We spent last weekend in a resort in the Wisconsin Dells with my husband's family -- well, most of it: 33 members!  It was nice to reconnect with the extended family and Maggie had a blast playing with her cousins.  She was very very sad to say goodbye to them all.  It was fun for me to watch her connecting with her family and realize that she really really does remember them all.  She saw grandpa and took off, running across the room into his open arms.  There's just something about a grandpa.

I returned to work after 4 days away with specific goals in mind to try to get caught up.  I knew if I could complete certain tasks upon return, it wouldn't feel so overwhelming, even if I did have an overflowing mail box, more applications to review than I've had in the last month, and possibly a voicemail box that wouldn't accept any further messages.  There is a culture in my office of "I'm busier than you" and I've grown to hate it.  Many claim it is impossible for them to take a day (or longer) off because they just cannot catch up.  They respond to emails and voicemails when on vacation, sometimes in the wee hours of the morning, and claim it is expected of them.  Most claim it is because they have a "strong work ethic."  I like to think I have one too, but I also like to turn off my cell phone and keep away from the computer when I'm at home.  I know if I turn on the computer I will get sucked into checking my email (or playing a game on Facebook) and end up ignoring my family, so I feel it is best to just stay away.

As I chatted with my manager in my review and talked about moving up in the company, I tried to explain to her that I do want to move up, slowly though.  While the money will be nice, the expectations that are currently set are more than I want to commit to.  I do not want people to expect me to respond to emails while I'm on vacation or, worse yet, at 11 p.m.  When I leave the office, I want to leave the office.  I know it takes a lot for a culture to change, and that a culture change happens very very slowly.  I also know that as I move within the company, I can be a different example of how to be successful.  That success doesn't have to mean working at your job 24/7, but can be found in 40 hours/week.