For those of you who have been following me via Twitter (vvrotny), you know that the past nine weeks have been stressful personally. This has caused me to be stressed professionally, first trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy and then during the last three weeks trying to play catch-up while juggling various follow up appointments. For both my wife and I, the Winter Break could not have come at a more opportune time.
During this past week, I have taken the time to indulge my inner teenager. When not attending family holiday celebrations or continuing to go to additional medical appointments, I have allowed myself the opportunity to do the things that I used to do. This includes sleeping in until 9:00 a.m. and staying up until after 12:00 midnight. During these times, I have been playing board games (Risk, Last Word, Malarky, and Blurt) with the family. I have been spending too much time playing video games (Guitar Hero II and III, Madden 05, and my favorite, NHL 2005) on the new used PS2 we got for the holiday. I have also watched too many movies (Little Miss Sunshine finally, Last King of Scotland, and Blood Diamond) plus rewatching last season’s Heroes with my children, since they just found out about this series this fall. I have also been catching up with the first season of Lost which my wife and daughter began watching with me during the second season.
Like I did when I was a teenager, I have spent a bit of time reading over the holiday. Like the old days, I ran out to my local newsstand to get the current issues of Baseball America and The Hockey News. I have been trying to finish reading What is the What and Schulz and Peanuts.
I have not been neglecting the adult responsibilities that I have (grocery shopping, minor household repair and maintainence) I have been focusing on silly irresponsibility and myself. And it has been fun.
As I flip the calendar to a new year and I switch from me time to work time over the course of the next six days, I look forward to sharing several other thoughts and ideas that have been running around in my head. Here’s to an exciting 2008.
Vinnie,
I haven’t been following you long enough on Twitter to understand your reference to personal and professional stress.
Your decision to “indulge you inner teenage” was a wise choice that could probably benefit most, if not all, of us. We all need down time, family time, silly time.
Now that you’re back up and running, I’ll bet that half-formed ideas which were simmering in your subconscious while you took a break spring forth as interesting and exciting options to pursue.
Here’s to a new year and new beginnings.
diane
Vinnie, you deserve it! Rest up and enjoy.
scmorgan
Vinnie — Amen to a little time off. You and your family certainly deserve it. Happy New Year! – Alex