I’m not saying this to rub it in but, well…I’m leaving on vacation this Wednesday.  I am heading down to Key West with my girlfriend (of nine years….but that’s a whole other article) for a little rest and relaxation.  We’re planning on doing some fishing (at least I am), kayaking, snorkeling and of course, eating some good seafood.  

TEAM A.T.E. has some pretty good benefits, so we’ll all have some vacation time this summer.  We have a good group that covers well for each other so don’t worry if you need a quick response from us.  Getting away is a good chance to relax, clear my head, enjoy some quality time with family and friends, and most importantly, re-charge the batteries.   
A lot of the fun of a vacation is the planning and research.  We were fortunate in that we were able to book our flights, hotel and even the rental car using accumulated miles and points.  Now I almost feel like a kid waiting for Christmas.  You want it to hurry up and arrive….but then don’t go by too fast! 

Do you have plans for a summer vacation?  Do you find yourself daydreaming about relaxing on some faraway beach?  How about reading a book in a quiet mountain cabin?  Or taking the family on that always talked about road trip?  .   Hopefully you too will be able to get away from work for a while and enjoy a little rest and relaxation. 
To me, time away from my job now and then is an important influence on how effective I can be when I am at work.  I find that as much as I look forward to the annual vacation, I’m always ready to come back to work once it’s done.  

A vacation makes me appreciate having a good job to come back to, and the energy to do it well.   Hopefully you find yourself in the same boat.  If not, see what you can do to make some time for yourself, and your family if it applies… away from work.  You may think you can’t afford to miss work, and that you’ll be buried with it when you return.  Well…that may indeed be the case, but we don’t mind having a lot to do.  You might just find that you enjoy your job that much more, and are more productive once you’ve had a little break away from it.   

My vacation will be short….only five days….but I know that when it is over I will feel recharged and ready to come back to work.  Speaking of work; I should probably touch on it.  If there are certain pieces of equipment you’d be interested in hearing about or have some surplus items, let us know. We try to work in a way that is efficient and benefits you, so that we present you with solutions that meet your needs, and not waste your time with those that don’t.  
Here’s wishing all of you a productive and enjoyable summer, both at work and away from it.  

-Account Manager, Greg Wendell