What day is it again? Time is a strange construct when you're on a break, but I realized something as I experienced what felt like 3 seasons on a recent walk.
I’m a recent convert to Neiwai too. The BZ underwear is my new favorite thing. I was super skeptical about their “one size” leggings but they are amazing too!
So many thoughts... First, congrats(?) on your "sabbatical". While it wasn't initially from your choosing, it's wonderful that you've embraced it and made it yours. It happened to my husband about 10 years ago. At first he was discombobulated, but soon after he found his stride, and it most def left him a better path to be on in the end. I have been mulling taking an actual sabbatical for a couple of years now. Maybe even do an artist residency in Japan, or somewhere. A few things are holding me back: a late teen on the spectrum that is about to graduate high school, and my need to make sure everything for her transition to whatever is out there post hs is set in place. What's out there? That's, unfortunately keeping me up. It sucks that it's so much harder to find solid post hs programs where she can thrive and continue to grow.
I have worked some form of a job since I was 16 (52 now), and have been teaching non stop for 23 years. I don't even know how to leave my students, I want to be there for my seniors, watch them flourish and express themselves, see them walk across the stage. But as my colleagues and husband tell me, "you will always have a group of seniors, just maybe this one year, you only get them for a semester". How to be good with that? I don't know. And if I'm honest, what if I go away and come back and the kids end up liking the sub better?
I'm happy for you, that you have found a place to land, and to have found it happy making. It makes me feel like maybe I can find that happy landing too if I take sabbatical. WHOOPS, sorry this turned out so long. Clearly I do not have the gift of eloquence and brevity.
I'm not good at brevity either! So of course, I love this comment. I can really relate to your hesitation, and this is why a "forced" break like this one is very much a blessing in disguise for me. I would love to do some sort of residency in the future. I have always dismissed it as something I could never do because of obligations and because I am still the breadwinner in the family, but my youngest will go to college in a year and a half so this seems more within reach (I still have doubts and fears - probably my own) about leaving her for long periods of time.
This has been a happy landing for the short term, so there is still some anxiety next year about where I am ultimately going to land, however, I am trying really hard not to think about that. Just focus on the present, which is really hard for me, but this time is very much a lesson in that. Maybe that can help you as well.
I think a lot of us are figuring work, what it means, how its going to fit into the lives we have now. I know that since I'm looking for work now, i know terrible time, I'm super picky about the environment and work life balance at the company. I'm so glad you "get" to look around, take walks, re-calibrate for bit.
Yes! It is this age that we are in, in particular, that is making us rethink and reevaluate. And yeah...terrible time indeed. Which is why I'm waiting it out a bit.
After having experiencing the quiet of the forced time off during the pandemic (which I am hesitant to admit I enjoyed), I am looking forward to retirement which will happen in 6months. I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to not working anymore. I have stopped feeling guilty about it (I'm also the sole earner in my home and this will make a difference financially) and now I am so excited I can barely contain it.
I’m a recent convert to Neiwai too. The BZ underwear is my new favorite thing. I was super skeptical about their “one size” leggings but they are amazing too!
Right?! One size fits all. Really? I'm still not sure how true it is, but I like how it can "grow" with you.
So many thoughts... First, congrats(?) on your "sabbatical". While it wasn't initially from your choosing, it's wonderful that you've embraced it and made it yours. It happened to my husband about 10 years ago. At first he was discombobulated, but soon after he found his stride, and it most def left him a better path to be on in the end. I have been mulling taking an actual sabbatical for a couple of years now. Maybe even do an artist residency in Japan, or somewhere. A few things are holding me back: a late teen on the spectrum that is about to graduate high school, and my need to make sure everything for her transition to whatever is out there post hs is set in place. What's out there? That's, unfortunately keeping me up. It sucks that it's so much harder to find solid post hs programs where she can thrive and continue to grow.
I have worked some form of a job since I was 16 (52 now), and have been teaching non stop for 23 years. I don't even know how to leave my students, I want to be there for my seniors, watch them flourish and express themselves, see them walk across the stage. But as my colleagues and husband tell me, "you will always have a group of seniors, just maybe this one year, you only get them for a semester". How to be good with that? I don't know. And if I'm honest, what if I go away and come back and the kids end up liking the sub better?
I'm happy for you, that you have found a place to land, and to have found it happy making. It makes me feel like maybe I can find that happy landing too if I take sabbatical. WHOOPS, sorry this turned out so long. Clearly I do not have the gift of eloquence and brevity.
I'm not good at brevity either! So of course, I love this comment. I can really relate to your hesitation, and this is why a "forced" break like this one is very much a blessing in disguise for me. I would love to do some sort of residency in the future. I have always dismissed it as something I could never do because of obligations and because I am still the breadwinner in the family, but my youngest will go to college in a year and a half so this seems more within reach (I still have doubts and fears - probably my own) about leaving her for long periods of time.
This has been a happy landing for the short term, so there is still some anxiety next year about where I am ultimately going to land, however, I am trying really hard not to think about that. Just focus on the present, which is really hard for me, but this time is very much a lesson in that. Maybe that can help you as well.
I think a lot of us are figuring work, what it means, how its going to fit into the lives we have now. I know that since I'm looking for work now, i know terrible time, I'm super picky about the environment and work life balance at the company. I'm so glad you "get" to look around, take walks, re-calibrate for bit.
Yes! It is this age that we are in, in particular, that is making us rethink and reevaluate. And yeah...terrible time indeed. Which is why I'm waiting it out a bit.
After having experiencing the quiet of the forced time off during the pandemic (which I am hesitant to admit I enjoyed), I am looking forward to retirement which will happen in 6months. I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to not working anymore. I have stopped feeling guilty about it (I'm also the sole earner in my home and this will make a difference financially) and now I am so excited I can barely contain it.
Wow, Rebecca! I am excited for you.