December

I am facing December with a mix of anticipation and anxiety. More business changes are on the way, and managers have to reassure nervous staffs while getting them to shoulder increasing workloads. The best way to do that is to lead by example, which means that I'll be spending more hours at the office.

It’s a good thing that California law requires companies to allow employees to store up to 35 days of vacation; I’ve accumulated 4 weeks in the bank and will be able to snatch at most a couple of days around the holidays. If he drops dead from exhaustion, does accrued vacation become part of the estate, he wondered mordantly.

The holiday cards need to be written and mailed, gifts need to be purchased and wrapped, and checks need to be sent to charities to qualify for the contributions deduction by year-end. Whatever did happen to the New Year’s resolution to be better organized? It’s in the same place as the commitment to exercise every day.

Wait’ll next year. Well, next year did come for the Red Sox and White Sox, so there’s hope.