The longest stretch of the year
 

We're coming into what I like to call the dead zone. Long weekends for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, and now no days off until Memorial Day in May. It seems unfair to have such a nice break and then no breaks at all.

Michael's work has a "free Friday" program, where once a quarter they get a Friday off with pay, and it doesn't count against their vacation time. That is a great program, but employees choose their Friday in order of Seniority. Michael's company has an unusually high retention rate, and it just so happens that he was the last person they hired. Nearly two years ago. So he chooses his Friday last. He got March 31st this quarter, which is a long ways away. I'm getting itchy just thinking about it.

Granted I don't actually have a job, but I find this time annoying nonetheless. Anybody else?

There's a bit of a ruckus at my office over their decision to make us work on President's Day, for the first time ever, in return for adding a day off to the Independence Holiday (since July 4 falls on a Tuesday). It means the longest stretch of no work holidays ever, in what was always the longest stretch of the year anyway. After MLK on Jan. 20, nothing else till Memorial Day at the end of May (the 29th). Bah.

This is already my least favorite time of year, with plenty of winter but no jolly winter holidays and the beauty they provide. I'm almost thankful for the morons who leave their Christmas decorations up till April.

January is weird anyway. A month designated for new beginnings, even though it's just another bunch of days. I always feel like January doesn't live up to the hype. Nothing ever happens in January.

Except for maybe the genesis of the best message board ever.

...and my birthday...

After the absolute whirlwind of the past 3 months, I'm grateful to have a bit of downtime. Pet sitting should calm down a LOT but Retroland should be ramping up big time and I'm glad I have fewer other distractions.

There is the matter of SOMEONE'S 44th birthday at the end of the month to keep me occupied.

Let's plan a camping trip for Spring, why don't we?

What, do we share barinwaves or something???? Sheesh!

I'm glad for the respite, to be honest. I need the time to just get down to business and start making money to pay for the fun planned for 2006. NOw that we're back to having car payments, I have to (shudder) seriously budget if we want to do all that we had planned.....

Camping? You know, the PNW offers extreme camping opportunities....:D

I have the good fortune of working for a company that has lots of holidays. We do get MLK, Jr. off in January, as well as Presidents' Day in February. We *ALSO* get Good Friday off in March (or April if it happens to fall then), so it's only a max of two months then until Memorial Day in May. Sprinkle a possible vacation day off in March for my birthday and a vacation week off in May the week before Memorial Day for our New York trip, and a vacation day off for July 17, and several vacation days off in September for WorldCon. When am I going to get any work done? ;)

Re: The longest stretch of the year

Or is it your imagination? Hmm?

And my dad's birthday, and my deceased grandfather's birthday, and two of my uncle's birthdays, and MLK's birthday, and oh yeah the 1994 Northridge earthquake.

Other than that, nothing. :p

Don't tell me you have family obligations for your deceased grandfather's birthday!

Heehee. Nope. Don't have to worry about my uncles either. Just my dad.

Bah to all of you that have President's day and MLK day off. The sad thing is that today is the first day into the longest stretch of the year and I'm already in a funk about it. I keep telling myself that Michael has a great job with lots of time off. That doesn't really help though. Once he gets his W2's and I can do taxes I'll feel better.

Any port in the storm, I always say darlin'

Besides, that is why PTO and PTO rollover was created. Take those mental health days during the long winter months. ;)

Gotta say, I love your name! Tracilicious, delicious!:snap:

Donna

I just checked our calander. I didn't think I had Presidents' Day, but I do, which makes it a little better. It still leaves a 3 month gap, and only one day in almost 6 months. And it also means that we only get the one day for the 4th. That kinda sucks.

I think that statement contains all the reasons why I'm feeling restless. 1) We're saving all his PTO for our big WDW trip in May (Japan got put off until 2007, I'll elaborate in Jet Set). So I have to wait for time off and for Disney World. And they won't release the stinking discounts, so I can only sort of plan.
2) There is no stinking winter in this place anymore! I know I live in AZ, but up until this year we actually did get a month or two of running the heater. There have only been a few days this year when I haven't had to run my upstairs air! I hate global warming! Darn mediocre weather. It was perfect at the zoo yesterday, but if this keeps up, January will be the only bearable month of the year!

And another thing, it has been nearly ten months since my last visit to Disneyland. Actually, as I typed that out I realized that it's only been four months, but I really miss it! And if I want to be able to afford WDW I can't go to DL until next winter.

Bleh, I hate waiting.

I bet you anything you get to fire that baby up in both January and February, and perhaps even March. All the concentration on Christmas as being "winter" never takes into account that we don't get real winter weather in the Southwest until later on. All the trees near me have decided it's fall now. Very pretty, even late, as always :rolleyes:

I work at a Catholic University and we get MLK and all sorts of crazy sheet off. Cesar Chaves Day, President's Day, Good Friday, plus the regulars and 1½ weeks (paid) during Xmas that does not count as vacation time.

I hope you are right. Weather.com lists December as my zip code's coolest month.

Don't hold your breath for any discounts - the last year has been VERY lax in that area!

And I agree, this is one of the longest stretches to get through! Can you plan a fun (local) weekend activity or two to help you get through the saving of the vacation time?

I got MLK day (I knew that, but I always forget when it is, and its location turns out to be convenient this year) and SPRING BREAK!

Unfortunately, so does everyone else--except for my friends, who have to work those days. It makes "I've got a week off!" suprisingly not fun.

January isn't the dead month this year. Company's in town and later in the month my parents will be passing through. This means I need to clean my home.

The nice thing about new years for me a is a fresh set of vacation days - now I just need some cash to go somewhere cool.

I don't think the discount situation is completely without hope, at least not from looking at the past discounts on mousesavers. I'm booking no matter what, but whether or not a discount comes out affects where we stay and for how long.

We do things almost every weekend. Just things like the zoo, museums, etc. A weekend out of town (but still in state) is almost not worth it between buying clothing for cold weather, finding someone to watch the dogs, packing, cleaning, unpacking, traveling with a baby, etc. Far away day trips (like up to the snow) are also out for the above reasons.

I'm sure I'll survive somehow. I've got my sisters tenth anniversary party to plan in March, so I should get started on that soon. Also, since we don't celebrate Christmas, my family has a gift day in May (so the kids associate it with the end of school) that I should start shopping for. January is just dull I guess.

Bite me!

Now, if that was NirvanaMan saying that............:D

I think someone's been watching a bit to much of that Polish sausage TV segement...

I guess I'm hallucinating because I just checked the averages for our area and it says that as well....although it says February is the wettest month.

GD already made the crude joke, don't bother ;)