For the Mom
Last night I was at Lemur's soccer game with my mom and she happened to mention that she really missed reading my blog at night before going to sleep. It has been a while. I've kind of been busy with life a little, and she totally understands, but at the same time I also know what it's like to check a blog day after day, watching it like a perpetually empty mailbox for the day when the bliss it provides will return. So tonight I've set aside time to write a little. It may not be anything particularly wonderful, but it will be words on the screen. (And a little love to the momma).
If you have been following my Twitter postings on the side bar there, then you are no doubt aware that I am currently on my Sabbatical from work. What is going on there is that our very young company (young to the business world, put a pillar that has stood the test of time by Internet standards) has decided to give an incentive to it's workers to stay with the company. This incentive comes in the form of an extra 4 week block of paid time off after each 5th year of service. I kind of believe that we are the beneficiaries of our main company offices being in the Tech Valley in CA. I understand that the job market is pretty brutal out there and so companies have to be extra aggressive to keep the talent. And here I am in the middle of fly-over country loving every crumb that drops from the table.
Since this is such a remarkable thing for a company to do, many people in the office take once in a lifetime type trips to celebrate. I've heard of more than a few marriages have planned their happy day around this break so as to take an extra long honeymoon. One manager that I went to high school with has a brother-in-law living in Switzerland, so he took his family to spend the month in Europe. There was even one gentleman who lived a life long dream and followed the Yankees on the road, taking in 21 games in that month in several states.
And then there's me. I'm not in a place to do anything so grand. The money isn't there for a fancy trip, so I'm simply living every simple little thing I'm not able to normally because time doesn't permit when I'm working. I did start my break by attending a three day music festival in Sioux Falls SD with my oldest two, which was amazing. We may have to make that an annual event. If I can't get to Cornerstone, this is the next best thing.
Before that I was checking the Ditty Bops website for concert dates and got a great surprise. I had seen that they had gotten as close as Kansas before and thought that this was the only group I knew the Lemur would get into, so I thought it might make a good road trip for us since he wouldn't be much interested in the festival, except for the fact that I was doing something with the other two and not him. As it turned out, they were coming through to Lincoln, only an hour away! So we loaded up and went. It was an all ages show in a little dive attached to a local watering hole in the downtown area and we got back way after his bedtime on a school night, but it was so worth it. Those girls are Fantastic live. I can't wait to see them again. It was his first proper real concert and he was so tuned into the whole experience.
Since then I've been living the simple life, working around the house, fixing little things that have been hanging around my neck for the past several years. Patching a hole in the driveway, finishing the fence, going through the stuff in the attic. Also doing things with the family that I usually miss out on. Such as attending the soccer game I mentioned at the top. Also, picking up the kids from school, helping with homework. And because they are at school part of the day, the wife and I have taken advantage of that time to get a little re-acquainted. Just being alone in the house together is a unique occurrence. We've taken walks, gone down to the locally owned coffee shop in the middle of the morning, rented and watched movies in the middle of the day. We've even had our first eBay sale (I think I made a whole buck).
None of this is even mildly impressive and I'm sure I'm going to have a workmate or two who will silently (or maybe not so silently) feel I've squandered this rare gift. But far from squandering, from my perspective I've cashed it in a very rewarding way.
And I even snuck in a trip to the Apple store. Have you seen the new Nano? It's a crazy small gorgeous little piece of wonder!
If you have been following my Twitter postings on the side bar there, then you are no doubt aware that I am currently on my Sabbatical from work. What is going on there is that our very young company (young to the business world, put a pillar that has stood the test of time by Internet standards) has decided to give an incentive to it's workers to stay with the company. This incentive comes in the form of an extra 4 week block of paid time off after each 5th year of service. I kind of believe that we are the beneficiaries of our main company offices being in the Tech Valley in CA. I understand that the job market is pretty brutal out there and so companies have to be extra aggressive to keep the talent. And here I am in the middle of fly-over country loving every crumb that drops from the table.
Since this is such a remarkable thing for a company to do, many people in the office take once in a lifetime type trips to celebrate. I've heard of more than a few marriages have planned their happy day around this break so as to take an extra long honeymoon. One manager that I went to high school with has a brother-in-law living in Switzerland, so he took his family to spend the month in Europe. There was even one gentleman who lived a life long dream and followed the Yankees on the road, taking in 21 games in that month in several states.
And then there's me. I'm not in a place to do anything so grand. The money isn't there for a fancy trip, so I'm simply living every simple little thing I'm not able to normally because time doesn't permit when I'm working. I did start my break by attending a three day music festival in Sioux Falls SD with my oldest two, which was amazing. We may have to make that an annual event. If I can't get to Cornerstone, this is the next best thing.
Before that I was checking the Ditty Bops website for concert dates and got a great surprise. I had seen that they had gotten as close as Kansas before and thought that this was the only group I knew the Lemur would get into, so I thought it might make a good road trip for us since he wouldn't be much interested in the festival, except for the fact that I was doing something with the other two and not him. As it turned out, they were coming through to Lincoln, only an hour away! So we loaded up and went. It was an all ages show in a little dive attached to a local watering hole in the downtown area and we got back way after his bedtime on a school night, but it was so worth it. Those girls are Fantastic live. I can't wait to see them again. It was his first proper real concert and he was so tuned into the whole experience.
Since then I've been living the simple life, working around the house, fixing little things that have been hanging around my neck for the past several years. Patching a hole in the driveway, finishing the fence, going through the stuff in the attic. Also doing things with the family that I usually miss out on. Such as attending the soccer game I mentioned at the top. Also, picking up the kids from school, helping with homework. And because they are at school part of the day, the wife and I have taken advantage of that time to get a little re-acquainted. Just being alone in the house together is a unique occurrence. We've taken walks, gone down to the locally owned coffee shop in the middle of the morning, rented and watched movies in the middle of the day. We've even had our first eBay sale (I think I made a whole buck).
None of this is even mildly impressive and I'm sure I'm going to have a workmate or two who will silently (or maybe not so silently) feel I've squandered this rare gift. But far from squandering, from my perspective I've cashed it in a very rewarding way.
And I even snuck in a trip to the Apple store. Have you seen the new Nano? It's a crazy small gorgeous little piece of wonder!
posted by Will at 7:40 PM
4 Comments:
THANK YOU, my precious man. I checked your blog just out of habit & was soooooo excited to see a new entry.
Even though we talk every day I didn't know some of that stuff.
Wish you could find a GOOD paying job and work at home. Oh well.
LOVE YA LOTS-MOM
Yes, I check in on your blog like it is a mailbox and am always happyhappy to find a letter or postcard from your adventures.
As for your holiday at home? YOU know this is not time squandered, but time relished, and that's all that really matters. And, sure you could mortage your future on a blow-out vacation, but that ain't you; you're enjoying the vacation in your own home/life. (but then, you seem to do that all the time anyway, even when you work ... at least that's the impression i get.)
Nice to get a "post-card" from your happy vacation. :)
xo Deb
This summer we took an actual vacation for part of my month off. But last year my month-long break was very similar to yours...(as was the remainder of my month this year). I just luxuriate in being home...enjoying all of the everyday goodness that I sometimes forget to enjoy when I'm on the hamster wheel. So cheers to that! As for the Ditty Bops...still haven't seen them live, but very much enjoyed reading their tour blog awhile back. When I found them/their blog, I discovered they'd played a coffee house 3 blocks away...about 3 days before! Oh well...next time. :)
. . . it sounds like a lovely vacation . . . why should we need to leave home? loving and resting are grand ways to spend time . . . :)
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