As many of you know, I've been working a shitload of hours. My social life has become extinct, my ass is numb from sitting at my desk for extended periods of time, am certain that I'm developing Carpel Tunnel Syndrome and am starting to forget what it's like to have fun. Attendance at concerts or gigs have become a thing of the past.

The other night, the president of the company asked, "If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?" Interestingly enough, I was having a similar conversation with my friend, Fraser, who lives in Scotland. "When are you coming back, Tania? We miss you." Oh sure, Scotland is always a great choice, but I've been there three times (I love and miss you too, Darrin) and would like to venture elsewhere. So, I mention that I've always wanted to go to Greece, but lately have been thinking of going to Croatia. Idle chat followed and the topic was quickly set aside.

Well...tonight, the president (Faith is her name) made me an offer. In recognition of all the hard work I've been putting in, I get to choose what is: a) behind the curtain or b) under the box.

Curtain = Vacation To A Destination of My Choice (budget to be determined)

Box = Money (budget to be determined)

I'm undecided and need to give this some serious thought. The money would come in really handy cuz I could use it for home improvement. But...damn, a vacation would go over really swell and I could definitely use a break.

What would you, the studio audience, choose?

Curtain.

Reason: I too have been working myself batshit crazy lately, and I'm trying to get some time out of town, even if nowhere special, just to shake it off. It's about the time away more than anything else.

I know you have an idea of what to do with the money, but there's also the chance that it might get slowly decreased in preparation or in little spots here and there, while the vacation is just taken care of for you and it's done.

Take tha muthafuckan box

You can always buy yourself a trip

it's always better to get the money up front. What happens if you book the vacation and then some client chokes to death and then you can't go and they "forget" about it?

Yeah, will your company pay for your ticket, etc, or will they give you $ for vacation? Cause you will be taxed if you take the money but maybe not if you take the trip. I know jack shit about doing taxes, though. Would you, in theory, have to claim as income a trip that was paid for as a bonus by your employer?

So, if you get the $$, you don't get time off, right?

Fuck that. Time off's what you need.

Go to Greece. It'll be a life-changing experience for you. I guarantee it.

I still get time off but it would be at my expense not the company's.

Wow. Pillows.

Assuming the "budget to be determined" is going to be the same either way, seems like money is the way to go, since then you'll have options of what to do with it, which could include the vacation.

However, Toilet Duck's tax point is valid. But, it's best to figure out how much the vacation is worth to you, rather than just take it because it's the better "deal".

Take the money.

I'm going to say vacation. Money is great, but you might buy a bunch of stuff and look at it and say, damn, what did I spend it on. A vacation will bring memories, and ultimately be good for your physical and mental self. Hell, if could tack a few more months onto yr life when yr 110

take the money, put it into some short term investment, then go on a vacation later.

Take the box. There's always a donkey or something like that behind the curtain.

lolz

Mutty makes a good point -- with the money, I could plan my own trip and possibly much cheaper. Though, I'd have to pay taxes.

And Toilet Duck is quite right -- if the value is over $1600 (most assured that it will be), I could be taxed for the remaining value. Although, employers can be sneaky and apply it elsewhere as to not be taxable.

I'm torn.

If the vacation is extra days off (beyond your regularly allotted days) and is paid for, then that would seem the best option in theory.

But if you have any doubts about when you'd be actually able to take the vacation, whether something could come up that would require you to work instead or put time in while on vacation, or if your life would be a living hell when you get back due to work piling up while gone, go for the cash. That's the safe route.

Well, I wouldn't be able to take the time off until my boss returns from maternity leave. We're looking at early-mid June. So, the timing would be right. And as far as work getting in the way of the vacation...fuck that! Once it's planned, that's it. I'm outta here!

Btw, for those of you keeping tabs with my co-worker dilemma at work. It's quite possible that we may 're-assign' one of them elsewhere and hire someone else. He's one of the reasons why I've had to work so many hours.

For Christ sake get the fuck out of that office.

Home improvement!? You're never there!

You need a vacation, take it.

My vote is on the trip- the money has a way of pissing itself away unless you have everything lined up for the work to start as soon as you get it in your hand (first hand experience with this). Although I don't think Croatia would be at the top of my list, if that's what's in your eye, do it.

I'd also like to go to Prague, Paris, Budapest, Iceland, Barcelona, Ireland, Peru, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Montreal, Vietnam, Italy...I'm fairly open.

A friend mentioned going to one of the UK or Euro music festivals.

I could ask for my dream camera instead with a couple of lenses.

Trip, girl. The house doesn't sound like it's in danger of actually falling down - you might be.

I really think it's impossible to answer this question without at least generally knowing the relative value of each. It's probably a mistake to follow the "take the trip, or you might spend all the money and not take a trip" logic, particularly because you seem like a pretty responsible person capable of making a plan and sticking to it. So if you can get more trip out of the box-money, then you should definitely take the box.

Unless you think your employer will in fact be disappointed that you didn't go for the trip (arguably the more thoughtful, directed, personal offer), or would take that as graceless, in which case you have some intangible political capital to weigh against the cash value.

Even if you go to San Bernadino, take the trip

The best advice in this thread comes from those who say the danger is in the money being frittered away on "nothing" and then you have neither the money, nor the memories from an awesome (well, not if you go to Berdoo) trip.

I got a singing bonus from my new job that was basically a good amount of money's worth of tailored clothes, and believe me, I would never have them if I had to pay for them, and at the time, if I had gotten the money, it would have been wasted.

Most of all, make yourself happy, Tania. You Deserve It.