It has been a long time since I took over a week off from band and work. Even a longer time when I took a week off from band, work and the internet. No emails, no social media.
So on the last week of July, I spent one week on a houseboat on Lake Shasta. Occasionally, we had internet. When we did, I scrambled to check emails and make sure no major disaster was brewing. (It wasn’t). Texts came in only occasionally. By the middle of the week, I noticed I was almost disappointed when we moved the boat and got some connectivity. If I didn’t know about it, I didn’t have to fix it. Right?
My mornings were spent on solo Jet Ski rides, just taking in the scenery. Me and my thoughts, like a water motorcycle rider on the lake of life. Afternoons were spent swimming, kayaking or just hanging out with a book. Evenings were a cocktail under the stars.
A houseboat trip had been on my bucket list. Did it live up to my expectations? Yes. There were moments that were not fun. Sixteen people on a boat, three under the age of seven, and I know you can do the calculations. But all in all, one of the best vacations I have ever had.
What really made it special, was I came home with some revelations. Here are my top three vacation lessons.
I AM NOT IN AS GOOD OF SHAPE AS I WOULD LIKE TO BE
I could not get on the Jet Ski from the water. I required getting on from the boat. I plan on spending a lot more time on Jet Skis for the later part of my life and if I dump it, I need to be able to get back on it by myself. I have modified my work outs to include things that will build more upper body strength. Good bye Booty Barre class, hello Body Pump!
WHY NOT ME?
Could I live on a houseboat? I discussed this very subject on the ride home with one of our friends who is experienced with this whole house boating thing. He explained that some of the things I wasn’t digging (cold showers with no water pressure) could be fixed. (Bigger water tank). It got me thinking. Why not me? Being an HGTV addict, I have spent many a half hour with Beach Front Bargain Hunters and Caribbean Life. So why not me? The life I have now, doesn’t necessarily have to be the last life I have. After all, I went from being a Wisconsin factory girl to being a So Cal work at home Software Application Specialist. Why not a beach front home in St Croix or a houseboat in Panama?
WORK IS WORK
I have a new attitude toward work. Work is work. Work is not my life. My life is the things I love to do and the people I love doing them with. Sometimes that is my work, but when it isn’t, getting tied up in knots about it, is ridiculous. Office politics, worrying about decisions my company makes that I can’t control? In the immortal words of one of my favorite bosses, “It’s not my table.” Hanging on to bad feelings about a meeting I didn’t quite nail? Counterproductive and just plain stupid. My new motto? “Moving on.” Not to say I don’t learn from mistakes, but hanging on them? Since my vacation, not happening anymore.
VACATIONS ARE NECESSARY
Which brings me to the biggest lesson. Vacations need to happen. Not long weekends. Not a day off here and there. REAL VACATION, cut off from your daily life! I had been feeling burned out and unable to focus on things for months. Why? No real time off! I have come home energized and ready to get back to work, projects and learning. I just signed up for a Conversational Spanish class at a community college. Time to get ready for living on that houseboat in Panama!
So on the last week of July, I spent one week on a houseboat on Lake Shasta. Occasionally, we had internet. When we did, I scrambled to check emails and make sure no major disaster was brewing. (It wasn’t). Texts came in only occasionally. By the middle of the week, I noticed I was almost disappointed when we moved the boat and got some connectivity. If I didn’t know about it, I didn’t have to fix it. Right?
My mornings were spent on solo Jet Ski rides, just taking in the scenery. Me and my thoughts, like a water motorcycle rider on the lake of life. Afternoons were spent swimming, kayaking or just hanging out with a book. Evenings were a cocktail under the stars.
A houseboat trip had been on my bucket list. Did it live up to my expectations? Yes. There were moments that were not fun. Sixteen people on a boat, three under the age of seven, and I know you can do the calculations. But all in all, one of the best vacations I have ever had.
What really made it special, was I came home with some revelations. Here are my top three vacation lessons.
I AM NOT IN AS GOOD OF SHAPE AS I WOULD LIKE TO BE
I could not get on the Jet Ski from the water. I required getting on from the boat. I plan on spending a lot more time on Jet Skis for the later part of my life and if I dump it, I need to be able to get back on it by myself. I have modified my work outs to include things that will build more upper body strength. Good bye Booty Barre class, hello Body Pump!
WHY NOT ME?
Could I live on a houseboat? I discussed this very subject on the ride home with one of our friends who is experienced with this whole house boating thing. He explained that some of the things I wasn’t digging (cold showers with no water pressure) could be fixed. (Bigger water tank). It got me thinking. Why not me? Being an HGTV addict, I have spent many a half hour with Beach Front Bargain Hunters and Caribbean Life. So why not me? The life I have now, doesn’t necessarily have to be the last life I have. After all, I went from being a Wisconsin factory girl to being a So Cal work at home Software Application Specialist. Why not a beach front home in St Croix or a houseboat in Panama?
WORK IS WORK
I have a new attitude toward work. Work is work. Work is not my life. My life is the things I love to do and the people I love doing them with. Sometimes that is my work, but when it isn’t, getting tied up in knots about it, is ridiculous. Office politics, worrying about decisions my company makes that I can’t control? In the immortal words of one of my favorite bosses, “It’s not my table.” Hanging on to bad feelings about a meeting I didn’t quite nail? Counterproductive and just plain stupid. My new motto? “Moving on.” Not to say I don’t learn from mistakes, but hanging on them? Since my vacation, not happening anymore.
VACATIONS ARE NECESSARY
Which brings me to the biggest lesson. Vacations need to happen. Not long weekends. Not a day off here and there. REAL VACATION, cut off from your daily life! I had been feeling burned out and unable to focus on things for months. Why? No real time off! I have come home energized and ready to get back to work, projects and learning. I just signed up for a Conversational Spanish class at a community college. Time to get ready for living on that houseboat in Panama!
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