maccamusings

For the most part, my work load is back to manageable levels, although I am very aware that I am still feeling quite flat after a pretty tough three months. Almost perfectly on cue, however, I was approached by our department administrator a few days ago, enquiring about my current annual leave balance (yes, PhD students get annual leave), which is currently something close to 40 days. At the end of the year I receive another 20 days, but the ANU does not allow you to accumulate more than 40 days, and doesn't pay out unused leave. As such, the proposition that I take leave immediately was put to me. I find it funny, and a little disturbing, how reluctant I can be to take leave sometimes. My immediate reaction was to find reasons why I could not possibly take it. After a few minutes thought however, I realised that right now was indeed as good a time as I could possibly hope for to take leave. What I have come to realise is that the only way to find two weeks free enough to take leave, is to take leave and free yourself up! So I have two weeks leave, which I will be spending entirely in Melbourne.

Extracting myself from the daily grind hasn't been a simple task. An hour after I put my leave form in, an email brought to my attention the fact that I was rostered on to do science radio this Sunday. I am not exactly sure how that came to be, as I have no recollection of saying I would do it, but it was also apparent that no one else was going to be available to cover the shift. In the end, it was easy enough for me to delay my travel plans until Sunday arvo (after the show), and in many respects, it works better than the Friday evening departure I originally planned.

My plan is to take things pretty easy in Melbourne, and avoid the usual rush to see everyone. My main reason for being in Melbourne at all is because my good mate Kev is celebrating his 30th, and my other good mate Terry is back home from the UK for three weeks. This two guys also happen to be my groomsmen, so this is a rare opprtunity indeed to get team macca together in one city. I have plans to catch up with some other good friends I haven't seen for a while as well. I am hoping for a few quality daylight saving assisted pub sessions for this. In the past I have tried to organise largish pub nights to catch up with everyone at once, which are fun, but rarely provide a satisfactory means in which to catch up with everyone.

Whatever day I end up heading down to Melbourne (I'm driving), there is no question that as of 5pm this afternoon, I'm on leave, and that can only be a good thing!