Leading up to this most American of holidays, a question that my wife and in-laws would repeatedly ask me if I had the day after Thanksgiving off. In response, I'd tell them that I did -- although the courts are open today, my firm is not, therefore there was nothing to worry about in scheduling a week-long vacation.
It just makes me wonder, why isn't Thanksgiving a two-day holiday? At this point, our friends in retail have made today "Black Friday," encouraging people to go shopping in the wee small hours of the morning in order to get a jump on another holiday that's a month away! For everyone who actually did have to work today, it's kind of a pain to do all the shopping at that time of night, and then rush to work with no sleep.
Not that there's anything wrong with getting a jump on the holidays -- since Chanukah is relatively early this year, it actually is a great idea to shop for gifts now for those loved ones who look forward to latkes and applesauce by the light of the menorah. That being said, putting today down as Thanksgiving, Part 2, would allow more people to shop during more feasible hours.
Besides, being Jewish, we're used to having two-day family feasts. Happens every fall with Rosh Hashanah and every spring with Passover -- we just have the first dinner at one relative's house and the second at another relative's house and everyone's happy (to the extent that's possible, of course). Why not just have a little more of the same? Heck, my in-laws have already agreed to a compromise where my folks (this year) have Thanksgiving at their house, and they have an extra Thanksgiving at their house the day after -- soon to alternate each year!
Oh well -- Congress has bigger fish to fry right now, but I'd put this bill in a larger package just to get a few votes.
So I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving, and get ready for the December holidays just around the corner!
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
A Day Off!
Yes kids, your fearless blogger friend had the first of his several vacation days that he needs to "use or lose" by the end of 2010. Doesn't happen often, I assure you. And yes, there were still a few phone calls related to work that I needed to take. But darn it, I just needed today.
I'm one of those rare people who actually needs a little bit of down time, also known as "alone time," to stay sane. I mean taking the better part of a day with no human contact, watching TV, surfing the net, or reading. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy being social, and the joys of conversing with old friends or meeting new people has become quite a luxury as well. But my lady and I have been living a lifestyle that I affectionately refer to as, "Gotta Go Here, Gotta Go There."
There's always some obligation to fulfill, whether it's related to work, family, home, or holidays. It's getting so life simply doesn't slow down when we'd like it to do so the most. Just once in a blue moon, I need time when that's not pressing on me. I know from experience that when I have that type of time, I'm far more relaxed and easygoing, much more clear-headed, and significantly less likely to blow a gasket over any little thing that happens!
Also, there is a small degree of anxiety that's been developing inside me. I have a great job, a great wife, a great place to live, a loving and encouraging extended family, and an AWESOME group of friends, who recently re-painted a house that holds special memories for me. But there is always the feeling that my life could take an unexpected turn. And when there's no time to think this over and discover my own answers, the anxiety grows. When I do have the aforementioned down time to take a good, hard look at myself and my life, the perception seems much less dire.
I wish I had much more time to this . . . I used to be someone who enjoyed long periods of introspection. Jews are always encouraged to do this during the High Holy Days -- do you know anyone who does, though? I've yet to see anyone who meditates, or concentrates, or focuses on their actions and directions during services (I do, however, have fond memories of my mother and grandmother sitting on both sides of me at temple and both leaning over me to talk, thus blocking me from reading the Machzor (prayer book), LOL). In order for me to do that, I'd simply have to be alone - and since our faith encourages community and interaction more than it does solitude, it's a bit more difficult for me to "look inside."
But anytime you have a day off, that's the time to do it. I'd suggest a period of about six to eight hours to just be alone -- it's not only good for authors (and bloggers), but it's such a great way to re-charge! A breather, a break, a chance only to be, and not to do! Days like these are like gold to me.
Now all the moms and dads reading this are thinking (and hopefully preparing to comment) that it's just not possible, and that when you bring children into this world, your alone time will not come back until retirement. I'd respond with the words of Rick Pitino, "Don't tell me you don't have the time. Make the time!" My oldest and most-respected friend, who shares my name, is a father of two who has extended family reside in his house -- yet he still manages to have his alone time -- maybe he can't swing the 6 to 8 hours, but he has a house rule that for 1 or 2 hours every day, nobody can bother him. It's sort of like a father from the '50s who needed to put up his feet and read the paper when he got home from work -- I dare say that works too! If you can't do one day a week, do an hour a day! Anything just to avoid going off the deep end, for real!
We sure need some down time -- I know we'll both have it soon when we visit our parents and grandparents in Florida for Thanksgiving. But I really wish we could have more of this every week. Back during my MySpace days, I quoted from passages in Leviticus that laid the basic framework for a Sabbath day before it was codified in the Ten Commandments. I extolled the virtues of having a day off, and a good friend of mine would comment, lamenting how some people simply can't afford one. Obviously a crying shame, but we should all try to just make some time like my oldest friend does -- if not a day of rest, then several hours of rest spread out over several days might do the trick! How do you think I got energized enough to write this post?
Oh well -- feel free to comment, people -- tomorrow, it's back to the grind for one day, and then the weekend!
I'm one of those rare people who actually needs a little bit of down time, also known as "alone time," to stay sane. I mean taking the better part of a day with no human contact, watching TV, surfing the net, or reading. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy being social, and the joys of conversing with old friends or meeting new people has become quite a luxury as well. But my lady and I have been living a lifestyle that I affectionately refer to as, "Gotta Go Here, Gotta Go There."
There's always some obligation to fulfill, whether it's related to work, family, home, or holidays. It's getting so life simply doesn't slow down when we'd like it to do so the most. Just once in a blue moon, I need time when that's not pressing on me. I know from experience that when I have that type of time, I'm far more relaxed and easygoing, much more clear-headed, and significantly less likely to blow a gasket over any little thing that happens!
Also, there is a small degree of anxiety that's been developing inside me. I have a great job, a great wife, a great place to live, a loving and encouraging extended family, and an AWESOME group of friends, who recently re-painted a house that holds special memories for me. But there is always the feeling that my life could take an unexpected turn. And when there's no time to think this over and discover my own answers, the anxiety grows. When I do have the aforementioned down time to take a good, hard look at myself and my life, the perception seems much less dire.
I wish I had much more time to this . . . I used to be someone who enjoyed long periods of introspection. Jews are always encouraged to do this during the High Holy Days -- do you know anyone who does, though? I've yet to see anyone who meditates, or concentrates, or focuses on their actions and directions during services (I do, however, have fond memories of my mother and grandmother sitting on both sides of me at temple and both leaning over me to talk, thus blocking me from reading the Machzor (prayer book), LOL). In order for me to do that, I'd simply have to be alone - and since our faith encourages community and interaction more than it does solitude, it's a bit more difficult for me to "look inside."
But anytime you have a day off, that's the time to do it. I'd suggest a period of about six to eight hours to just be alone -- it's not only good for authors (and bloggers), but it's such a great way to re-charge! A breather, a break, a chance only to be, and not to do! Days like these are like gold to me.
Now all the moms and dads reading this are thinking (and hopefully preparing to comment) that it's just not possible, and that when you bring children into this world, your alone time will not come back until retirement. I'd respond with the words of Rick Pitino, "Don't tell me you don't have the time. Make the time!" My oldest and most-respected friend, who shares my name, is a father of two who has extended family reside in his house -- yet he still manages to have his alone time -- maybe he can't swing the 6 to 8 hours, but he has a house rule that for 1 or 2 hours every day, nobody can bother him. It's sort of like a father from the '50s who needed to put up his feet and read the paper when he got home from work -- I dare say that works too! If you can't do one day a week, do an hour a day! Anything just to avoid going off the deep end, for real!
We sure need some down time -- I know we'll both have it soon when we visit our parents and grandparents in Florida for Thanksgiving. But I really wish we could have more of this every week. Back during my MySpace days, I quoted from passages in Leviticus that laid the basic framework for a Sabbath day before it was codified in the Ten Commandments. I extolled the virtues of having a day off, and a good friend of mine would comment, lamenting how some people simply can't afford one. Obviously a crying shame, but we should all try to just make some time like my oldest friend does -- if not a day of rest, then several hours of rest spread out over several days might do the trick! How do you think I got energized enough to write this post?
Oh well -- feel free to comment, people -- tomorrow, it's back to the grind for one day, and then the weekend!
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Sorry, I'm back now!
Hey, all. Couldn't post this last Sunday because I ran the marathon. After that, I was too pooped to blog!
Also, for the first time in my running career, I didn't take off the week, or even the day, after the race. I would have liked to, but now that I'm married, I can't make these decisions unilaterally. The Lady wanted me to choose vacation days where she would also be free so we could spend them together, hey, can't fault her for that.
Now, about the race. I knew I wasn't going to be true to form this year. Moving to a new apartment and getting married usually take precedence over marathon training. That being said, I still felt a little embarrassed when someone I hadn't seen in over 20 years posted my mediocre time on Facebook. Thanks for the good intentions, but I don't like advertising to the world that I got a slower time than the last marathon I ran.
(just for the record, my PR was at the Philadelphia Marathon in 2008: 3:48!)
I really haven't been running as much as before -- I've even gained a few pounds. For me, that shouldn't be a big deal, but when all of your jeans are size 32, they get a little uncomfortable, LOL
Going back to what I said above, I need to take my vacation days before the end of the year, because my job does not allow me to "recycle" them to the next calendar year. This has been a good year at work, but I've also been working very hard. I'm carrying one client's account on my back, to put it short. I am the workers' compensation master at the office -- I train and counsel all the attorneys who go on my hearings, I give the client the best legal advice they need, and it's earned me some success, which is nice, and some RESPECT, which is better.
Still, good old David needs to "max & relax," like they said back in the day. And when I say relax, that doesn't mean, "Oh boy, let me find a menial household task to perform!" My definition of relaxing is the OPPOSITE of finding more work to do. There are people out there who do not need "me" time or "alone" time, but I AM NOT ONE OF THEM! I need to "veg!" I need to "chill!" I need to just "tune out" for a while -- what's wrong with that?
Haven't studies shown that when you spend time alone doing nothing, you feel refreshed? Isn't that re-charging your batteries? You better believe it is. And if you had a desk at work that looked like mine, you'd want to relax too!
One thing's for sure -- I know we'll both relax when we visit both our parents for Thanksgiving this year! My folks are so great, they practically roll out the red carpet for us!
Well, that's all I got -- and like Lionel says, feel free to comment!
Also, for the first time in my running career, I didn't take off the week, or even the day, after the race. I would have liked to, but now that I'm married, I can't make these decisions unilaterally. The Lady wanted me to choose vacation days where she would also be free so we could spend them together, hey, can't fault her for that.
Now, about the race. I knew I wasn't going to be true to form this year. Moving to a new apartment and getting married usually take precedence over marathon training. That being said, I still felt a little embarrassed when someone I hadn't seen in over 20 years posted my mediocre time on Facebook. Thanks for the good intentions, but I don't like advertising to the world that I got a slower time than the last marathon I ran.
(just for the record, my PR was at the Philadelphia Marathon in 2008: 3:48!)
I really haven't been running as much as before -- I've even gained a few pounds. For me, that shouldn't be a big deal, but when all of your jeans are size 32, they get a little uncomfortable, LOL
Going back to what I said above, I need to take my vacation days before the end of the year, because my job does not allow me to "recycle" them to the next calendar year. This has been a good year at work, but I've also been working very hard. I'm carrying one client's account on my back, to put it short. I am the workers' compensation master at the office -- I train and counsel all the attorneys who go on my hearings, I give the client the best legal advice they need, and it's earned me some success, which is nice, and some RESPECT, which is better.
Still, good old David needs to "max & relax," like they said back in the day. And when I say relax, that doesn't mean, "Oh boy, let me find a menial household task to perform!" My definition of relaxing is the OPPOSITE of finding more work to do. There are people out there who do not need "me" time or "alone" time, but I AM NOT ONE OF THEM! I need to "veg!" I need to "chill!" I need to just "tune out" for a while -- what's wrong with that?
Haven't studies shown that when you spend time alone doing nothing, you feel refreshed? Isn't that re-charging your batteries? You better believe it is. And if you had a desk at work that looked like mine, you'd want to relax too!
One thing's for sure -- I know we'll both relax when we visit both our parents for Thanksgiving this year! My folks are so great, they practically roll out the red carpet for us!
Well, that's all I got -- and like Lionel says, feel free to comment!
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