Vacation!

When was the last time I took a vacation?  Let's see… in December I was asked not to take any vacation due to year-end client demands.  In November, I worked straight through Thanksgiving and canceled most of an earlier weekend trip to New York with Amanda -- both to satisfy client demands.  In September I attempted to take a week off to visit family in Reno and Boise, but ended up working through most of it.  So that means the last time I really took time off was the Vietnam/Cambodia trip in June.  

And it's not like I've just been coasting along at work, either.  Since the end of August, my monthly billable hours (only a subset of total hours worked) have ranged between the mid-200s to over 300.

It's time for a break!

And a break I intend to take, starting today.  Later this afternoon I fly out to Chicago, where I will see Amanda and her parents, and Vanessa and Stephen, and a (hopefully good) stage adaptation of The Little Prince at the Lookingglass Theatre.  On Sunday, I'll fly on to Reno to spend a few days with my parents, and then I'll finish out the week in Boise with the Idaho branches of the family.  

It's not the ideal "winter vacation" itinerary -- way too short on sun, warmth and palm trees for that -- but a week with so many of my favorite people is exactly what I want right now.  And besides, I've packed 47 sweaters and my mini-galoshes, so I'm TOTALLY set to brave the winter in Chicago.  (Right?)