Holiday

I just got my latest Men's Health Magazine in the mail the other day... I am not sure what month issue it is because they come very intermmitently throughout the year.  Anyway, there was a brief article in it about taking vacations and, in brief, how a person who takes their vacation is generally more productive than those who feel they cannot make the time to take a break.  I don't think I will be cutting the article out and showing the boss, but I do feel a little vindicated.  Some of my co-workers take the light ribbing from the boss a little harder than others, and hence, end up working year round.

I feel only slightly guilty about taking my summer break.  First of all, I never take a full month back home and also I try to cover for other people when they are gone.  I enjoyed this past summer holiday very much and came back pretty refreshed.  Unfortunately, I have only had one full day off since I got back nearly three weeks ago.  I already feel sapped of energy and all I see into my near future is a lot of work.

At the end of this month I will be traveling with the office deputy to do a site reconnaissance of a very technical site.  The terrain features on the map look very steep and the location is about as remote as they get in Vietnam. I will return to Hanoi for a couple of days and then head to Danang to participate in a 100 Joint Field Activity Commemoration Dinner and see the teams off.  From Danang, I will travel to Saigon in preparation for taking a Vietnamese witness into Cambodia (in the area of Snoul) and I will spend around 5 days there before returning to Hanoi.  About a week later, I will travel to Hawaii to participate in US/SRV Tech Talks and remain there for about a week.  As soon as I get home, we will be moving out of our apartment into some place else that Diep hasn't decided on yet... and I really hate moving!  So that is what is on my calendar from now until 1 October.

Good thing I took my vacation.  I could use the extra efficiency of a well-rested person.