I've now been "mileing" for about a year (although it's only been about six months since I joined Milepoint), and while I never expected to develop the kind of expertise displayed by some of the other participants here (okay, all of the other participants here) this has been a particularly lousy week that has brought home to me just how bad I am at the game. It started off with the Rangoon currency devaluation fares. I didn't even read about them for a couple of days and when I did, I didn't think much of them since you had to be in Rangoon to start with. I don't really have the time for mileage running and anyway I have a tripped already planned to southeast Asia this summer with the family. When I did read about them I thought "wow, look at those wacky mileage runners who'll figure out some way to get to Rangoon just to get home from Rangoon". Then, after plenty of people had booked and some were beginning to see their tickets cancelled, it struck me that I actually have to get back home from Rangoon as part of my trip this summer. Sure, I have award tickets already booked, but they're one-way out and one-way back so I could have just redeposited the miles for the return portion. Really dumb of me not to have acted when the tickets were available. After a day or two of kicking myself I figure, why not see what the fares are like now? So I ITA-ed and found — $370 business class fares, four seats available, on my date of travel! I even went so far as to find an OTA that could price the ticket out for me. But (and I know I'm not making myself look good here; this is confession, not justification) I simply didn't have the energy to explain the whole deal to my wife that night. Seven hours later, in the morning — well, you know. No tickets. Then, yesterday, I found myself in Home Depot buying $250 worth of gardening supplies. Yes, I know that my Sapphire card could get me 4+1 X miles through the Ultimate Rewards mall, and I could even have scheduled in-store pickup to get them. There's 1000 miles high-value UR points down the drain. (In my defense, I'll say that my wife had bought the same item a few days earlier from a different Home Depot for 30% less than the web site price. But when I got to my Home Depot, the price was the same as the web site. I could probably even have URM-ed them from my phone.) Finally, today word comes about the Megado launch party. I'm still not 100% sure I have the commitment to attend a Megado. But I'm 80% sure. But noooooooooooooooooo! The launch party is during a week when I'll be away. Is that reasonable? Is that fair? I only take 10 weeks of vacation a year, and this party has to get schedule during one of them! Honestly, a six year old could do better at this than me. As your plane is taking off spare a moment of thought for me, the guy on the other side of the airport's chain link fence, the guy who could have been a contender. Thanks for listening.
10 weeks?! I wish I had that much vacation. I don't even pay attention to the megado stuff because, quite frankly and no offense, I don't see myself dedicating my limited vacation days to such an event. Maybe when I change jobs/get laid off/become a blogger ...
When those things happen to me, I figure there's a reason, one that I'm not aware of but it usually turns out to be good reason. Kind of like why I won't win the lottery: I'd end up offering to cover the bar tab at the next FTU, that alone would be one year's disbursement.
But don't worry you're tab will make it up in miles and you'll meet a bunch of new friends too Then you'll be covering your new friends megado tickets and then there goes year two disbursement!
Only 10 weeks holidays a year? We aim for 12 weeks. +1 has over 6 months of long service leave accumulated (yes, I know, we are spoilt in Australia) so we figure we may as well take lots of hols now rather than be paid a lump sum when he retires!
Tried to think of a pithy comment, but gave up. Too tired today. Anyway, believe me, we have all been there. I have kicked myself across the street and back a few times over missed mile-portunities. Fortunately over the years I've learned that there is always another deal around the corner. Eventually you'll grab a great one and the "ones that got away" will be (semi) forgotten.
If you keep starting unsubstantiated rumors like that, you will be limited to posting in the "Make Up a Lie" thread.
Sure — as long as you don't mind not getting paid for the ten weeks (which is how I manage it, I'm self-employed).
