Sailing Away

I just got my formal notice at work today.

It's this nice letter telling me again--in writing--what I already know and an offer to write me a recommendation letter.

Aww, how sweet.

Moving on...

Our office server broke down at work today. After three years of running almost non-stop, the power grid just blinked out on us. Time of death is suspected to be between 2am to 3am, when we had a city-wide blackout.

As a result, everyone basically walked around in a daze, wondering what the hell they were going to do since no one could get any work done. All the files we were working on were in our network folders, we didn't have e-mail, internet or intranet. Heck, we didn't even have a network printer.

I started doing some of my remaining assignments, though I really was bored for most of the day. I spent most of my time re-writing municipal coastal resource policies and wishing that I was home or writing parts of my script.

Don't get me wrong, I love the ocean and I love reading laws and policies. One of my goals is to learn how to scuba dive and go on an actual conservationist expedition.

But sitting there, reading about it, writing it, and helping out with the IEC materials...it just reminds you how much fun it is out there and how utterly boring it is to be in here.

I was reading about the coasts of the municipalities or Tabina and Tukuran in Zamboanga del sur--still one of the best beaches not overrun by tourists--and wanted nothing more than to just pack a bag and my snorkling gear, hop on a plane and just be there.

Laarni and I were just talking after dinner and I mentioned how glad I was that I'd be out by the end of March. We're both eager to just head on out, since we'd reached a point where our salaries are the only thing that woke us mornings and just go to work.

March was supposed to be my planned departure--contract end or no--but I didn't want to lose my separation pay.

The first thing I thought after things settled down in my head was "Man, I need a vacation!"

I haven't had a decent vacation in months! The last major vacation I had was a dud. Anything after that, all my leave time was spent at home, trying to catch up on my sleep or just taking off anywhere just so I wouldn't see my former boss'--hallelujiah!--face.

I'm down to less than 25 days--20, since I have to consume all my leaves.

Xarra and I have scheduled something for next week--anywhere, we don't exactly care all that much this point. We're still somehow broke, but we both desperately need a vacation.

Technically, I can afford it. My savings are pretty good, but since i've alloted most of it to school and planned for a whole years worth of damage spending, I plan to just use my last paycheck to pay for it.

The onlyt thing that's stopping us is money. We both have money to spare, but we're conservative spenders that prefer to live on our incomes and leave the savings to the bank.

And as adults-in-training, we are not going to have our mums and dads fund it.