CassyLee (cassylee) wrote, @ 2009-07-23 07:42:00

The problem with being single is....
When you're single & your coworkers aren't, you sometimes feel obliged to volunteer for tasks that folks with more familial obligations want to avoid.

Non-American readers may not be aware, but supposedly the biggest airline travel days in the U.S. are the Wednesday before Thanksgiving & the Sunday after. Sure, it's possible that more people actually travel for Christmas vacations, but that travel is more spread out, due to the varying holiday/school schedules that people have for Christmas. Since pretty much everyone & their dogs get both Thanksgiving & the Friday after off, tons of people travel Wednesday & Sunday. I have successfully avoided any & all airports on those days & I've sat back contentedly watching the news reports of the mad traffic jams & congestion at the airports on those days.

While I was in Pennsylvania this weekend, the Project Executive for the account told me that they'd gotten the dates for the annual disaster recovery test. It starts bright and early (like 5am early) on the morning of the day after Thanksgiving & lasts for 96 hours. Since my coworker would rather not get divorced (and, I'm force to admit, it is my turn since he took the last one - which was in October), I offered to handle this test. I have a very slim hope that they'll allow me to support it remotely - but since this is the account who just paid for me to fly out to type in two commands that I could easily have done remotely, I don't think there's much chance that they'll let me avoid another trip east. I suspect I'll end up traveling on Wednesday out since I'll want at least some decent sleep before the start of the test - but at least it lasts long enough that I should avoid the Sunday travel crowds back.

	bally 2009-07-23 16:57 (link)
	96 hours. Cripes, I do not envy you that. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	cosmicavatar 2009-07-24 03:45 (link)
	Ooof. I hope it's as painless as possible. (Reply to this) (Thread)

eileen 2009-07-24 06:55 (link)

As long as you don't mind doing it, that's fine. But I dislike the implication that just because you're single, your time and holidays are less valuable than your married-with-family colleagues. I have family that I like to spend holidays with, and I'm not going to give that up just because I happen to be single. I'm sorry that you're stuck with the Thanksgiving shift, and even more sorry that you might get caught up in the holiday travel chaos. Good luck with it. (Reply to this) (Thread)

cassylee 2009-07-24 20:39 (link)

Well, I pretty much volunteered, so I guess I don't mind too much ;-). I think if it had been any other coworker, I wouldn't have volunteered, but Jeff has had to do an inordinate amount of work-related travel lately & I figure he's due a break. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that they'll let me support the test remotely, so I don't miss my turkey dinner on Thursday. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

callie_demeter 2009-07-25 03:40 (link)

I agree with you and Eileen. We single folk shouldn't be required to always jump in, but at the same time, I can see that newly weds/parents might want the magic of their kids first few Christmasses, or their first Thanksgiving post-wedding. And I think it's personal preference - if I'd not had any plans for a particular holiday, couldn't afford to go home or it wasn't a big thing to me (like New Year's isn't really), then I might volunteer, especially for a lot of extra money like triple time, or extra time off in lieu (to be used when I COULD afford to see family, and do our own celebration then). I think you've got a good line of thought - if your colleague has done the bulk of the travel this year, he does deserve a break. Is it worth you emailing your boss and maybe explaining that while you're happy to travel and support the client (and have done so in the past), travelling post-meal would make much more sense both practically and financially? (Reply to this) (Thread)