Vacation

–noun
1. a period of suspension of work, study, or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation, or travel; recess or holiday: Schoolchildren are on vacation now.
2. a part of the year, regularly set aside, when normal activities of law courts, legislatures, etc., are suspended.
3. freedom or release from duty, business, or activity.

I remember when the 3rd definition was reality. Now, it seems that there is no such thing as "freedom from work." When I went to Wildwood last month, 4 of the 7 people there brought laptops. This wasn't so we could watch DVDs or anything like that. It was to do some sort of work. Luckily, I did not have to deal with that. Ahh, the beauty of only being a temporary employee.

The reason I'm writing about this now is because one of my co-workers went on vacation this week and told me if I had any questions, I could just email him because he'd be checking emails.

Oh, I remember the days before wireless Internet and cell phones (or at least before nationwide coverage), when people could really escape from their everyday lives for a short period of time.

Speaking of the days before technology...I just saw a K-Mart commercial for "notebooks." My first thought was "Oh, K-Mart has laptops?" Apparently, people (I'm guessing school kids) still use paper bond together by a twisted wire.

[We] Had three TV channels you got up to change

No video games and no satellite

All we had were friends and they were outside, playin’ outside

It was a different life

When we were boys and girls

Not just a different time

It was a different world

~Bucky Covington

I Miss Back When. ~Tim McGraw

Don't get me wrong, I'm addicted to technology too. I can't live my "normal" life without my computer, cell phone, etc, but a little vacation every now and then is nice.