One of the big decisions around vacations is whether it should be a 'do something' vacation or a 'do nothing' vacation. For example, over the past few years I've vacationed at Disney World (do something), Cocoa Beach (do something), Sarasota (do nothing). Something to be said for both approaches, depending on your mood and budget. This last time was definite do as little as possible, lots of reading and trying a few new restaruants.

For most of us vacations are a pretty big one time expense, so we agonize a little about going to the 'right' place, getting our monies worth, and not spending more than we planned (but we all do, right?). Here in Florida picking a hotel is always a challenge, especially at the beach. Not always sure what you're getting unless you've been there before. In Sarasota we've stayed a few miles inland on a couple visits, and also tried the Holiday Inn on Lido Key (nice location, ok beach). Typically even a couple miles inland the rates go down and the quality goes up, but if you want to go to the beach you need a hotel just about on the beach or it gets to be a pain to drive over. This time we stayed at Tropical Shores, one of the kazillion one story mini hotels that always exist along the beach. Turned out well, about $70/night for two beds, mini kitchen, park right in front of the room set up. Was about 200 yard walk to the beach, not beach front but close, and a nice bonus was they have both a decent swimming pool and free gas grills to use for bbq lunches. Not fancy, just serviceable. I'm a value guy, so it worked!

To plug for Fla a bit, if you come to Orlando for Disney definite look at their packages and consider staying on property. They have free bus and water limo service to all their attractions, can often save you the cost of a rental car and they now have a service that grabs your bags at the airport and delivers them directly to your room.

For reading this time it was The Appeal by John Grisham, re-reading A Man on the Moon by Andrew Chaikin (basis of The From the Earth to the Moon Series), The Last Assassin by Barry Eisler, and a few assorted magazines, including 100 Skllls Every Man Should Know in Popular Mechanics (on which list I do pretty well, but definitely need to learn to weld).

I think the sign of a good vacation is when you let go of work enough that you don't really want to go back. I thought about work a little here and there, and had to answer a few emails (nature of being a very small business), but I didn't really do any work. As I write this on my first day back I'm definitely struggling to stay focused, but that will fade over the next few days as my competitive drive reasserts itself.