The difference a day can make

For the last few years at this time of year, while many of my friends and coworkers have taken a week or more off from work, I have been left minding the shop, so to speak. I really don't mind this for the most part -- this is not my holiday season, and I prefer to avoid traveling along with half of the rest of the country. However, subconsciously, I think part of me still associates the end of the year with a nice break from my regular schedule, and it is difficult to not have some time off to unwind, rest and recharge. Last year at this time, I was particularly stressed out and tired, and the only day I was taking off was Jan. 1 itself. "A lot of difference one day will make," I thought ruefully. However, as I recall, one day did make a very big difference. I slept late, lounged around in pajamas, took a nap, and even got some things done around my apartment. When I went back to work the next day, I was rested and recharged.

This year has been quite a bit better. A couple of Fridays ago I had a day off at a point where I was feeling particularly rundown and exhausted. I was a lazy bum for the whole day, and it was wonderful. Last Friday (Dec. 24) I only worked for about four hours, and my assignment -- covering the local "Mitzvah Day" of the Jewish Federation -- was fun and laid-back. And today, I have another day off. I slept in today, and have some time before Shabbos to run some errands and catch up on things I need to do. Thanks to this important respite time, I'm feeling that my life is a bit more sane and orderly, which is a good feeling.

In other news, the Executive Editor of the Chronicle is on vacation for two weeks, leaving me in charge of the paper. (ha, ha, ha -- maniacal laughter from me) It is a little bit daunting, but also very exciting to have this power and responsibility. Of course, he would have to leave during the slowest news week of the year. Filling next week's paper is going to be a challenge, but I've come up with some ideas that should do the job.

The other event taking up much of my time lately is the upcoming renovation of my kitchen. My management company has warned me that they're on the way to rip out all my cabinets, decimate the wall to my largest closet to annex it to the kitchen, install some new flooring, and perform various other tasks which will fill my apartment with dust and grime. (Not to mention the awkwardness of having three maintenance men in my apartment all day for two straight weeks while I am out at work. I'm not afraid that they will steal or break anything, it's just weird to know they'll be there when I'm not.) I happen to like my kitchen the way it is, and I like having a nice large storage closet, but they didn't ask my opinion.

I have resigned myself to the fact that this is out of my control, and that once it is done, the renovation will probably be quite nice. I have already emptied the closet I will be losing, and managed to find places for all the stuff that I wanted to keep, and threw out a bunch of other stuff. (It is a very big deal for someone like me to actually throw things away.) I know that I will get through this, but it won't be easy.

Probably when it's all done, I'll need another day off. Or two. Or ten.