Big Tournaments and Vacation Time
- Thread starter Jude Rosenstock
- Start date
I travel about half the year. About half of that is vacation. I take my cue everywhere I go, and play in every tournament I can enter. By Saturday I will have been in 5 countries on three continents in 2 weeks. And played pool in 3 of them.
Last weekend I played at Magoo's in Tulsa. The weekend before that I played at Ist Billiard 8 in Zurich. The weekend before that was at a room that AZ'er zed 9 took me to in Rome.
This weekend I'll be playing in Bangkok.
Pool is an easy way to have fun & meet new people wherever I go. And AZ is the best resource for finding good rooms and tournaments. I try to hook up with AZ'ers wherever I go.
Last weekend I played at Magoo's in Tulsa. The weekend before that I played at Ist Billiard 8 in Zurich. The weekend before that was at a room that AZ'er zed 9 took me to in Rome.
This weekend I'll be playing in Bangkok.
Pool is an easy way to have fun & meet new people wherever I go. And AZ is the best resource for finding good rooms and tournaments. I try to hook up with AZ'ers wherever I go.
lodini said:
I just started a new job this year...The company policy is that you have to work there for a year before your vacation benefit kicks in...and you only get 1 week for the first year and 2 after two years (I think)
Anyway....Part of my interview was negotiating me being able to use my 1 week vacation early (so I can go to BCA this year)...
So after BCA this year...I don't get vacation time until 2010!!!!
Does that qualify as Die Hard??? ..(or just plain stupid)
my job requires travel and i have seen and played in the best rooms accross the country.
My company has a major contract in Chesapeake that requires me to travel there at least twice a year. My boss lets me plan my trips around the US Open, so not only do I fly there for free, my room is free, my car rental is free, my food is free and i get PAID to go. I work a bit in the mornings and usually make it to the arena by 1 or 3 pm!
All I pay for is my VIP seats and thats only $200. This will be my third year to go......and get paid for it.
We just got a semi-big contract in Louisville.......
My company has a major contract in Chesapeake that requires me to travel there at least twice a year. My boss lets me plan my trips around the US Open, so not only do I fly there for free, my room is free, my car rental is free, my food is free and i get PAID to go. I work a bit in the mornings and usually make it to the arena by 1 or 3 pm!
All I pay for is my VIP seats and thats only $200. This will be my third year to go......and get paid for it.
We just got a semi-big contract in Louisville.......
In Norway the law guarantees everyone minimum 5 weeks of vacation, WITH salary. And almost everyone goes on vacation in either July or August, like someone else said in this thread.
Jude Rosenstock said:
The easy answer, I don't go to any "Big" tournaments. BUT I do go to a tournament almost every single weekend. Since Sep 1, 2007 I have gone to 17 whole weekend (Fri, Sat, Sun) tourneys representing 34 hotel nights. During that same time I have also gone to 8 Saturday tournaments.
I get 5 weeks of vacation a year with no sick time. I typically get off work at 3PM on Friday and start work at 3PM on Mon. I can get to most weekend tournaments by just taking a 1/2 day of vacation on Friday.
Sharing the cost of travel is essential. Most of the above venues are someplace where the rooms are only $60 - $80. Bringing some food helps greatly. Not drinking helps even more.
I also plan mini vacations with the wife (see below) or kids where we are tourists during the day and I find a weekly tournament to play at at night.
People are always asking about me going to the SBE or Vegas. its not going to happen anytime soon for me with the above schedule.
And I would like you to know that I'm married and my wife supports me doing this!!!
The reason why is that about 6 times a year I take her on a long weekend and we stop at 15+ quilt shops where she's as happy as me at a pool tournament!
Roy Steffensen said:
That sounds like a good deal to me!!! Unfortunately, I only get 3 weeks per year.
I get to the DCC for a few days but it is only a couple of hours away. I try to make it to BCA or VNEA Vegas each year, but will probably take a couple of years off after this one.
I have been to the SBE and US Open, but never all of those in the same year. My wife does get a bit salty when I spend too much of my vacation and OUR money on pool trips which I understand. The addiction to the game can be tough on a marriage. I try to manage my priorities but don't always do so well. I have her to keep me grounded in more ways than one.
Even if I got more vacation, I could not afford to get to all of the major events, it's just too expensive for a lowly IT guy like myself. I will continue to play as much as I can and when I can. This game is going to be the death of me but I'll have fun in the mean time.
Peace out, MOJOE
I work 3 nights a week 12 hour shifts, self scheduling. I just started here in December and so far this has been the best gig as far as being able to revolve a life around pool tournaments. For the first time I went to Valley Forge, I played the Swannee, the APA SWC, I'm playing the BCA team event, I'm planning on playing the Western Womens Amateur Open (with the Party Power Drinking Rangers of the pool world, YOU know who YOU are!) I am planning on going to the US Open, Reno and hopefully Derby City next year. The good thing is since my job is self scheduling I hardly have to use my vacation time . If only I weren't so lazy and would actually practice
. If only I weren't so lazy and would actually practice
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Jude Rosenstock said:
Jude,
I get 6 weeks per year and but 1 extra week, this year I carried over 4 weeks so I've got 11 weeks paid vacation. Finding the time isn't really a problem. It helps greatly to have a companion to travel with and split the room expense and gas when driving. Tommy T and I went to DCC for 4 days by plane and drove to SBE for 4 days. But both of those trips included weekends so I only needed 4 days vacation.
Paul Mon
Jude Rosenstock said:
I suppose "get a new job" doesn't qualify as a realisitc answer?;-)
BRKNRUN said:
That is just ridiculous...the state of american companies is pitiable. Maybe when the stock market finishes shaking out people will get some more vacation time. European companies regularly give out 6 weeks. Sure they aren't the most productive companies in the world, but it's not like they are going bankrupt right and left...
juggler314 said:
Yeah, six weeks vacation time would be amazing! I mean, I have to wonder if certain events are affected by typical vacation amounts. Would the US Open have a higher turn-out if it were in the summer instead of fall? I know I think about the weather when it comes to DCC and Turning Stone. It's never fun taking time off during the winter AND not going some place where it's 80 degrees or better.
Jude Rosenstock said:
Sounds easy, yep! I've got 4 weeks plus 8 days I can take anytime, so I'm almost there, but throw in 3 young kids and a spouse who doesn't care for pool ... well, I'm glad to get out to Masters once a month and play in a Tri-State or Blaze, etc., every 3 months or so! Derby trip's still just a dream ... even Valley Forge would be a major deal.
I get 32 days of vacation a year, including holidays. Plus my company lets me buy a week (prorated out of each check). With family out of state, I usually work holidays (I get more done when I'm the only one there.). Also, living in Phoenix, we are so close to Vegas. The vibe here is that half of the pool players in the local tourneys and leagues plan on going to Vegas every year.
I also have 2 little ones and a spouse that doesn't like pool. I also plan my work training classes in cities that have tourneys going on that week.
I also go into work early and take longer lunches so I can make a little money at the pool room during the day, and stay in stroke.
My 3 year old has her own cue (Cheap) and I spend time teaching her at home. I've even though about constructing a little foot high ramp around the table so she can reach. Is that Obsessive or Die-Hard? I can't wait until she's old enough to be my scotch partner in Vegas.
I also have 2 little ones and a spouse that doesn't like pool. I also plan my work training classes in cities that have tourneys going on that week.
I also go into work early and take longer lunches so I can make a little money at the pool room during the day, and stay in stroke.
My 3 year old has her own cue (Cheap) and I spend time teaching her at home. I've even though about constructing a little foot high ramp around the table so she can reach. Is that Obsessive or Die-Hard? I can't wait until she's old enough to be my scotch partner in Vegas.
