lately, i’m remembering my LOA (leaves of absence) with a pang. i miss those days of blissful solitude, morning walks, travels in the spring and fall. monday was my favorite day of the week because it meant everyone in the world except me was at work. except they weren’t and i wasn’t the only one. now i’m back to worshipping fridays and saturdays and sundays. and it looks like i’m in it for the long haul – this work business, i mean. some days it feels like i’m living in a cage.
other days like today i get home and drag everything out back – journal, sketchbook, book book. make a nice pour-over coffee. i can’t get outside fast enough. a flock of green parrots fly overhead squawking, a breeze is blowing, it’s cool. orange sun slanting through the trees. way up in the sky a white jet is heading east.
during sketchbook time, tyler drew me while i drew him. i wish you could have seen the look of quiet concentration on his face. it was our first portrait drawing session. a hush fell over the room then it erupted in cackles and screams. a nice end to the week.
i’m off to read my new book. so far it’s unputdownable.
Add me to the number of people who feel like they’re in cages. It’s not that my job is horrible. It’s that it is a JOB. That I have to show up every day and adhere to so many hours of being stuck here. The hardest part, for me, is that I thought I wanted to go into this field. I dreamed of it, literally, for nearly 25 years. Now I know I don’t want to do it, and I’m 53 and I’m too old to start over and I will be lucky if I can retire at 65 (unless an unknown rich uncle leaves me money, etc.)
I admire you for being able to go home and actually have energy to do so much artwork. Often I feel like I can barely do anything. You also maintain a beautiful home. Mine looks like a pigsty. Not entirely my fault; partly the spouse’s fault, but hey…I think I am suffering from depression.
I’m glad to have your blog to read and your courses to take.
work, the great thief of time.
a housekeeper every 2 weeks keeps me tidy, i could not do it on my own.
This post reminds me of Zora’s quote: “There are
Years that ask questions and years that answer.”
It seems this is an asking year for me as well.
I know this as well…as long as we feed our creative hunger,
We will be alright.
Would love to have that lovely porch to do art on….a gal can dream can’t she. ;))
May your next off time come around Real Soon.
Peace….
amen to feeding the creative hunger! xo
A hairline fracture in one’s world view can be a good thing. A hairline fracture in any of one’s personal physical bones … not so much. Vv glad the fracture was not the personal bone-ish sort.
It’s no good to feel like one is living in a cage. Particularly when that cage is full of chittering chattering monkeys. I’m glad you have such a firm grip on your artistic life, and can put it together and revel in it quickly when you get home.
well i’m thankful i work with children rather than adults. but they all make too much NOISE. weekends mostly outside restore me.
I, too, have always admired the way you max out your time off to create and recharge. I hope you don’t have years and years and years of working ahead of you. You would be a very happy retiree, I know! I love the pic of your outdoor table, journal, Susan Branch cup, plants, etc.
i have between 6-8 years left of hard time at the big house. so luckier than most i suppose. i could officially retire next year, but my monthly $$ would be much too low.
Please – I must know the book’s title! I lived on west 10 mile Road in Southfield!!!!!!
holy fuck nuts. pardon my trucker mouth. really!!!??? SOURDOUGH by robin sloan…author of “mr. penumbras….book store”
Whew! When I saw the blog post title and a different cup than the Susan Branch cup, I feared the worst.
I am turning 66 in December and I can tell you that when you reach the LAST YEAR of work as I have, every other year skipped though seems easy-peasy in comparison. It is vv hard to not just retire on the spot or run out the door screaming. Interestingly, YOU are one of the people who keep me sane. I’ve always admired your ability to just shut the door on work and move right into your home life as soon as you get home. It’s a trick I never seemed to have learned.
But I can imagine what it might look and feel like when I read posts like this. You are comfortable with yourself and in your own company, and it shows. So hang in there, keep reporting from the front lines for the rest of us in the poor slob army and dream about that next big trip.
“the poor slob army”
ha ha ha ha ha!!!! love that description. it comforts me to hear from other members. xo
Children of Hogwarts – I like that! What book is that? Sounds intriguing… I’m semi-retired and I cherish my days off too!
SOURDOUGH by the writer of mr. penumbras 24 hour bookstore!!!
I just don’t like to think of my bubbelah in a cage..This Too Shall Pass.
let’s runaway together. for a couple of weeks! xo
The pattern in the cup!
that’s my special new mexico mug i got when i visited dottie in march…