sometimes, you just have to take a vacation with your family

At 2:18 last Thursday afternoon, I ftp'd all of my book's files to the printer, including the cover for the paperback, and the dust jacket for the hardback¹ It took 15 minutes to complete the transfer, which I watched the entire time, not because I was worried it wouldn't go through, but because I was so excited to watch it inch closer and closer to 100%. When it was done, I smiled, did a little jump, closed up my MacBook, shoved it into my backpack . . . and then ran out to the driveway where my wife and kids and dogs were waiting in the car.

They were waiting in the car because, my friends, I gave myself permission to take a full-on, non-working, no-internet, cell-phone-is-off-and-nobody-can-bug-me vacation for the first time in years. In fact, it's been so long since I did this, I can't remember the last time we did this. Five years, at least.
 
It was real, and it was spectacular.

Now that we're home, I have 2003 unread items in Bloglines, and 994 unread messages in Thunderbird (I had 1502 before the spam filter went to work. Sweet.)

There are many tales to be told, but before I can do that, I have some serious catching up to do. My Tuesdays are always hectic, but I think tomorrow will be positively hellish.

However, if a hellish Tuesday is all it costs for five uninterrupted days with my awesome family, I'll pay it off every chance I get, and hope that nobody notices how I'm totally getting the better end of this deal.

¹That's right, completists! My devilishly circuitous plan to sell you two books is one quarter complete . . . all I have left to do now is get Calculon's ears! Muwahahaha! (Actually, we just had more room to put stuff on the back of the hardback. This will all make sense when I show you the cover designs. And how about this parenthetical in a footnote? Pretty snazzy², eh?)

²How much do you love the word "snazzy?" And how about footnoting a footnote? Pretty neat-o³, isn't it?

³Don't worry, we're not going to keep doing this for each swell-but-out-of-date slang word for "spiffy" I use in this post. In fact, now we're done. Man, it's awesome to have a vacation and come home rested and feeling a little silly.

Comments

[Michele]

That is very snazzy if I do say so myself. You definitely deserved a vacation. You've been a very busy boy and getting over being sick to boot. I hope you all had a wonderful time!

[Sperlock]

How well is the Thunderbird spam filter working for you? I found myself annoyed by it because it didn't work all that well. There's an add-on called spamato4thunderbird (http://www.spamato.net/) that I'm using that works much better.

[Devlyn]

I love posts like these. I feel pretty much the same way (with the lack of synonyms for "spiffy") right now. ^_^ I've been overusing "awesome" for a while now...

[Andrew]

Welcome home. Glad your vacation was spiffy.

[big jon]

im totally saving my beer money to but the hardcover version. cant wait.

[big jon]

the but should be buy. that is all.

[Suho1004]

Wait... "snazzy" is out-of-date?

Crap. My vocabulary dwindles with each passing day.

[Tara]

Welcome home Wil:) You deserved a snazzy vacation. I can't wait to see your book covers. How much longer before release day?
~~TARA~~

[tjp]

Congratulations. One question, when you put your macbook in your back pack, did you take it with you? I hope you left it at home for a real vacation.

www.pafundi.com
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Number of Operations Iraq Freedom and Enduring Freedom casualties
as confirmed by U.S. Central Command: 4003
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[SandieK]

Thats why I hate going back to work the next couple days I get back from the mountains. Not because of the 'oh crap, its over, back to this &(*^ I call work..', but because Id still be on this incredible goofy high from the long weekend I spent with my best friends in the world (when I say goofy, I mean it). I dont think anyone other than those people have ever seen me without my guard down.

[alikitty619]

Footnoting a footnote.....I like it. Everyone should go on vacations that make them feel rested and silly when they get back. Can't wait for the book.

[angie k]

I'm happy you had a good vacation! And that the dust jacket is cool!

Footnoting a footnote is awesome... I mean snazzy... spiffy... tubular. :)

(P.S. It's fun to see you silly and goofy! :) )

Cheers!

[Proto]

Sounds like a lot of fun!

[TheJay]

Glad to see you had a shiny time (hey, I COULD use spiffy, snazzy, neat-o, or faboo, but they don't have the same allure as shiny things)!

Better, thanks for the post, it reminded me to leave you a note that you NEED to try Elebits on the Wii. It just makes that social gaming experience work. OK, we added a few adult beverages as time went by, but that certainly didn't hurt anything.

Gravity gun + friends + alcohol + little cartoon things that are the basis of all electricity = FUN and frivolity.

[SandieK]

Not that it really matters at this point, but in rereading my comments I realized that the last statement should have been 'WITH my guard down' not without.

[alicein1derland]

Ok.... I'll totally date myself, but.... I'm so stoked that you had a far-out vacation and some much-needed fun. We should all get silly now and then - keeps you young.

I can't wait for the hardback to be available. I am positive it will be absolutely groovy. Yes... I said groovy..... shut up.

[Tara]

Snazzy is a neat-o word. I love neat-o, though, and use it quite frequently. It's totally rad.

Good for you for unplugging and enjoying yourself and your family. More people should do that. So afraid they're going to miss something important. Uh, no. Just have fun.

And the footnotes... way impressive. I'm swooning at your geekiness.

[ChaoticMelancholy]

Indeed. You deserve it, and you should do it more often. We'll still be here when you get back. We heart you.

[kristinalead]

I'm with Suho - snazzy, spiffy and neat-o are out of date? Well gol-darn-it!

Re: 3500 unread items/messages waiting for you upon your return - no rest for the wicked!! That's what you get for hatching your evil plan to suck us in to buying two books...

[Theresa]

Hey! Glad you had fun.
I just wanted to show you some affection.
::Let's go Met's!::
I know you are a Dodgers fan and we have an upcoming series together. So, you know, its completely necessary that this be the way I introduce myself to you!

Lots of Love,
Theresa

[Amber J]

Apparently just exclaiming "Neat!" is out of date too... I said it after my supervisor told me I could leave a few minutes early (the restaurant was dead anyway). She looked at me oddly and said, "I haven't heard that in years. Who seriously says that these days?" Me, thats who!

[josiethefiend]

I had to create an account, just so I could comment, and tell you that someone caught, and very much appreciated, your Futurama reference. I also just watched you're KvP videos, and caught the reference there, too.

You just got somehow even more cooler in my mind. Keep making it easier to be a nerd.