A Quiet Time at the Office

There’s a hush in the office this afternoon, which is not surprising given that it’s the last work day before Christmas, and many are taking the day off and not coming back until December 26 or after the New Year. I’m one of the unlucky ones still sitting at my desk at 4:30 pm.

It’s not that I forgot to schedule vacation time – I would’ve been nice to take a vacation next week. It’s because I only have two weeks’ vacation and I am saving the days for a trip next May. In my past job, I had five weeks’ vacation, which is almost unheard of here in the US (but common for European countries). Even though I like my current job more than my previous one, it’s this time of year (and summer time) that make me miss my old job. Is it shallow to love a job because of the benefits?

Now that my vacation is reduced to two measly weeks I have to be really careful with how I use the days. Last year I took the week between Christmas and New Year’s off then took three weeks off in January – just because I could. I don’t remember much from that lazy three week vacation apart from sleeping until noon and watching Oprah whenever the mood struck. I also remember spending a few days exploring the newly-opened mall near my house and giving my credit card a serious workout at Nordstrom’s.

This year I will be working hard throughout December and next January in preparation for a work trip to Shanghai, China. I have never been to China, but have always wanted to visit, so this work assignment is exciting. The work will be demanding, but I have no problem with that since I will only be coming home to an empty hotel room at the end of the day. Hopefully I will have a chance to relax and explore the city during the weekends. I have already checked out several guidebooks from the library and will be drafting my weekend itinerary over the long weekend.