Short weeks

If all had gone according to my plan – many are the plans in a (wo)man’s heart – I wouldn’t have a lot of vacation days left right now.

In a couple of months I would have had a few banked, but between the last minute Asia cruise at the end of last year that ate up most of my carry-over days, and the Mediterranean cruise in January that used up what was left plus what I’d have earned back in the first few months of the year, and the Baltic’s cruise that in another universe I’d be freshly returned from, there would be no days left.

Places I thought I’d have visited this year, but didn’t after all.

But of course, COVID-19.

So that last 10 days’ worth of vacation time is unused.

I’ve requested Election Day (just in case ballots don’t arrive in time or can’t be sent in time or other f*** up along the way). And now I’m looking at random days here and there to burn up days.

We can only carry 5 days over, and I do not believe in giving back days unused. We’re not expected to give back part of our salary if we don’t spend it all, and time off is also part of the package. That’s mine, and I prefer to use it.

So I’m making myself a long weekend, and seeing how it goes.

As I prepare to “leave” it feels weird. And oddly, I feel like I’m leaving the team at loose ends even though it’s one stinking day and I won’t be far and can come back online at any time.

There is seriously something wrong with me.