In April I took a new gig. The plan was to work on the software until release in mid-July. That deadline has now been scooted up to mid-June. Whatever. Happens all the time.

In March, when we started talking about this I let my handlers know that I had a vacation planned, coordinated with friends from afar, booked, and paid for. We are going to be gone for the last week in May. (Please don't rob my house. I have informed the police, do have a house sitter, and the neighbors know who's supposed to be coming and going.)

Since starting the gig, milestones have been massaged and timelines shortened. On one hand this speaks well of my abilities and efforts. On the other, it speaks of the squeezing of objectives by the project manager. I'm sure that sounds worse than I meant it.

I've mentioned the vacation in a few of the face-to-face meetings we've had, including one last week. No one bothered to raise a concern. In fact, there's a milestone on Friday, and one the Tuesday after the Tuesday next week (one full week between). I mentioned explicitly "that's the week I'm gone...it's all up to you other guys working on the project." Still no one raised anything.

Today, in one of the many phone calls from the PM, he asked, "are you going on vacation next week?" Maybe he thought I was going to put it off because of the pressure of this gig. On the contrary, I need the vacation because of the pressure of this gig...it certainly has amplified the R&R I'm looking forward to.

I'll accept postponing the vacation, but someone else pays for the five plane tickets, the penthouse on the beach, coordinates with my Master's Degree pursuing friends, and makes my wife and kid happy, too. Oh, and double the time...for my trouble...

No?

Then, yes, Saturday I fly away.