Working for Vacation

I've been on vacation for the past week and a half. Although it has not been difficult vacationing, it was difficult getting to the vacation part.

Taking time out for vacation, at least in the library field, is a process one must start months ahead of time. Our county wishes us to start a year ahead. They pass around a calendar at the beginning of the year and request us to mark all of our vacation days for the entire year. Who knows in January if they are going to be taking off in October? Not me.

Then once the dates are set one must get all the work done for those weeks ahead of time. All ordering, projects, programs etc must be taken care of. This can require extra hours to take hours off.

Then when one returns they are faced with hundreds of e-mails, calls to return and projects to do. One time I left for five days at a previous place of employment. My supervisor, let's call her Black Lagoon Lady or BLL went crazy with the post-its and covered my desk in an intricate design of pink and yellow pieces of paper. Then BLL made stacks of paper littering my desk, chair and on top of the keyboard awaiting me for my arrival. I could feel her evil grin as soon as I entered the room eight am Monday morning.

So for that stress-free week of vacation one might have to go through a stressful month in preparation and recovery. Hope you enjoyed those pina coladas.