The First Days of the Pause

It's my first week of the sabbatical.

It feels weird, in part because I think I'm still not quite "there"*.  I'm consulting so at least one unit of my day is tied to answering questions but the rest has been mine to schedule.**

So I'm here, in this place that's been scheduled with volunteering, cleaning, cooking with kale, exercise, studying Spanish, two daily units of Gilmore Girls, pondering all life's big questions (where and what mostly), and adding books to my reading list.  (And exhale.)

This week's additions include:

* An advance read by a local author friend (of which I'm most excited to dive in)
* The Log from the Sea of Cortez by John Steinbeck (prep for a February adventure)
* The Last Days of the Incas by Kim MacQuarrie (prep for a March adventure)

I've got these queued up to begin after I finish Take Me with You by Katherine Ryan Hyde.  I started this read when temperatures were below 20F so I'm due to wrap it up.

Hope your year of new beginnings has been just that.


* Defining "there" to be that blissful image that everyone seems to have in mind of "sabbatical" which doesn't involve setting one's house in order after having been gone four of six weeks and likely doesn't include any chores.

** "Schedule" references the fact that a Type A personality doesn't really sabbatical like an artist probably does.