July '11 Bid's Strategy in Bidding

I was rather shocked on my last bid when I saw the impact my increased seniority has had. It is rather funny that only a couple of numbers can really make or break my bid. So it goes with a small domicile I suppose.

In July I have moved up two spots and with the retention of a few of our new hires in COS I am finally over the hill bidding 47%. I am bidding under 50% for the first time in my career. With that, I'm going to be rather bold for my July bid. I feel like I am bidding as though I am in the top 5% of the domicile in my first three layers. Before I started bidding this week, I asked myself what I would want to have if I could have any pairings. The answer has become weekends off recently. While it previously didn't bother me, my wife is now working and I need to have some weekends off. Especially in the summer! So that is where I have started.

Layer 1: These are the trips that I liked the most which allowed me weekends off (and somewhat of a life). I'd be really tickled to get layer 1.

Layer 2: Round two, fight! So layer one goes senior, here's the plan.

Layer 3: So layer 1 & 2 just couldn't cut the mustard. I hope these can.

Layer 4: (first time I've gone to layer four bidding pairing specific in a long time) Buckshot! Grab the shotgun and pepper that layer with buckshot hoping four or five pellets will find its mark! I also added a pairing ID which as 30 occurrences.

The rest of the bid (layers 5-7) now become criteria since they include pairings but aren't pairing specific like my layers 1-4 are. I sure hope my bid gets lucky! Here is the prioritize layers page, aka Christmas tree, aka full bid: