loud.

And I didn't think about work much. Or the stuff I still should've done if my brain would've cooperated much.

One more day of work tomorrow.

Then maybe I won't think about it at all.

But this morning I woke up at 5:14AM. My brain had more to say. It was along the lines of all the things I had to do and it had a lot of insights and efficient ways to manage the tasks. I tried to talk myself into going back to sleep, but I wasn't really successful at that. I dozed in and out for about an hour but then gave up.

Man.

I think I need this vacation more than I've let on.