Mi Casa, Su Casa | Chomp | Testosterone Tasks | Vim & Vigor | Gear | Refer-A-Friend
Check out the new book! | Porch Talk | Cash Money | Emil Post | Show Off


more vim and vigor

» Love Thy Mother
» A Pain In The Gut
» Yoga, Babe
» Ayurveda
» Write Away, Ma'am

» vim and vigor achives


The 2 Day Week Off
by Helen Lowe

Intro | Goals | Fit The Bill | Take A Hike | See The World

Has life got you overwhelmed? Under pressure? Feeling trapped? Do you need a vacation but you're full of excuses why you can't? Well I say, YES YOU CAN! If I can do it, so can you.

I was ten months into my first full-time job in years and my gypsy-spirit felt trapped and yearned to BE FREE! I thought that if I didn't get away from the frenetic confinement that had become my life, I might jeopardize my sanity or at least my sunny disposition. But, with deadlines looming on a daily basis, a rejuvenating week's vacation was out of the question. And my sensible-self urged that, with bills due, quitting was not a viable alternative.

So, faced with only a standard two-day weekend ahead of me, I desperately sought some way to escape - if only for 48 hours - the bounds and bonds that had become my "normal life." My solution? Instead of the usual Friday night gathering with co-workers to slug back a drink and complain about the management, I made a beeline for the bookstore, hit the travel section and found a nearby B&B for my dog, Greta and myself. My Friday night ritual was already changing and I hadn't even left town.

My hypothesis was that just maybe, if I could really change things up and escape my wound-up routine for even a little while, it might feel as if I took a real vacation… and I was right! On Saturday morning, instead of rushing to get to my destination, I made the hour drive down the coast the first step in my wind-down, getaway. As the scenery rolled by, so too did my thoughts of schedules and responsibilities. I tried to relax and just notice the subtle change in temperature and how the breeze grew heavy with the scent of ocean.

By the time I reached the inn, I realized that my shoulders had released and I was no longer holding my breath. I was feeling good. For the next 26 hours the pace was purely of my own choosing. I had nowhere to be and no one to see… it was amazing! When Sunday afternoon rolled around both Greta and I were completely rested. Gone was the rush and worry that usually constitutes my weekends. As I packed up and headed back to Los Angeles, I found that I was actually ready to return to my "normal" life. And come Monday morning, when co-workers made the obligatory weekend queries, I could gloat that mine had been outstanding!

Now while most people may relate to the need to "get away from it all", what actually constitutes "getting away" may vary greatly from person to person. So what will work for you? How can you feel like you've taken a vacation even if you only have the weekend off? Let's find out…
Bright Idea: Finding a place that would take both me and my four-legged pal might have been the biggest road block to getting away, but a book called, "Doin' California With Your Pooch!" by Eileen Barish made locating a pet-friendly spot easy. (She's got editions that cover 5 U.S. states as well as a general U.S. and Canadian guide called "Vacationing With Your Pet").


next >


tell it to the 'tat
Got a great idea? Know something we don't know? Or maybe there's something you want to know? Write it up. Let us know. Submit an article, an idea or a plain old question. Let the cohabitation begin.