Comment about Cooperstown trip to be read after your vacation -- It was so fantastic that you got the news about Biden dropping his reelection bid just as you were starting or about to start the Cooperstown tour with your family, *and you got to decide for yourself what to do* (and made a great decision, IMO, but that's not the key point).
This was such a good example of the deepest joy of being "self-employed." That phrase is not a metaphor or a euphemism -- it's true! You really are in charge and so it was completely your call. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I have to assume that if you were still at a W-2 job like at CNN and starting a much-anticipated family event like the Cooperstown tour, your employers would have called you in instantly, and you would have no choice at all but to go. I'm glad you're no longer told what to do -- and (though I'm making this up) likely left to wait for long periods for unpredictable moments you might appear, perhaps with others on air making points you had hoped to make.
Esther, you are 100% correct. I worked for CNN’s parent company until, I, too, was laid off. However, while working there, my various bosses (and I often had several simultaneously as I was in a matrix management situation) had no problem calling me while on vacation, even when I was overseas. I pulled over on a country road in Scotland to take a call about some “crisis”, I answered emails while in Iceland because there was another “crisis” going on and I saw misinformation being disseminated (and I would have been roundly criticized had I not stepped in), and I had to take a call while on a cruise to Norway. I worked nights. I worked weekends. But in the end, I was like Chris: a row on an Excel spreadsheet that indicated I was “expensive” at a time when the company was looking to downsize. Now I work part-time for a small company, and I have the luxury of setting my hours to what I want them to be. While my income level is greatly diminished, I wouldn’t go back to that lifestyle ever. They couldn’t pay me enough.
I hope you have a relaxing, enjoyable vacation with your family. You have earned it. Absolutely unplug. The major swirlex in politics will be arrive about the time you return. Best to be well rested and fresh. Thanks for your efforts.
While I look forward to your excellent analysis multiple times a day, everyone (you are a real person, after all) deserves time to refresh. I hope you have a great vacation with your family.
Enjoy your time with family, Chris. My “kids” are all late 20s/early 30s now, but they become adults *so* fast that you don’t want to miss those special moments with them.
Good for you! It’s good to unplug and get away with your family and just have fun. My son (a survey methodologist) and his crew left for the beach yesterday. The kids are getting older and before you know it they will be off on their own adventures. So, enjoy!!
Enjoy the break with the family, and when you write help by focusing on what will work to stop the demented fascist. We don’t need the horse race polls without ideas of how to communicate the right message. The danger is in seeing this as a form of entertainment.
Man, if anyone deserves a break from all this, it is you! Thanks for all you've done so far. Enjoy the family trip--only you will know if it's actually a "vacation"--and we will see you on the other side. Safe travels!
Have a great vacation. These years when your children are available to travel with you fly by. We will still be here when you get back.
Undivided attention is the greatest gift you can give your family. So detach that phone from your hand and pay full attention to your wife and kids!
Amen!
Enjoy your well-earned vacation!
Maybe in lieu of columns, you could do trivia? That's always so much fun
Long time reader, first time subscriber. Enjoy your vacation. I always enjoy your content. Getting a little R and R is good for the soul!
Enjoy! Time off from work and family time is always better!
Enjoy your vacation. You earned it.
Have a great vacay!!
Comment about Cooperstown trip to be read after your vacation -- It was so fantastic that you got the news about Biden dropping his reelection bid just as you were starting or about to start the Cooperstown tour with your family, *and you got to decide for yourself what to do* (and made a great decision, IMO, but that's not the key point).
This was such a good example of the deepest joy of being "self-employed." That phrase is not a metaphor or a euphemism -- it's true! You really are in charge and so it was completely your call. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I have to assume that if you were still at a W-2 job like at CNN and starting a much-anticipated family event like the Cooperstown tour, your employers would have called you in instantly, and you would have no choice at all but to go. I'm glad you're no longer told what to do -- and (though I'm making this up) likely left to wait for long periods for unpredictable moments you might appear, perhaps with others on air making points you had hoped to make.
This seems so much better.
Esther, you are 100% correct. I worked for CNN’s parent company until, I, too, was laid off. However, while working there, my various bosses (and I often had several simultaneously as I was in a matrix management situation) had no problem calling me while on vacation, even when I was overseas. I pulled over on a country road in Scotland to take a call about some “crisis”, I answered emails while in Iceland because there was another “crisis” going on and I saw misinformation being disseminated (and I would have been roundly criticized had I not stepped in), and I had to take a call while on a cruise to Norway. I worked nights. I worked weekends. But in the end, I was like Chris: a row on an Excel spreadsheet that indicated I was “expensive” at a time when the company was looking to downsize. Now I work part-time for a small company, and I have the luxury of setting my hours to what I want them to be. While my income level is greatly diminished, I wouldn’t go back to that lifestyle ever. They couldn’t pay me enough.
I hope you have a relaxing, enjoyable vacation with your family. You have earned it. Absolutely unplug. The major swirlex in politics will be arrive about the time you return. Best to be well rested and fresh. Thanks for your efforts.
While I look forward to your excellent analysis multiple times a day, everyone (you are a real person, after all) deserves time to refresh. I hope you have a great vacation with your family.
Enjoy the vacation!
Enjoy your vacation!
You richly deserve a vacation.
Enjoy your time with family, Chris. My “kids” are all late 20s/early 30s now, but they become adults *so* fast that you don’t want to miss those special moments with them.
Enjoy!
Good for you! It’s good to unplug and get away with your family and just have fun. My son (a survey methodologist) and his crew left for the beach yesterday. The kids are getting older and before you know it they will be off on their own adventures. So, enjoy!!
Enjoy the break with the family, and when you write help by focusing on what will work to stop the demented fascist. We don’t need the horse race polls without ideas of how to communicate the right message. The danger is in seeing this as a form of entertainment.
Man, if anyone deserves a break from all this, it is you! Thanks for all you've done so far. Enjoy the family trip--only you will know if it's actually a "vacation"--and we will see you on the other side. Safe travels!