How to Go on Vacation
“Fishing on R&R… But you’re feeling fit, ready for duty?” “Yes general, very much so sir.”
Greetings everyone from sunny Philippines, where I have been dragged kicking and screaming away from the frigid Tokyo winter to attend a tropical wedding (always a wedding). Since leaving the standard workforce I have been on a number of vacations. Some have been of the modern worker (especially Japanese) variety, whereby the body simply shuts down in response to a combination of excessive work and lack of sleep. Others have been weddings, where I don’t need or want the vacation, but I have to take time off to maintain a semblance of a standing in society.
So what is one to do when taking time off in the face of an infinite list of projects and energy levels on “go”? Resting isn’t an option – the definition of laziness is resting when one isn’t tired, and there’s no place for that in a blue belt life, or any life worth living. Aside from staying productive, avoid the other pitfalls of the vacation mindset – i.e. “it’s vacation so I can stay up late and eat crap until I get back to the real world.”* Lastly, bring your work. One nice thing about my new life is that I can essentially bring my work anywhere – a yoga towel, kindle, video camera, and phone could keep me busy for years. Heck, maybe I’ll just stay down here through Feb and kick the whole Tokyo winter to the curb. Ah, it’s nice to dream.
Of course, who says you can’t work and have a bit of fun? Naturally, at the wedding I took responsibility for opening up the dance floor, and came across some daunting competition. But eventually my foe succumbed to the hypnotic flows of the Spider Dance, as they all do. Enjoy and productive week ahead!
Spider Dance Jan 2015 Incarnation
* last night I ate Ube ice cream and watched horrific movies until 3am, so not really off to a great start on this one. But that’s why I post these things, to get me to act better!