sabbatical
But not, unfortunately, mine. However, since at least one member of the household had the foresight to select a profession where he's entitled to extended amounts of paid leave on other continents, it looks like, over the next six months or so, I'll be spending a fair amount of time on my own, for the first time since, well, ever.
What would you do if six months of freedom from essentially all responsibilities (except, of course, that pesky job thing) loomed before you? Where should I go? What should I do? All suggestions welcome.
41 comments:
Take up pottery.
Travel to Tuscany.
Learn to make wine or beer.
Live at an ashram or kibbutz or monastery.
Take a parador tour of Spain.
See the great gothic architecture of Europe.
I guess I like to travel...
Wow. I guess this reflects my status as the mom of two demanding sleepless children, but, I would sleep. For months. And wake up and read whole books in a single sitting that that didn't involve the adventures of Encylopedia Brown or Little Critter or Hello Kitty, and then I would watch a bunch of R rated movies with half-naked men and lots of swearing...and probably sleep some more...
My life is sad and pathetic...
Oh, and you should probably visit your husband in whatever exotic locale he is sabbaticall-ing in...
There are certainly a lot of exciting options, but honestly if I were on my own for six months (except for working), I would be extremely boring and unhealthy and eat crap and watch TV and read all the time and inevitably get depressed.
I know you will do better. :)
Oooohhhh, I don't even know. I would seriously have to think about it. Sadly, I have no responsibillities, except my job, and well, I don't know what I do with my time. But I suddenly feel motivated. Travel - take some trips, do all those things that you say you want to do, but you say you don't have time for. Volunteer somewhere. Come to Chicago! Hmm, I would say find a hobby, but you seem to have a few. I don't know - but I would try to do as many new things as possible, and definitely volunteer.
Well... read, do your crafts, rest, watch movies... plan day trips.. anything you like. Anything that will renew and refresh you.
:)
When R was away for a couple of weeks I planned to sew and knit a lot, which he doesn't find remotely as fascinating as I do... but I ended up spending a lot of time on skype. But if you have a hobby that takes up a lot of time (more than you usually have, that is), this sounds like a good chance. For example, you could take lots of walks and trips and make wonderful pictures. And, well, post them here, of course.
Read books. And then some more books. And listen to music, loud.
Ummm...wow.
I guess I'd
get well
read books
catch up on the last 10 years of movies
take 4 day weekends to go around and visit places and people
Julie
Using My Words
If I were in your shoes, I'd read as much as I could, see movies I know Petunia wouldn't like, knit like crazy (I'd work through some of my yarn stash!), get together with friends, take a class, take day trips, and look for a great volunteer job. If I had the money, I'd also visit my traveling spouse whenever possible.
Several years ago I had a summer off from work, and it was such bliss! I walked to the library every few days for new trashy novels, grew tomatoes on our rooftop deck, drank homemade Thai iced tea whenever I wanted, and wrote in a little journal all summer long. I also got a jump start on the fellowship I would begin that fall and I read every book I could find about adoption. I was so content that summer, and I hope that your informal sabbatical will bring you contentment as well.
I think I might tour museums-one or two a month. I'd probably garden some as well.
OMG, I would be so excited. I would find a new passion and follow it.
I have the same type of job as L, and sabatticals (or "research leave" as it is called at my institution) scare the crap out of me. All that unstructured time makes me nervous.
I am up for a research leave next Spring, and I hope to stay put and hang out with my baby, which at this point in my life sounds better than another continent.
missedconceptions: L has tenure, so no research is required during that term. I'm sure he'll work on some stuff, but there's zero pressure to produce anything.
Oh, and I guess I should probably have said that L was originally scheduled to take off spring semester last year, so he could spend time at home with the twins. But we all know how well that idea worked out.
Road trip!
Maybe going to see all the places that L wouldn't really be in to seeing, if there are any.
Also redecorate some rooms in the house exactly as you would like them.
Join a book group, take a cooking class, volunteer (maybe tutoring), harrass my senator about every upcoming vote, go to museums.
Emily
Zero responsibility sounds GREAT!
All the suggestions sound really good. I'm sure you will come up with some good ideas. Whatever you do, take lots of photos (which I know you'll do anyway)!
This actually happened to me. Mr. ABF had to go elsewhere for a job for 5-6 months. Strangely, I wound up not doing much differently. I changed my diet which was really easy when there was just one person involved, and also tried out a lot of food that I knew Mr. ABF wouldn't be thrilled with. I started a craft project which, 4 years later, I have yet to finish. Yawn. And oddly, it was a bit of an adjustment when he came back. Why, I don't know. Having the bathroom all to myself?
Wow! I don't even know what I would do with that much time off. I sort of find the prospect intimidating...but I can't wait to see what you do with it. Who knows, you might have some unexpected preparations to keep you busy...
I tend to plan a lot, and do next to nothing. But assuming that my family disappeared temporally...
-Read a lot
-Go out with friends in workdays - how daring is it?
-Go to the cinema - 5 years of movies await me
-Visit art exhibitions
-Take belly dancing
-Dust and use my pool membership
-Change my diet to a more vegetarian one, and cook lighter dinners
-Create a photoblog to share my day to day with them
live life, as much as i could, as though, it were some of my last months on the earth. which, for me, would mean lots of sewing, taking myself to the movies, the ballet. taking good books to read at dinner in small cafes with good glasses of wine.
*sigh* you're making me miss being single.
hey, i think you should come see your good friend in Georgia.
I've really enjoyed reading everyone's comments, now I want to do lots of the things listed.
In a way I feel like, now that we have moved, I am living the life of "no responsibilities"--at least none that I'm not setting for myself.
I look forward to seeing what you come up with.
Two things in Marta's comment caught my attention.
First, I love that she would dust her pool membership.
Second, if you have not checked out the visual blog I have in my links, you really might enjoy it. Two women who live across the country from each other have spent the last year recording a year of mornings through photographs. They are planning to move on now to a year of evenings, which I am sure will be equally as beautiful. I'm not sure how long the current project will stay up, so if you are thinking about checking it out I'd do so soon.
Get a good long distance plan. If he is on another continent, it could get expensive with frequent phone calls. Unless this will be your sabbatical. :)
I would have no excuse but to be in absolutely wonderful shape from all the exercise; disturbingly bright and witty from all the good books I read; and rich with friendships I took the time to nurture. Or not. I find everytime I have an extended period of time away from work, I'm less productive than when I'm working. Must do better. (And much success to you this cold month!)
I am so dull that sleeping, reading, and embarking on a full scale organizational sweep of my house sound heavenly to me. Oh, and I would definitely workout regularly (which is sometimes hard to manage these days). In fact, I would get back into playing tennis which I love but have not been able to do for over 3 years.
I'm sorry L's original sabbatical plan didn't pan out the way it was supposed to.
Whatever you do, I hope it involves blogging. :)
I guess I shouldn't get tenure if I can't even spell "sabbatical."
I should not comment when I am exhausted and can't use spell check.
I think everyone should get 3 months off every 7 years, just because.
I am a big fan of drinking wine, eating good food, shopping, and art museums.
Find your town's visitor's bureau and try out all the touristy things to do.
I personally would most likely play playstation until 2am every night, but that's just me :)
Definitely shop, drink good wine and eat good food - maybe a little trip wayyyyy south, like the southern hemisphere?
Just a thought....
Pick one night of your week for the girls. Enjoy good food and drinks. My night is Thursday!
HUGS!
Oh lots and lots of tv. :)
My husband went back to school and spent every other semester working out of town for 2 years. I took up cake decorating, went to Mexico on a mission trip, went to Ireland with the girls in his family, and got back into running.
I really enjoyed being able to do things without worry about it fitting around our schedules together.
Come visit?
Me?
what aurelia said. except visit me, not her. or, better yet, me and her.
I love that photo in the post up above by the way!! You are making me want to start using my camera!
oh! go to the theatre, museums, movies. Stay up all night drinking tea and painting or writing or reading. Go for a hike. Take day trips to interesting places. Have a pajama party. Redecorate a room. Plant a garden.
I would plan to write and throw out clutter
When the Sergeant was in Iraq for a year I visited as many people as possible, all over the US.
I also read lots of books.
And wrote lots of letters.
And took lots of pictures.
Ooohhh. The possibilities are truly endless here Niobe. Enjoy!
Lets get together and KNIT!
Maybe volunteer for a political campaign? Definitely take a trip somewhere...how about Kripalu in the Berskires...relax and rejuvinate! You deserve a little pampering!
I forgot one,
Write a book.
Eeek! I would be stressing over losing my emotional support.
After the initial shock, I might .. .
Take a class I always wanted
Take two classes - hey need to stay busy.
Read lots of books
Stay away from movies and tv - they make me lonely
Do a house project you have always wanted to do, but DH kept putting off because he hates the house messing (I did this one - fun!)
Have fun!
Travel, travel, travel!
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