Catch-Up Day

We have been at Walt Disney World for the last four days¹ and while we were there I had some trouble connecting to the hotel’s wireless network so I couldn’t get much done. Not that I would have had time: we were only in our hotel room from about 9 at night until about 7 in the morning, and then we were sleeping.

We arrived at my in-law’s yesterday and today is a kind of catch-up day for me. I have some posts to write, some comments to catch up on, a lot of email to reply to, and some fiction to write. I’m trying to get all of that out of the way today. I don’t plan on spending my entire vacation doing this kind of work. Most of it I plan on doing in the early mornings when everyone else is still sleeping.

Still, I think I wrinkled the feathers of some of my friends when I mentioned checking email while on vacation so let me make some clarifying points about the work I am doing while on vacation:

1. With one exception, this work is entirely related to my freelance writing and blogging. Which means I have deadlines, but I am my own boss.
2. This is the kind of work that I consider to be fun. It doesn’t feel like work, despite the deadlines, and the tough boss I have.
3. I typically do so much during a regular day that checking email here and there isn’t a bother, particularly when standing in line for a ride when everyone else is occupied with some other activity.
4. I’m making sure that my “work” doesn’t interfere with vacation activities. I squeeze it into the gaps. Like right now, when the kids are napping.
5. The one exception is that I am “on call” for three days, December 26-28, for my day job. That couldn’t be helped if I wanted to take 3 weeks off and it was a compromise I was willing to make

After today, most of my “work” will take place either early in the day (before 8 am) or when the kids are asleep. Already today, despite all of my “work” I’ve taken the kids swimming and they were very satisfied. So am I.

I have a few more posts to write, and then some fiction writing (finally!) to catch up on. After today, though, things should return to normal. I should also be caught up on email so if you are expecting something from me, you should have it.

In an interesting turn of events, the refinance we did on our mortgage closes tomorrow, five months after we started the process! Of course, we are on vacation. But the title company is very accommodating. They are sending someone out to my in-law’s tomorrow morning to take care of all of the paperwork. That is an example of great customer service, if you ask me.

Okay, back to it. Please don’t think I am not getting the most out of my vacation. I am having a blast, and so is Kelly and the kids. Just wait until you read about our Disney World trip…