One thing, at least, that I've finally figured about sabbatical is that I can sleep in. Of course Pippi sees to it that one of us is up by 7am at least (earlier in the summer when the sun is up earlier), but usually that's Bullock. I think she's figured out that he wakes easier than I do. I don't sleep much longer -- I'm usually up by 8, though today it was nearly 9 before I woke up -- but to me that seems almost decadent, since there are people on our campus with classes and meetings at 8am.
Now, you noticed that I said "finally figured" out. Yes, that's right. Given the ridiculous guilt-anxiety cycles that we academics make for ourselves, plus the conventions of the Monday-Friday work week in the white collar world in which I was raised, it took me quite some time to allow myself this sleep. (Yeah, I was forgetting that the word sabbatical is related to the word sabbath.) At first I had dreams of keeping some crazy schedule where I was up by 6 and exercising or walking Pippi by 7. Yeah, right. Now I realize my schedule can be what I want it to be (well, Pippi has to be walked *some* time by 9 or 10 am) as long as I'm still doing what I need to do.
There are other things I've finally figured out, but Pippi actually hasn't been walked yet and it's my day and she's letting me know that as I type (her chin is on my lap and she's looking up at me with her puppiest puppy-dog eyes). Time for walkies!
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Sleepy sabbatical
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2 comments:
I'm glad you're finding your sabbatical groove. You deserve that break. As you mentally unwind, you're usually working better on what's important for research and writing.
I'm anticipating my sabbatical starting in July. Sadly, there will be no sleeping in for me as two high school students in the family mean that we have to be up by seven at the latest.
Still, liberating yourself from the "go in and do all the meetings" is more than worthwhile. It's not the teaching, it's the meetings and marking that give me grief during regular terms. Can't wait to offload those come January!
I don't think my sabbatical semester included enough sleep, but sufficient sleep was definitely one of the hightlights of my fellowship year: 8 hours a night, almost every night for a full year. Holy wow!
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