About this close to resigning

In July, the boss wouldn't let me go to rehearsals for a concert I was very keen to participate in. Last month I ended up working a 16 hour shift, overnight, just before flying out to Switzerland for our first family Christmas without my father.

Now it's very likely my plants for early February will be shot to smithereens. It was my intention to travel to London for the weekend of the 4th to celebrate Luke's 30th, after which I'd accompany my mother to Norfolk to see my uncle, aunt and cousins, returning in time to play at Alison and Jim's wedding on the 11th.

So I asked the boss this afternoon, with a month's notice, if my holiday plans could be rearranged. He took one look at the calendar on the wall and said no - which I didn't mind so much as his attitude. No apology, no asking why I was requesting that week, in short no interest whatsoever.

Now I can always arrange to see my relations at some other time, and while it'd be a great pity to miss Luke's birthday celebrations and the opportunity to see my mother (I'm now looking into the possibility of going to London for the day on Sunday the 5th), the wedding ... If I were singing as part of a choir, I'd be expendable, but I'm to play the piano, solo, at the bride's request.

I've asked my floor manager to look seriously into the matter. If, when I go back to work on Saturday, I don't have the day of the wedding off, I'm handing in my notice. I've had enough.