ever just know

redrock

decides2dream wrote:

and red - vacations on your own can be soooo awesome! :thumbup:

I really miss those days!

dunkman

redrock wrote:

I think I need a solitary road trip!

and you totally deserve it!! I cannot begin to think how busy you must be with everything... no chance of getting a weekend away on your own?

chiquimonkey

decides2dream wrote:

chica - you bet!
LOVE relax, do-nothing time - enjoy!

yeah i took a day off last week too, i have to start using some of my vacation time. i had completed my 15 years of service at work last november, and come to find out i hadn't been accruing the right amount of time for 5 years! they were shorting me 2 hrs every month that was owed to me....so now i'm getting a crapload of hours added on top of what i already saved up. so it's a use or lose sorta deal. the HR guy told me i should take 2 days off at least every month just to keep the balance manageable.

so hey, why argue with the guy? having that random day off last week did me SO much good, i was needing it!

and i love the term 'staycaton', it's something i think all of us were doing before there was even an official name for it! i love exploring where i live, even just getting in the car and picking a random direction to go in, never know what you'll find.

Lauri

polaris_x wrote:

there are outdoors clubs/groups in most places ... people who do this stuff always have lots of extra gear ... where is our resident outdoorsman?

yeah I used to have a lot of friends who had extra gear, which is how I always managed in the past. Now I just don't live near them. I was also in an outdoors club for years, but I quit because I realized I wasn't having any fun- there was always just too big of a group and I never really connected with any of the other members. Besides as I said the sleeping outside thing just ruins backpacking for me. I don't know why I hate it so much, but I've never slept a wink in a tent/sleeping bag.

decides2dream

chiquimonkey wrote:

decides2dream wrote:

chica - you bet!
LOVE relax, do-nothing time - enjoy!

yeah i took a day off last week too, i have to start using some of my vacation time. i had completed my 15 years of service at work last november, and come to find out i hadn't been accruing the right amount of time for 5 years! they were shorting me 2 hrs every month that was owed to me....so now i'm getting a crapload of hours added on top of what i already saved up. so it's a use or lose sorta deal. the HR guy told me i should take 2 days off at least every month just to keep the balance manageable.

so hey, why argue with the guy? having that random day off last week did me SO much good, i was needing it!

and i love the term 'staycaton', it's something i think all of us were doing before there was even an official name for it! i love exploring where i live, even just getting in the car and picking a random direction to go in, never know what you'll find.

haha - fantastic!

i love random days off too, good for the soul.
i actually used a vacation day last tuesday to try for 10c MSG tix :oops: - hahaha. thankfully, WELL worth it...scored for both nights. AND just so happened to be one of THE most gorgeous weather days of the year thus far. so, i spent my morning outside in the sun, with my iced coffee...then the frenzy of trying for tix....then back outside enjoying the weather....and then more ticket frenzy. overall, a good day!

and yes, agreed. i guess it all depends on what you enjoy. i too LOVE visitng the many interesting and beautiful places right at home, hitting up a weekday matinee film....trying new resturants in the area....sometimes doing projects....just *being*. it's very restorative. sometimes when i take a vacation and travel, just do SO much, i feel like i need a staycation after my vacation. :? so it really depends what you want/need at the time.

redrock wrote:

decides2dream wrote:

and red - vacations on your own can be soooo awesome! :thumbup:

I really miss those days!

well, ya get yerself a cheap flight....and you've always got a place to visit in NY. i may not cook for ya, tho mr. dream might ....but i know wonderful restaurants.

redrock

dunkman wrote:

redrock wrote:

I think I need a solitary road trip!

and you totally deserve it!! I cannot begin to think how busy you must be with everything... no chance of getting a weekend away on your own?

Not really, unfortunately. Maybe in the future.

decides2dream wrote:

well, ya get yerself a cheap flight....and you've always got a place to visit in NY. i may not cook for ya, tho mr. dream might ....but i know wonderful restaurants.

That you be lovely. One day.....

chiquimonkey

decides2dream wrote:

haha - fantastic!

i love random days off too, good for the soul.
i actually used a vacation day last tuesday to try for 10c MSG tix :oops: - hahaha. thankfully, WELL worth it...scored for both nights. AND just so happened to be one of THE most gorgeous weather days of the year thus far. so, i spent my morning outside in the sun, with my iced coffee...then the frenzy of trying for tix....then back outside enjoying the weather....and then more ticket frenzy. overall, a good day!

and yes, agreed. i guess it all depends on what you enjoy. i too LOVE visitng the many interesting and beautiful places right at home, hitting up a weekday matinee film....trying new resturants in the area....sometimes doing projects....just *being*. it's very restorative. sometimes when i take a vacation and travel, just do SO much, i feel like i need a staycation after my vacation. :? so it really depends what you want/need at the time.

it truly is good for the soul, just breaks up the monotony.

that's smart to take the day off for MSG tix, that's like a job right there congrats on scoring for both nights by the way! i'd need a day off after trying for tix on the 10c site....just to recover, ack lol

that's true, after a trip i'm wiped out, just wanna go go go. there's a lot to be said for nowhere, or doing nothing lol i have a big drawing i want to finish up today, i think curled up on the couch by the window with kitty next to me sounds like a good plan

decides2dream

redrock wrote:

Thanks D2D. When I used to live and work in the US I didn't have a pre-determined number of days (but that was soooooooooooooooooooooooo long ago!). It's just that I've heard/read on several occasions americans saying stuff like "I've got sick days coming so I thought I would use them up.", etc.

yes.
\where i work, we have no determined # of days. you use what you use, when you need it. granted, if they notice abuse/overuse.....they may question, ask for documentation, etc. bot overall, i think it's probably beneficial to both employer and employee. where my husband works, he gets X amount of hours a year - a very generous amount - and it accrues over time. they do monitor hours highly and people can get in 'trouble' if they use too much of their own time :? they also need documentation if they are out more than 3 days. haha....but overall, i think it's a silly practice. when people retire, many will have months of sick leave they 'earned' saved up, which they then use with some note from a doctor....and use their time that way. it's bizarre. when i taught, you got 10 sick days a year, and if you accrued 30 over time, they would pay you halfpay for those days and you'd start over with your balance. it just makes sense to have an open policy imo, but yea....employers set their own systems.

polaris_x

Lauri wrote:

yeah I used to have a lot of friends who had extra gear, which is how I always managed in the past. Now I just don't live near them. I was also in an outdoors club for years, but I quit because I realized I wasn't having any fun- there was always just too big of a group and I never really connected with any of the other members. Besides as I said the sleeping outside thing just ruins backpacking for me. I don't know why I hate it so much, but I've never slept a wink in a tent/sleeping bag.

my best sleeps are always in my tent next to a waterfall or some rapids ... but yeah - it's not for everyone ... thankfully ...

Lauri

polaris_x wrote:

Lauri wrote:

Literally, in the past 14 months, I think I've taken off July 4th, thanksgiving, a random friday for a wedding, 2 days for christmas, and then 2 or 3 days at New Years for a wedding, about 5 hours of which was "vacation" for me.

good grief ... what are you working for then? ... change it up ... do something ... at the very least ... pick the next nice day and spend 10 minutes doing nothing but having the sun hit you square in the face ... keep your eyes closed tho ...

hahahaha good advice on keeping your eyes closed .

Well when I first started working here, even thought we're professionals, we got paid by the hour (small company, didn't know what they were doing). So, if I took a day off, my pay check was like $200 lower. As I'm barely getting by as it is, I could never take a day off, not even a holiday. Then last summer they went normal and levelized vacation time through the year. As a result, I started getting paid $400 less per month, so I had to cash them all out. I stopped cashing them out because I needed to accrue some in case I get sick or you know, someone else decides to have a wedding. So now I'm getting paid less AND have no days off AND can barely pay my rent AND am completely stressed and burned out.

eyedclaar

Lauri wrote:

polaris_x wrote:

there are outdoors clubs/groups in most places ... people who do this stuff always have lots of extra gear ... where is our resident outdoorsman?

yeah I used to have a lot of friends who had extra gear, which is how I always managed in the past. Now I just don't live near them. I was also in an outdoors club for years, but I quit because I realized I wasn't having any fun- there was always just too big of a group and I never really connected with any of the other members. Besides as I said the sleeping outside thing just ruins backpacking for me. I don't know why I hate it so much, but I've never slept a wink in a tent/sleeping bag.

Can't sleep in a sleeping bag? Why that's about the only thing they were designed for... sleeping. Anyhoo, you might just need to hike until you are almost dead, then you will have no choice but to sleep. I was once so tired, I let a bear bat me about a little while I hunkered down in my bag and mumbled, "Fuck off, I'm sleeping...."

polaris_x

Lauri wrote:

hahahaha good advice on keeping your eyes closed .

Well when I first started working here, even thought we're professionals, we got paid by the hour (small company, didn't know what they were doing). So, if I took a day off, my pay check was like $200 lower. As I'm barely getting by as it is, I could never take a day off, not even a holiday. Then last summer they went normal and levelized vacation time through the year. As a result, I started getting paid $400 less per month, so I had to cash them all out. I stopped cashing them out because I needed to accrue some in case I get sick or you know, someone else decides to have a wedding. So now I'm getting paid less AND have no days off AND can barely pay my rent AND am completely stressed and burned out.

this math is all wrong ... work to live or live to work ... i always choose the former ... your current formula is only gonna lead to exhaustion, bad health, grumpiness ...

polaris_x

eyedclaar wrote:

Can't sleep in a sleeping bag? Why that's about the only thing they were designed for... sleeping. Anyhoo, you might just need to hike until you are almost dead, then you will have no choice but to sleep. I was once so tired, I let a bear bat me about a little while I hunkered down in my bag and mumbled, "Fuck off, I'm sleeping...."

who was spooning who?

Lauri

Lauri wrote:

polaris_x wrote:

Lauri wrote:

Literally, in the past 14 months, I think I've taken off July 4th, thanksgiving, a random friday for a wedding, 2 days for christmas, and then 2 or 3 days at New Years for a wedding, about 5 hours of which was "vacation" for me.

good grief ... what are you working for then? ... change it up ... do something ... at the very least ... pick the next nice day and spend 10 minutes doing nothing but having the sun hit you square in the face ... keep your eyes closed tho ...

hahahaha good advice on keeping your eyes closed .

Well when I first started working here, even thought we're professionals, we got paid by the hour (small company, didn't know what they were doing). So, if I took a day off, my pay check was like $200 lower. As I'm barely getting by as it is, I could never take a day off, not even a holiday. Then last summer they went normal and levelized vacation time through the year. As a result, I started getting paid $400 less per month, so I had to cash them all out. I stopped cashing them out because I needed to accrue some in case I get sick or you know, someone else decides to have a wedding. So now I'm getting paid less AND have no days off AND can barely pay my rent AND am completely stressed and burned out.

I'm basically working for nothing, to be completely honest. This job is really the only thing in my life, and it doesn't pay enough for me to even get by. My parents have to give me the difference between what I make and what my bills are, which for me is terrible because I hate taking anything from anyone. Whenever I do anything fun (like PJ shows) it comes out of my scant savings, so obviously I can't do that often. I'm sure people have it much, much, much worse, I've just reached a point that I feel like I have to take a BREAK do something fun for MYSELF. Not someone else's wedding or anything.

Lauri

polaris_x wrote:

Lauri wrote:

hahahaha good advice on keeping your eyes closed .

Well when I first started working here, even thought we're professionals, we got paid by the hour (small company, didn't know what they were doing). So, if I took a day off, my pay check was like $200 lower. As I'm barely getting by as it is, I could never take a day off, not even a holiday. Then last summer they went normal and levelized vacation time through the year. As a result, I started getting paid $400 less per month, so I had to cash them all out. I stopped cashing them out because I needed to accrue some in case I get sick or you know, someone else decides to have a wedding. So now I'm getting paid less AND have no days off AND can barely pay my rent AND am completely stressed and burned out.

this math is all wrong ... work to live or live to work ... i always choose the former ... your current formula is only gonna lead to exhaustion, bad health, grumpiness ...

It's not MY formula, I didn't want this to happen. I have bills. My student loans are like a second rent. Plus I had to go into this do-gooder field, and I took this job because I need a job, even though I could possibly make slightly more somewhere else, but I couldn't wait for that so...there you go.

eyedclaar

polaris_x wrote:

eyedclaar wrote:

Can't sleep in a sleeping bag? Why that's about the only thing they were designed for... sleeping. Anyhoo, you might just need to hike until you are almost dead, then you will have no choice but to sleep. I was once so tired, I let a bear bat me about a little while I hunkered down in my bag and mumbled, "Fuck off, I'm sleeping...."

who was spooning who?

Always take turns with a bear. I learned that the hard way...

Lauri

eyedclaar wrote:

Can't sleep in a sleeping bag? Why that's about the only thing they were designed for.

Yeah I actually HATE sleeping bags. Too confining and they make me sweat, and then when you're outside that makes you get chills...haha even when I was a kid I hated sleepovers because I hated sleeping bags.

polaris_x

eyedclaar wrote:

Always take turns with a bear. I learned that the hard way...

when the bear taps you on the shoulder in the middle of the night ... "i've got a headache" just doesn't cut it ...

redrock

I guess it makes things more difficult in the US when basically paid vacation days are somewhat a benefit that the company can choose to give or not and not a legal requirement. In the UK you have a legal minimum of 28 paid days (which include public holidays - X-mas, Easter, etc.), so minimum 20 days vacation. Employers may offer more and days may also increase with length of service.

polaris_x

Lauri wrote:

It's not MY formula, I didn't want this to happen. I have bills. My student loans are like a second rent. Plus I had to go into this do-gooder field, and I took this job because I need a job, even though I could possibly make slightly more somewhere else, but I couldn't wait for that so...there you go.

try and make it your formula ... do you want it to go like this indefinitely?