RT to Madrid?

I haven't been to Spain since I bought a house (six years now). Since I went annually before that, at least once I finished school and became gainfully employed, the lack is most noticeable. The first couple of years, I was house-poor. [Still am, really.] Then I ended up going to Hawaii, then had a couple of conferences -- for the non-profit, but still had to pay my way plus the conference fee, which was hefty. Last year airfare was just too much; airfare anywhere outside the US was, really.

Yesterday I found round-trip airfare, including all taxes and fees, for $477. And I want Want WANT to go. I have enough leave accrued. My vacation fund would cover that and the hotel or apartment rental, depending on whether I just hang out in Madrid or decide to go to Granada or Barcelona.

What's stopping me from booking the flight?

Prudence. My job is relatively stable, but there's talk of merging with another agency, and positions are bound to be eliminated if that's the case. The head of my office considers my position to be "mission critical", but even so... It just seems frivolous to spend much on entertainment/travel, when bad things are looming on the horizon.

Am I being too cautious? In the end, would the cost of the trip make that much of a difference if I were suddenly unemployed? I don't know. Opinions?

Pope Benedict knows best

Apparently, the pope knows more about gender theory than, say, academics or biologists. And homosexuals and transsexuals are as dangerous as global warming.

H/t to The Biochemist.