I have stepped away from the field of education for six months now and have toyed with a number of income-earning possibilities. "Toyed" is an odd word for what happens when one at long last has the luxury of time (but in a limited number of weekdays) and wants to make the most of daylight (planning to be an early riser doesn't seem to happen; I do my best work at night).
At times I feel that I am the female version of George Plimpton, a famous journalist and author from the past who gained notoriety from his excursions to a variety of jobs. I have never liked not having a safety net; always better to have something to go to rather than wonder and flounder for a while. The short gigs into the world of paid senior care were ridiculously fun and disappointing at the same time. Past experiences with family have colored my sense of judgment and I saw the big picture, or what's coming down the road, a little too vividly to work well "for" administrators who in reality had no real life experience in my field.
It was suggested that perhaps I just relax and rest for a while. Twenty-one continuous years of 8 to 14 hour teaching days had left me with a misconception of just how hard I was working. I certainly have plenty to do, finally having open days to work on my own art, designs and percolated projects, as well as time to play, to hit the beach off-season and just walk for hours. My concept of time is now skewed too, as I do not need to calculate a commute, or plan breakfast for the drive, or determine which parent call to return during early evening hours so that I can rest my head at night. And there it is -
After 11 pm already.
But at least on this Sunday night, I'm tired because of a very full day of what some would call seasonal preparations. I call it rain.
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