After I completed my Ph.D., I took about 4 months off to 1) do some consulting work, 2) travel for one month in a foreign land, 3) celebrate the winter holidays, and 4) take my sweet time moving across the country. Many people at Brilliant University were surprised that I would take off for such a long period, and most of my post-doc colleagues took less than a month (sometimes less than a week) off between their Ph.D. and current position.

My Most Arrogant Colleague just recently graduated with his Ph.D. When I first met him (when he was still a grad student), I asked him what his plans were after graduation. He mentioned that he was thinking of doing a little traveling, and I encouraged him to do so, telling him about my own enjoyable experiences.

He then informed me that someone of his caliber would find no satisfaction in being so unproductive for even a few weeks. After all, taking a vacation displays a serious weakness of the mind. How could he take any kind of break from research? His talents are so immeasurable, that the world would suffer greatly if he was not working. Then again, how could I have taken such a vacation? Didn't I feel lazy and worthless? (There was a serious suggestion that, indeed, I was lazy and worthless.)

So, here we are, a few months later, and my Most Arrogant Colleague has graduated. And guess what he is doing? He has decided (in his infinite weakness) to go traveling the world for a month! I'm so glad that he could get over his massive unproductivity issues. I wish I could make him eat his words.