Embrace August

I don't know if anyone else felt it, but I can say that this summer I have worked waaaaay more than I usually do in the Summer, and probably more than even most winter months.

What gives?

Is it just the craziest summer in the History of Trieste? I ask, because I used to cry in the summer because it was like Trieste became a really long, depressing, boring movie in slow motion from about June 15th on. NOTHING was happening.

Here is my theory.

I just happened to arrive in Trieste around the time of a Big Experiment. You see, in the olden days, Triestini used to go on vacation in August. That was it. Everyone. Which had its pros and its cons.

Pro. Everyone on vacation at same time.
Pro. It sucks working in August because it's too dang hot.
Pro. In the olden days people had really long vacations and that must have been nice.

Con. Traffic.
Con. Travel expensive.
Con. No chance to influence your vacation destiny.
Con. Other countries working with Italians have to deal with fact that Italians don't work in August.

Then that last point started to pick up momentum. Those countries getting frustrated with the Italians for being so stagnant in summer and blah blah blah became a big deal. And, with that, the Great Vacation Experiment was born.

All of a sudden companies, even a couple of big fatties, said people could CHOOSE when they wanted to go on vacation. Well, one week (out of your 4 or 5 delicious weeks, sigh) would have to be in August, but the others, whatevs, people!!

So the Triestini started to disappear around mid-June and, surprise surprise, you couldn't get much done.

Then there was the Mass Exodus in the two weeks sandwiching Ferragosto, which is August 15, but let's call it Labor Day, even though Labor day here is actually May 1st, but, you get the idea, it means Summer is pretty much over, even though it isn't really, so no more going Up North, which here is not actually North, but more like Croatia or Grado or Lignano. So, you couldn't get much done then either.

Then, life would begin again in September just in time for school to start.

Long story short: if you were trying to make a living in Summer, it was, like, a wasteland.

So the Big Vacation Experiment didn't last very long. This short period of time when Trieste kept offices and businesses open in August and scattering vacation around did not seem to increase productivity. Sure, offices were open, but no one was making decisions or anything, because they were too busy covering for their colleauges who were on vacation!

Which was too bad in some ways, because it was GREAT if you were the one going on vacation, but a NIGHTMARE for companies when they realized THEY were working but their suppliers and clients were not. So, that went by the wayside pretty quick, and we were back to the August vacation thing.

Flash forward. It has been a hot summer, but people have been working anyway. I mean, a lot, and well, and I am just shocked and amazed and delighted by this.

But now I am ready to go on vacation. That's it. I'm working tomorrow then I am OUTTAHERE until August 16th or so. Just in case you are looking for me.

Spritz Morbido on the beach starting Saturday.

That's what I'm talking about.

Have a Great Summer!