Posted by octopusprime on September 29, 2003, at 22:30:29
In reply to Too Much Time!, posted by Tabitha on September 29, 2003, at 18:43:03
Tabitha:
I took a nine-month "sabbatical" once. (um, yeah, let's just call it a sabbatical.) And a two month "sabbatical" later on.
Here are some of the things I did for fun:
* Walk in the park, walk on nearby trails, etc. This works better in a temperate climate. I would also suggest the beach, but I don't know if you have one.
* Went to the library, read in the magazine room.
* Cooking! I know cooking for one does not sound appealing. But bake your own bread (I especially like banana bread), make small stir-fries or pasta dishes for dinner, invite friends over for dinner parties so you can trot out the more complex recipes, freeze sauces and leftovers, etc. This has the added bonus of being cheaper than prepared food.
* Swimming. I got some lengths in at the noon swim at the local pool.
* Cheap movie matinees. There is a movie theatre here that costs $5 for the afternoon matinee. Nicer than renting a video, and about the same price as renting a new release.
* Investigate local museums/galleries/etc. Many museums and galleries have a cheap or free evening once a week. Visit then.
* Cable TV and/or the internet - great for those unmotivated days. I think I watched the entire LA Law, Law & Order, and Simpsons series.
* Used book stores for those days you want to splurge and shop.
* Complex body care rituals. I would make a steaming hot bowl of mint tea, put my face over the bowl, and then put a towel over my head to give myself a facial. Showers? No way! 1/2 hour + long daily baths. A friend of mine was also on "sabbatical", we taught each other some massage techniques with the help of a book from the friendly local library.
* Can't flog the library enough. It's free.
* Babysit your neighbour's kids. You get to play with all their toys. Works best if neighbourhood children are of the co-operative, non-screaming, non-bratty variety.
* Bargain shopping. This is how you can really kill some time. Find the best produce store, deli, fish market, general grocery store, cheap clothing outlets, vintage clothing stores, etc. Buy a small number of items in each store, but visit many places and research any purchasing decision thoroughly.I suppose artsy things like painting or crafts might be too expensive - although you can get a satisfactory set of oil paints to start with for $100 (in Canada) and then paint on canvasses that cost about $5/each. Journaling is also good. A creative outlet is a big plus when you're on sabbatical.
I found the big thing with my "sabbatical" was having something to show for my day every day. I felt much more accomplished on a day that I cooked a big meal, went on a long hike, or did something else that required some effort on my part.
whew! With all those options, I don't know how people manage to work! Somedays I miss my sabbatical. (Other days I know I was miserable and spent the whole day in my PJs watching TV and surfing the net).
I hope you got some good ideas. I left out the ones I didn't do personally, like volunteer or take swing dance lessons or take up yoga or meditate, but you could try those too.
poster:octopusprime
thread:264311
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030913/msgs/264359.html