Crazy train
Two days to go to Christmas, and we're entering the darkest time of the pre-Macworld Expo doldrums.
Because of the close proximities of Christmas, New Year's Day and the beginning of Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco, December is absolutely the darkest time of the year for the Mac news hound. Many companies furlough all together this time of year, and others are quiet as churchmice as they withhold product announcements and news for the opening day of Macworld.
It's dreadful to try to stay busy this time of year, because it seems like every story -- no matter how miniscule, covering a new product release or update -- requires five times the effort that it does the rest of the year. Once has to be judicious in the spacing of one's postings to make sure one gets a full day's worth of news posted, rather than clumps hither and yon.
On top of that, Christmas is bearing down upon us like an out-of-control freight train threatening to derail at any moment. The malls and shopping centers are crawling with people like cockroaches on spoiled food, we're struggling to make last-minute preparations, and the kids will be home for winter vacation starting tomorrow.
The next few weeks will fly by, but not with busy productivity -- it's busy, all right, but always frantically busy -- swapping gifts, returning unwanted items, seeing relatives, making last-minute plans for the San Francisco trip, and biting nails waiting to see what the weather will hold for the 3rd of January, when I fly west for a week.
I'm not exactly sure when this time of year turned into such a stresser for me. If I could concentrate on one event -- Christmas *or* Macworld -- it would be better. But as I've gotten older and responsibilities have piled up, I think I've actually gotten worse at managing them.
There are upsides to all this. Christmas will be fun -- Bonnie's aunt always throws a great spread, and we sit around, eat til we're stuffed and watch football. It's a predictable domestic experience that I really like, because it's comfortable like a pair of old slippers. And on New Year's day we'll travel to see my grandmother, which will be fun too -- she loves to see her great-grandchildren, and I'm happy to indulge her when I can. I have fond memories of my own great-grandmother even though she passed away when I was quite young, and I want to make sure my kids see her often enough that they've got some fond memories burned in too.
Macworld Expo will be crazy-busy, as usual, especially this year, since we've parted company with another employee, so most of the burden is going to be on me and my boss, with the possible help of whatever freelance help we're able to round up by then. Regardless, I'm really looking forward to it as well, because it's an opportunity for me to get together with my people -- some folks who I truly love and like, and a lot of folks who make it possible for me to make a living and have great fun doing it.
Plus going out to San Francisco will give me another chance to see my father, who I just met for the first time last year, and who I'm still getting to know. The face-time is important for both of us, I think.
The downside of all that fun and happiness that awaits is that I'll be spent like a smoked cigarette butt by the middle of January. It usually takes me a good two weeks to recover from this time of year, so I should be in good shape come February.
Comments
In related news, it looks like IMG is taking the next two weeks off..
Posted by: Alphax | December 24, 2003 03:13 PM