Well, that wasn’t so bad…

Wound up going home at about noon.  Tons of people were out for the day, some of the work I had to do couldn’t actually be done because people weren’t there, and my supervisor wasn’t any happier to be there than I was.  I still have about 4 extra hours from a late night last week.  So, I went home early.

Spent the afternoon playing video games, instead of working.

Did not have a restful weekend.

Did not sleep well Friday night…  Did not get to sleep in late Sunday morning…  And the heat made simply breathing exhausting…  I slept fine last night, but that wasn’t enough to make up for all of last week, plus the weekend.

And now I suspect that I’m a fool for showing up to work today.

The drive down was absolutely silent.  Didn’t see another car on the road.  Obviously lots of people had the day off.

The hospital’s parking lot is similarly deserted.  Hardly anyone here.

I was told, last week, that it was not an official holiday.  That I would not get holiday pay.  But my supervisor offered to let me take the day off and use some personal or vacation time on it.  I turned him down, because I don’t have much time accrued yet…

I think that was a stupid decision.

Memorial Day is one of those holidays, like Christmas, that just doesn’t mean what it used to.

Sure, there’ll be some parades…  And the President will visit a cemetery…  But nobody really thinks of fallen soldiers when you say Memorial Day anymore.

Folks think of gathering around the grill with friends, drinking a few beers, and enjoying the first real holiday of the summer.

I suppose that’s not so bad…  What better way to thank the ones who’ve given their lives for you, than to enjoy living your life?  At least it makes more sense than the commercial extravaganza that Christmas has become.

Yesterday was a pretty nice day.  Cool, overcast, not too hot.  There was a strange haze of smoke over the entire city – some drifting South from all those forest fires up in Canada.

I woke up around 8:00, and spent most of the day playing Dwarf Fortress.  Finished reading Heart Shaped Box.

Grilled some hot dogs, ate some baked beans, drank a beer or two.

Then we drove down to the waterfront and walked along the beach.  Chased some seagulls.  Listened to the surf.

All things considered, not a bad way to spend the day.

Monday is Memorial Day, which means I get a three-day weekend.

I’m looking forward to it, but not in the same way I used to look forward to time off.

Used to be I was desperate for any break from work.  Couldn’t wait to get out of the office.  Never wanted to go back in.  Didn’t want to spend any more time at work than absolutely necessary.

Now I’m looking forward to another day of rest.  I’m working more, and harder, and longer hours…  So I’m more tired than I used to be at the end of the day.  So I am certainly looking forward to a day off.

But I’m not desperate to get out of the office.  I’m not dreading coming in here every day.