Sitting here in a remote cabin high in the hills above Utah's Zion National Park, I'm on my first vacation in two years. Vacations to me are highly over rated... I know they are suppose to be fun, but I miss my daily routine. I miss my son and the cats, I miss the familiar creaking of the floors in my tiny house as I walk to the kitchen to make my morning coffee. I guess I'm suppose to be relaxing up here in the thin air of the 6500 foot elevation. But what does that mean, relax? Am I suppose to forget about my responsibilities and not just care any more? I guess so, say the vacation experts. But I don't know how to do that and I'm convinced that if I were to get to that state the world would collapse and it would be my fault. I'm the kind of person who needs people and things to care for and the thought of leaving everything near and dear to me so I can "relax" just seems absurd. Vacationing is stressful!
Much to everyone' s dismay, I brought my laptop. Being a computer geek out of necessity, I have an iBook G4 Macintosh laptop computer that is maxed out with every possible option and shines like a freshly painted Farmall. (A Farmall "demonstrator model", of course, because it's white). It may shock people to know that I'm sitting here now with the laptop and it is 4:30 in the morning. And I'm on vacation. That's not a typo, it's 4:30 a.m.
I don't know how many people get up that early when they're on vacation (unless they're going fishing), but I get up at 4:30 a.m. every morning no matter where I am as I have for at least a dozen years. After padding to the kitchen to start my coffee, I settle in with my laptop and start checking the Yesterday's Tractors Website and it's sisters (KountryLife.com, YesterdaysTrucks.com, TodaysTractors.com, TractorLinks.com and Tractorshed.com). It takes about 2 hours and I use a monitoring program that I wrote last year. In one of my next blog entries I'll journal what gets monitored and what doesn't and why it takes so long. There are several more monitoring sessions throughout the day and on into the evening with a constant peek at my email to look for your "reports to moderator". These let me know that a brawl has broken out in the forums or someone has posted a distasteful photo in the tractor galleries so don't be afraid to use them. They are completely anonymous and I keep the information between you and me.
Well I've got to get to work... oops, I mean I've got to get on with my vacation. I hope I survive!
In closing, I want to say that I'm overwhelmed by your letters of support and encouragement and wish to send out a big thank you. You're a big part of helping me stay the course.
7 comments:
Well, since you like to be busy while on vacation, let me be the first to tell you that I can't get on Tractor Tales. ROFL!
I am Internet addicted, but I do manage to leave the computer behind when I'm on vacation... simply because I don't have a laptop.
If you love your work, you're extremely involved with it, taking a vacation is overrated. There is no place I would rather be than at home, doing the things I have to get done, and being thankful that I have the perspective to realize it's all good.
Enjoy your vacation. Maybe we can all meet for a virtual cup of coffee one morning. LOL
Tim
Test but just in case, you're doing a GREAT job, Kim and as for the other 2%, thanks for giving them a place to go - away!!
Don't forget to look up sometimes and enjoy the scenery and fresh air up there. All will still be here when you get back.
Sammie
Hi kim, You are in my country now. I am in Kanab, UT, just southeast a few miles from you. I moved here a few years ago from California, when I retired from the fireservice. I am like you, still get up at 0530, read the papers, have breakfast, and off to work on one of my tractors, one of my houses, or I am out playing on one of my other toys, a boat or an ATV. I hope you enjoy the Fall colors and the cool evenings here in Utah. Come see us again sometime.
Second, I am a mac user too. I traveled and trained others using my macs so I have three laptops from the first Apple made to my present one, a G3. I am on my desktop G4 at my desk now.
Hi kim, You are in my country now. I am in Kanab, UT, just southeast a few miles from you. I moved here a few years ago from California, when I retired from the fireservice. I am like you, still get up at 0530, read the papers, have breakfast, and off to work on one of my tractors, one of my houses, or I am out playing on one of my other toys, a boat or an ATV. I hope you enjoy the Fall colors and the cool evenings here in Utah. Come see us again sometime.
Second, I am a mac user too. I traveled and trained others using my macs so I have three laptops from the first Apple made to my present one, a G3. I am on my desktop G4 at my desk now.
Hey Kim, have you checked out the Country Living map yet? http://www.risingconcepts.com/frapper/countrylivingfolks
Kim,I just wanted to thank you for keeping this site going. This site is about the only reason I have a computer! It has helped me and so many others keeping these fine machines running!
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