Vacation mode, unlocked

I hit the jackpot!

Photo by Saud Edum on Unsplash

For three days, a work message sat unread in Slack.

When I finally opened it on a Saturday morning, Manager Courtney had some news for me.

“You need to start taking some time off.”

She was right.

I just had no idea how much.

Turns out, I had 49 days of vacation banked. And I had to use it or lose it.

So I’m using it.

Starting today, I’ll be away from my day job for much of the rest of the year. How much? Here’s the math: There are 115 days left in 2026 after today. I’ll be off for 83 of them. That includes weekends and holidays, of course.

That means I’ll work just 32 days between now and New Year’s Eve.

I’ve never experienced anything like it.

The most time off I could take before the end of the year was 44 days. I still have five days I’m carrying over into the first quarter of 2027, the maximum allowed.

You’re probably wondering how I accumulated all that time. Well, remember, I rarely take vacations. And in my former life as a jet-setting sports writer, I just kept going.

Apparently, when my company was acquired in 2022, weeks of vacation I had banked rolled over with me. Then they sat there, untouched, for years. I had no idea my vacation balance had become an investment account — compounding.

Now I’m cashing in.

And I plan to take full advantage.

It’s been a long year for a lot of different reasons. I need this time to unwind, think, relax, rejuvenate and recharge. I need to decompress. Clear some space in my head.

I also want to use the time well. I want to plot and plan. Strategize. Learn. Grow. Figure out what comes next.

There’s also plenty to do. I’ll organize our new home. I’ll read. I’ll spend time with Parker.

And I’ll travel.

Boy, I can’t wait to travel.

I’ve already got a special trip booked. There’s no better time to do it.

For once, my calendar is wide open. And I intend to leave it that way.

Manager Courtney was right.

I have earned it.