First Vacation

Since I started at the firm, I have taken a random day off here or there, but have not taken a vacation.  As a consequence of my transition from Beach City Office to Big City Office to International Office I found myself always the new associate trying to build up some cred by covering for other junior associates on vacation or paternity leave.  As a result, come May, I will reach the firm's maximum vacation accrual threshold.

After you reach the maximum vacation accrual threshold, you stop accruing vacation time.  It's not paid out or put into a reserve account.  It just disappears.  I like the idea of having a large vacation accrual--if I quit or am let go, the earned and accrued time will be paid out--but I will not allow earned vacation time to disappear into thin air.  So, in May, I will be taking my first vacation.

Where will I spend my time off?  Adventure in Australia?  Skiing in Switzerland?  Pastries in Paris?  Not in the cards.  I will be returning to California for a family wedding and relieving the family members who have generously been taking care of my pups the last few months.

It's not the way I envisioned spending that hard-earned vacation time, but I never thought I'd be sent away to Japan for a year either!  It will make my family happy.  It will be nice to see the pups.  It will be nice to be able to read signs and understand what folks are saying.  It will be nice to eat American food.  It will be nice to have a break.  It's the right vacation for right now.

Looking forward to a snuggle with Little B!

So I'll shelve the more adventurous vacation plans for now.  Hopefully, in the meanwhile, I'll find a friend who is able to join in on that sort of trip.  While vacationing on your own isn't the end of the world (New Zealand was fun!), it's a bit depressing and lonely, and I've had enough of being lonely lately!