Great news! Here comes a long weekend!

If Monday is July 4th, that can only mean one thing: a long weekend draws near!

It doesn't feel like the last long weekend we had -- Memorial Day weekend -- was that long ago. Time flies!

One of the best things about a long weekend is the fact that things begin to get a whole lot calmer around Thursday. Suddenly, you start noticing people taking days off or leaving earlier.

It is for this reason that I actually enjoy going to work on Fridays that precede long weekends. Because there are fewer people around to interrupt and distract you, you can usually do more of whatever it is you intend to do, whether it's lollygag or actual work.

Indeed, I find the best days to take off are those where everyone is at work -- except me. But if several people are out, I just don't get the same satisfaction from being out of the office. I become especially disgruntled when I request a day off, only to discover that my boss won't be in that day either.

Anyhow, I want to wish those in the U.S. a happy and safe 4th of July weekend! Whether you'll be cooling off in the pool, catching rays at the beach, barbecuing with friends, watching fireworks over the water, or hitting up the movie theater with family, it's an extra day off that will come in handy for all of us!

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