Friday, May 26, 2006

This is Victor Meldrew from the BBC comedy One Foot in the Grave.

I like this picture for a variety of reasons (this show even made my hubby start watching BritComs because it's so darn funny), but today, it's because I feel like I've had it "up to my ears" with work.

Today just did not want to end. While I sat at my desk, staring at the work I still needed to finish, I felt the tension in my neck and shoulders, the thrum of nervous energy waiting to be unleashed.

Three day weekend! kept running around and around in my head.

And yet that clock just kept moving slower and slower and s-l-o-w-e-r.

I left ten minutes early. Don't worry - I was done with everything I needed to do for the day. I just couldn't sit there another single minute. I felt trapped - just like Victor.

The American work ethic is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it helped build this nation into what it is today - full of faults, but still one of the best nations on earth (in my humble opinion). On the other hand, Americans do not know how to relax. We get precious little "down" time. And when we DO have the day off, we're so busy trying to play catch-up that we really don't have time to just sit and do nothing.

I work with a guy from Great Britain. When he tells his British friends back home that we only have a maximum of two weeks for vacation time per year, they gape in astonishment. They can't believe it.

And on days like today, neither can I.

I hereby officially announce a petition to make the work-week four days instead of five and three-day weekends every weekend.

Who's with me? :-)

12 comments:

  1. I'll sign. Although rather than a 3 day weekend, I want Wednesdays off because after 2 days sitting in an office, I need a break. And after Wednesday, then its like hey, only 2 more days til the weekend.

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  2. Some of the city offices in L.A. do the 4 day work week. The work 10 hour days and get 3 day weekends. There is also the 9 hour days with 2 three day weekends a month.

    We work harder than any other country on the planet. We even passed Japan. It just amazes me. When I worked, there were guys who had built up over 2 months of vacation on the books but never used it. So there is something in the American psyche which pushes us to this behavior.

    Since I'm a SAHM, everyday is a vacation. Bon bons day in and day out. ROFL

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  3. Anonymous11:54 AM

    I'm in!
    I'm looking to take some holidays in a week, and in order to be able to take them, I have to work all weekend to get my work done ahead of time? By the time I get to the holidays, I'll be too exhausted to enjoy it!!
    Well, maybe a few Ceasar's will help...
    Have a great weekend!

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  4. Anonymous12:08 PM

    DEFINITELY count me in on the 4 days week. Oh man, life would be so much better....

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  5. I'm in--but what about motherhood and writing??? Is that work or life :)

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  6. Where do I sign?

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  7. I'll second that! And yeah, my Brit friends were also surprised by how little vacation North American's get - I think they have a minimum of six weeks!!

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  8. Anonymous4:46 AM

    Nice colors. Keep up the good work. thnx!
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  9. Anonymous10:27 AM

    Looks nice! Awesome content. Good job guys.
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