To Holiday or Not to Holiday

I am writing this at my desk, in my office, on Memorial Day, an official holiday in the United States. Yet here I am at my desk. Most people are camping this weekend — or as a friend of a friend on Facebook called camping, “drinking near trees.” I did not leave town for the three-day weekend for two reasons: soccer and work.

The first is an understandable and delightful way to spend a holiday weekend. I have season tickets to all home Portland Timbers games (Rose City Til I Die), plus the reserves team, a series of games that keeps the second stringers in fighting trim. There was a regular season game on Sunday, and there is a reserves match this afternoon against our rivals from Seattle. Must not miss.

But the second reason, work, is one I struggle with every holiday, and most regular weekends, too. I have two deadlines looming this week and a huge deadline that must be completed at the last minute for logistical reasons next Monday. It’s like three axes hanging over my head — and not the green-and-white Timbers logo axe, either.

Do I work a bit even on weekends and holidays in an attempt to ease the load? Or do I take a full weekend off for R&R knowing the shit storm will begin Tuesday morning? I’m probably going to work this morning until it’s time to head to the stadium for kick-off. I did work a bit Saturday and Sunday too. But I wonder if I shouldn’t have slacked off more to store my own reserves for the work this week.