Looks like i'm taking the week between Christmas and new years off.
Whether i want to or not.
Yesterday i found out that the company is closing down for that week and that i'll have a week of vacation time "helpfully" scheduled for me for that period. It's not the first time that i've been with a company that's done this, and in spite of whatever grumblings from the ranks, it's not like there's a lot they can do to change it. Inevitably it's sold to the rank and file as being a benefit, but in reality, it's an easy cost-cutting move.
Thing is, i really wasn't looking forward to taking time off then. Sure, 80%+ of the rest of the company probably was (We're talking about a four day week bracketed by two four three day weekends here), but then, i hate traveling around then. i know that Hallmark declared informs us that the Holidays Are About Family®, and that anyone who doesn't visit sweater clad family gathered around a roasted bird either eats babies raw, commit suicide in their dark apartment, or will be eaten by a grue, but in fact, one can often visit family more effectively when not joining half the local population in the TSA screening lines.
It's not that i'm just a workaholic, it's just that i actually enjoy what i do. i like the folks i work with, i like the stuff i work on, and as wondrous as that time off may sound, to me, it means sitting around bored knowing what i'll have to catch up doing when i do get back.
Yeah, i *could* do that work while on mandatory vacation, but you know, there's just something philosophically wrong with that idea.
i dunno, maybe i'll just work on a few projects that i wanted to do, or spend it polishing up the resume, or something.
i'm already planning on taking a few days off around thanksgiving so no problem there (and considering that i've got something insane like 300++ hours, i'm definitely one of the folks they're talking to.
you could come work for ad operations where we got a special gift…we get to work those days, cause…well…we are 24×7 group. heck, you can come help me out on some stuff jr. :)
isn't it bracketed by only 3 day weekends?
Oh, you're right. It's two three day weekends. They juggled around the holidays this year because of that and we got those …two days off… earlier…
D'OH!!
I have the same "enforced vacation" here. And it'll make me go negative on my total number of vacation days because I made the mistake of staying home after catching the bad cold that everyone else was coming to the office with.
At jobs where they don't shut down (and here it's enforced by shutting off all access through the card-key-controlled doors and taking down the VPN – they're serious about it), I always found the week between Jesusmas and amateur night one of the most productive of the year. There's nobody else in the office to distract you, the network is pretty darned responsive, and as long as the grue doesn't eat you, you can do a lot of work.
I guess this year I get to ponder suicide in a dark apartment instead.
Or work on my blog.
Maybe because I've been at school in one form or another for my entire life, but I honestly can't imagine not being on vacation between Christmas and New Years.
I mean, that's when you get to play with all your new stuff, right?
You could just stay home and dole out your presence to the family in small doses.
You said Grue. Funny.
hmmm, my company closes the office, but doesn't charge us vacation for it. Best of both worlds. :)
Right on, man.