So, by the time I post this it won't be 2014 yet.
I've been quiet, haven't I? I apologise, though I did give due warning. NewWork has been busy. Actually really quite busy. But that's good. I was getting bored back at OldWork, and this is allowing me mentally to justify my ridiculously massive wage. Well, for me.
But whereas I had time to read the news and write, today I have little. Well, until the holidays.
I shortchanged myself on holidays. At OldWork I had accrued but not taken 9 days. I was always cautious of taking them early in the year in case I got a new job and ending up having deductions from my last wage for holidays taken but not earned. This lead to me back-ending my holidays for the four years I was at OldWork (work which was supposed to be temporary). I was perpetually in search of a new job, so saved up my holiday so that - at the least - I'd have nothing to repay, and at best could get paid.
Which is what happened. I got the NewJob at the end of July; got paid 6 days holiday from OldJob (as they'd paid me for the full month, but I left 3 days early) but went straight into NewJob. This meant that I missed out on 9 days holiday - getting paid for them instead. That's almost 2 weeks off.
Then, I had to contend with NewJob telling me that my section of the office shut down between Christmas and New Year. So it didn't leave me much holiday.
I have almost certainly mentioned before that as well as the logistical reasoning for back-ending my holiday; there is a very practical one too. It's my birthday a week before Christmas. It is impossible to organise anything with friends because they are busy or poor because of Christmas. So I started running away. I did New York and Paris. Last year I was in the Seychelles for reasons beyond my choice or control.
Anyhow, my annual holiday on my birthday (this year Norway) meant that my annual leave was accounted for. And that's pretty much the only concession I make to myself - that one holiday.
But then there are these forced days of holiday. The office has shut - I can't go in and earn them back. And even if I could, it would have had to be earlier in the year (well, six months). So I have three days - this year Friday 27th, Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st - between Christmas and New Year. The limbo days.
Normally I plan projects, and this winter (winter, not Christmas - I have until February to complete these before I have to start on the garden) I have three: greenhouse staging; lounge shelving and the HDMI cable. At date - 31st - I have completed half of the greenhouse staging. I meant to but the wood for the shelving but never got around to it because ... well, because I spent three days in bed. But I do still have two months to do the jobs.
The problem (s) is that. I have two months - no urgency. No need to get up. I spent two of my three days enforced holiday in bed. That said, Norway was exhausting. I got at most 20 hours sleep over the entire 7 days away. So I sort-of justify the lazy days on that basis.
Then there is the sleep pattern clash with shop pattern. The purchasing that I need to do for the shelving needs to be done at a timber yard. Over the Christmas period their opening periods are erratic but early. I slip into a pattern where I get out of bed at lunch and stay awake until 4/5/6am in the mornings. If I had to work I would not have attached myself to this pattern, but retained waking between 7 and 9. Hopefully.
Now, this has happened for 5 years. Whilst at OldWork the office was open the three days between, because for me it was such a long commute; and because my colleagues were eager to get away from their families for the days in between; I could take the limbo days off. But don't forget that back then I would be getting up at 5:45am to leave the house for 6:30am to get the trains to get to work for 8:30am; and because of the return journey I wouldn't get home until 7pm. And that, for a VERY quiet day just wasn't worth it when I had colleagues more than willing to work them for me.
So, are the three days off worth it? Perhaps not now (I used to get a substantially better holiday allowance; though as said - the three days off at NewJob are pretty much forced). It does allow me a nice long break; though that break allows me to develop routines out of kilter with the commercial world. But if I already have the stuff in to do the jobs, I get the jobs done. And bear in mind the three limbo days (for normal office workers, not shift workers) are almost always punctuated with a weekend in the middle, is would jar someone to go in for a day here and there over the period.
Anyhow, worse problems present themselves: the ever-present problem of what to do for New Year's Eve?
Whatever happens will be an anticlimax. We work ourselves up into expecting the best night of the year, and it isn't because those best nights happen either spontaneously, or personally rather than unanimously.
So, this year what are my options?
Well, they are all hampered somewhat by it being New Year the next day. Sounds daft; but that means there are very limited buses and trains running. So I either drive (not fun as a single person where I don't have a counterpart to keep me company whilst everyone else is doing coupley things) or do things locally; or do things within a limited public transport schedule.
I have also pole-axed myself slightly. I have committed myself to a family event at high noon on New Year's Day. So I have to be back home for around 11.
I have offers from London. I would have to get the 09:30am train back to get there. The likelihood of that is slim-to-nil (when you have to consider I have to get from Finsbury Park to the station before 9:30).
I have offers from Manchester and Newcastle. They can't happen if I'm to do the family meal. In fact, they can't happen if I am to work on the 2nd January because of transport shut-downs.
I have an offer reasonably locally - the next town. But it's a ballache getting out there. Yes, the buses carry on running throughout the night; and I could get a 10am bus (again, not amazing) to get me back well in time. And one of my friend's will sleeze on me. He does it every time he gets drunk. He did it Saturday. It was his birthday and 10pm he was rubbing my arse; despite me trying to shoulder him off because I got chatting to someone lovely (very lovely). He was still there; not just rebuffing my advances; but redoubling his efforts to win me back from who I actually wanted to be with. And this night would involve staying over the night. At his.
Or I could stay local. On my own. Apparently no-one is going out around town. But that's no issue. I know of a local bar doing gigs; and I would be ok there on my own. But it's not the way to spend it is it?
Should I just stay home?
After all - it's just another day.
