Well, things have not changed. The media is constantly reminding us that we are working too long, too hard, and for too little pay. They are quick to let us know that we do not spend enough time at home and we rarely get away from the house to some vacation destination. We are not getting away often enough to relax and refresh ourselves.

Some folks will take their vacation when they strike it rich at the lottery or make big winnings as a "Wheel of Fortune" contestant. This is not recommended as once again, they probably will never take a vacation.

We act like we are strapped to our desks at work. Our society seems to make us feel guilty about taking a break from our "jobs." and therefore we never break away. We never release those straps and drive, fly, or boat to some faraway place we always desired to go to. We always have some sort of excuse like "too busy" or "too tired" -- all the time reminding ourselves that we will do it someday.

One school of thought is that there is never a "right time" to set out to do anything. This contradict those who are always putting off marriage, vacations, or having kids until it is the "right time."

Then there are those folks who equate the "right time" with having enough money. While this is a good thought, most people never agree that they have enough money so they will always delay vacations. In the end they never do take a vacation because there is not enough money -- a vicious cycle.

And what is a vacation? When you sit in the same spot all day from sunrise to sunset and watch a hot and humid day become a festive cool evening then you are on what is called a "vacation."

When you return to work claiming that you "need a vacation to rest from your vacation" then you did not have a real vacation. Take a real vacation. See some historical sights, travel to a tropical island, take a trip out of town for a couple of days, or climb some mountains. A vacation is very important to our physical and mental well-being.

Yes, it is true. There are times we cannot go to far from home. However just look at the beautiful country we live in. It does not matter where you live, you can experience some different scenery and some lakes and rivers. It never has to be a big complicated trip in order to get some relief from our dungeons at work.

Don't forget the idea of a mini-vacation. Look for long weekends to get a few days away. When you can't get away for long periods of time, this is a great alternative. And, there is the virtual vacationer who daydreams about a lazy day on the beach or the recent golf game with friends. Until the next time the need arises, at least you can stay sane.