Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Thinking, writing, business ideas … You’re only a stranger once.

July 1, 2007

Bloggy Question 55: It’s My Vacation!

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 7:24 pm

Leave the Computer!

For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week. I offer this bloggy life question. . . .


You’re about to go on a road trip with three non-blogging buddies. It’s a same sex group of friends that you’ve known since college. You’re headed up to a small hotel in wine country. The hotel has all of the amenenties — nice restaurant that seats about 20, television, wireless, gorgeous views, horseback riding, hiking, canoeing. At times you and your friends probably won’t leave the property for days.

Your friends are bringing the trappings of their hobbies. One is a musician and will be bringing a guitar and a harmonica. Another is a runner and is bringing all of that gear. You just watched your closest friend pack a sketchpad, charcoals, an easel, and a complete store of oils and canvas into the car. Just as you are about to put your laptop and accessories in next to the rest. Someone stops you.

You hear, “You can’t take that. We agreed no work on these trips.” You explain that blogging is your passion just as they have theirs. Neither your argument nor the idea seems to convince them.

How do you respond?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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30 Comments to “Bloggy Question 55: It’s My Vacation!”

  1. July 1st, 2007 at 8:42 pm
    Sanix said

    I would just ask them if I can take my lappy for the photography purpose … and that’ll be enough to convince them I think :).

  2. July 1st, 2007 at 9:49 pm
    Dean said

    I think I’d compromise a bit (need to escape from the computer sometimes); I’d take a pen and notepad, to write future posts and a digital camera for the pics for the blog.

    Oh and a large wineglass so that I can keep busy while they paint.

  3. July 1st, 2007 at 9:50 pm
    jeff Brown said

    I look them right in the eye, and tell them they’ve asked wrong question. The question isn’t if I can take my laptop or not. The question is - does anyone but me get to answer that question?

    One look at me and they’ll know, whoever’s gonna answer the question, it sure ain’t gonna be them. :)

    As soon as you let folks make those decisions for you, you realize they see you as their personal welcome mat.

    If you allow that to happen - you deserve the consequences.

  4. July 1st, 2007 at 9:53 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Sanix!
    Welcome. That could work.

    I’d probably say we’ll talk in the car. :)

  5. July 1st, 2007 at 9:57 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Dean!
    Welcome. Thanks for coming!
    That’s an option. Though I think that I might want to log on late at night or early in the a.m., especially when my friends are sleeping or out running.

  6. July 1st, 2007 at 9:59 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Jeff,
    I’m a lot like you when it comes to stuff like this (and other stuff too). I don’t see a lot of difference in my writing a blog post and my friend painting. I’ll take my laptop out by her and watch the sunset just as inspiree. :)

  7. July 1st, 2007 at 10:09 pm
    Ellen Weber said

    Great question — I’d organize a deal. It would go something like this … Hey … how about we take out our hobbies and run off for two hours a day (tell ‘em that to be alone is really developing their intrapersonal intelligence)

    then I’d suggest that we come back to the table in two hours and share one offering from the thing we did cause we love to do that most. Each one gets the floor 5 minutes to inspire the others:-) Then sip to the wonder that will appear and go for a fun dinner to roll out more exciting plans for the next day! My 2-bits to make it great:-)

  8. July 1st, 2007 at 10:21 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Ellen!
    Welcome back! Great to see you!
    I like your proposal. I’m going to have you negotiate my next contracts. :)

  9. July 1st, 2007 at 11:36 pm
    Sleeping Dude said

    In similar situations I usually say that it’s vitally important for me to be able to check email, or I get fired. It works :)

  10. July 2nd, 2007 at 2:26 am
    Alina Popescu said

    Interesting question. As I always take my camera with me, I will link blogging and eventually the laptop to my passion and do my best to explain my decision to them. If they keep going on and on about how it is work, not pleasure, I’ll just say ok, fine, won’t take my laptop, but make sure to pack my pocket PC :D If they have anything more to object, I’ll just say I take it as an ebook carrier, and everybody knows I love reading :D

  11. July 2nd, 2007 at 5:54 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Sleeping Dude,
    I don’t suppose that would work for me. It would be work to answer emails, and I would want to keep to the pact of no work on vacation. I’d just say something like “You have your hobby I have mine.”

  12. July 2nd, 2007 at 5:58 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Alina!
    I’m with you and passion. I’d point out that computers aren’t just for work, mentioning that we were shoes to work too — not just for running or that my musician friend happens to play her guitar for a living, but that she also enjoys playing to be creative.

    I’d explain that it’s not the computer, but what I do with it and how I feel about what I do that makes it work. :)

  13. July 2nd, 2007 at 7:03 am
    Chris Cree said

    My friends know that telling me what I can’t do (or need to do for that matter) is not such a good idea. ;)

    I don’t write well with pen and paper. Never have. And blogging is my passion every bit as much as theirs is for them.

    But just the same, knowing me, I’d ask one of them to hold me accountable about limiting my blogging time on the trip. I need to step away from the computer screen from time to time too!

  14. July 2nd, 2007 at 9:10 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Chris,
    We’re a lot alike. It would never cross my mind oa a vacation to be on the computer when there was something I could be doing with my friends who were my road trip travel companions. :)

  15. July 2nd, 2007 at 9:44 am
    Whitney said

    This conversation would make me reflect on the friendships. Are these the right friends for me during this lifestage? Are friends who attempt to set limits on how I spend my time bringing the right energy to my life? Do I need friends whose words and actions appear to indicate a lack of understanding of who I am and what I do?

    If these ARE friends that bring enough other things to the table that I want/need in my life, then the question becomes: is this a warning sign that we’ve become so complacent and presumptive in how we “maintain” these friendships that we’ve lost sight of who the individuals have become? If so, then the laptop AND the art supplies need to be left at home and folks need to spend time reconnecting with each other.

    Any relationship, after a number of years, can slip into autopilot if we don’t watch what we’re doing. We think that because we got answers to get-to-know-you questions 15 years ago, the answers will be the same. And they’re not always.

  16. July 2nd, 2007 at 9:47 am
    Roberta said

    I’d tell them that blogging is a hobby of mine, and I’d like to blog about the vacation as sort of a memoir to the occasion.

  17. July 2nd, 2007 at 1:57 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Whitney!
    I think I would cut them a little slack for looking out for me when they saw the computer. But I think that they might listen to my reasons for bringing it and cut me a little slack back as well.

    I agree that life changes and friendships change with it. Assuming that they’re just going with the agreement that this is a “no work” vacation and what they’re saying is a reminder . . . then maybe that’s not it here.

    Your questions are valid and worth thinking about. Then again sometimes a cigar is a cigar. :)

  18. July 2nd, 2007 at 1:58 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Roberta!
    That’s a great idea too!

    Some folks say that I sometimes paint with words. I could tell them that I want to paint their picture. :)

  19. July 2nd, 2007 at 2:14 pm
    Jan said

    Everyone seems to agree that blogging counts as a hobby because you have a passion for it. I would argue that it is besides the point. The idea behind a vacation is to do something else what you usually do. If blogging plays a big part of what you do every day then you definitely shouldn’t be blogging on your vacation.

    If you just can’t stop blogging and provided you don’t do it for a living (which isn’t stated) then you are of course free to consider it a hobby and argue it out with your friends. The questions is if you want to. You risk getting your will and have everyone not speaking to you for the rest of the time, which means you will just be doing what you normally do only in a different location.

    These are my friends and I respect their opinion and if that is that I am too obsessed with blogging as it is then it would perhaps be better to bring something else. If you are hell bent on bringing the laptop then try thinking about how it could be used differently. Perhaps you could turn your blogging into a social event where you and your friends actually blog together in some shape or form or similar.

    I know I managed to take more stands on the issue within just one comment, but that’s how my brain works (when it works) so I cannot help it. Perhaps Ellen has a term for it. If so I would be interested to know what you call my condition :-)

  20. July 2nd, 2007 at 3:28 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Jan!
    I don’t know what Ellen would call your condition, but I know what I would . . . human. :)

    If I paint every day and I bring my paints hmmmm How could I pass up such beautiful scenery?

    If I run every day and I bring my running shoes . . .

    I might not be obsessed with blogging, but I’m a writer who writes every day. Hmmmmm

    I can do it in the early hours when no one is up. :) It works better then anyway. :)

  21. July 2nd, 2007 at 8:24 pm
    Mark Silver said

    Hi Liz,

    I think the difference has to do with the connectivity of it all, at least in my own mind. I like the suggestion to bring a notepad and pen, and a digital camera.

    But, I have to say that interacting with electronics does bring, literally, a different energy into the situation. Even though I work around my computer all day long, pretty much, I can tell when I’m in a room without electronics on- the quiet is incredible.

    So, it would depend a lot on where we were all going to be arriving. if we were arriving in Luddite heaven as a get-away, then I would be tempted to go the low-tech route (with the exception of the camera).

    Anyway, that’s how I would respond- “You know, you’re probably right. We’re getting away. I’ll bring my notepad and camera, and do some creative writing for later.”

  22. July 2nd, 2007 at 8:27 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Mark!
    That’s a great choice if it’s time to get away from things plug into walls. :)

    My first thought was whether that would be making MORE work rather than letting me relax a bit. I like to type with my headphones on. :)

  23. July 2nd, 2007 at 11:19 pm
    Chris said

    Hi Liz,
    Great question! You know, I left my laptop at home this past weekend when we visited friends at their little cabin in the “woods”. They don’t have an internet connection, but I still really considered taking the laptop just as a way to jot down thoughts if something “came to me”. My wife, family and friends just don’t seem to understand that I really don’t think of blogging or writing stories, as work. If someone wanted to carry a pencil & notebook with them and write about what they did that day on vacation, most people wouldn’t say their working?
    I will have to admit though, while I missed my laptop, it is probably good for me to get away from it occasionally. (I should be in bed right now, but I’m up leaving a comment on your blog) :)
    Enjoyed reading as always!
    Chris

  24. July 2nd, 2007 at 11:24 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Chris,
    I feel the same way as you do. Sometimees I think better with a pencil in my hand. Sometimes I think better with my fingers on my keys. Neither necessarily is writing. Sometimes I’m just thinking, thinking.

    Thank you for putting off your bedtime to leave a comment here. Now I can officially say that we’re losing sleep over each other. :)

    You’re not a stranger anymore. :)

  25. July 3rd, 2007 at 12:39 pm
    Robert Hruzek said

    Wow! What a variety of answers! So why not throw in my 2 cents? :-)

    I’d take it anyway because it’s my hobby - not my job. Besides, I think better with a keyboard than a notebook ’cause I can’t read my own writing!

    Seems like the friends will have to think of it as “play” not work - but I can always find time to do it that doesn’t interfere with “group time”.

    Like you, morning and late are good times for me - more productive anyway.

  26. July 3rd, 2007 at 1:41 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Robert!
    Yeah, I like the way we all think so differently. Every time I put up one of these questions, I can’t help but have that called straight to my mind so strikingly.

    I think my friends would actually look with a bit of suspicion, but be willing to see how it played out. They know they wouldn’t have a chance at trying to talk me out of what I’d want to be doing. :)

  27. July 6th, 2007 at 3:12 am
    Whoa said

    And i think this is why someone invented the UMPC’s, so you can hide it or tell them it’s for your second hobbie (movie freak or music lover, your choice).

    It was usual for my cousins to tell me to get off the computer when i was expecting some email or reading about something when on a trip. Nowadays it is them who are hooked up so now it is totally acceptable.

  28. July 6th, 2007 at 5:52 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Whoa!!
    So you’d have a “cover” story. that might not be such a bad for some folks. I don’t think I’d like it much. I’m too open about everything for it to work for me. :)

  29. July 8th, 2007 at 7:25 pm
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