- on sabbatical
- unemployed
- between jobs*
- a stay at home mom and wife
- a community volunteer
- all of the above
My reactions are not nearly as interesting as those of the ones around me. Most men and childless women said that they hoped that I would find another job soon. Other moms and a couple of men told me that they hoped I can enjoy some time at home with Iris and taking care of my health. One former boss (not the one who terminated me) called with a proposal to hire me back through a consulting firm as soon as his budget allows it*.
I haven't had much time to dwell on it. It took a week to take care of administrivia related to a change in job status. Then our family headed out for spring break. As in many prior years, we went to Joshua Tree National Park via dimsum in the San Gabriel Valley.
A friend recommended Capital Seafood where we discovered this treat. Every table ordered them, so we had to give it a try. It begins with a puff pastry.
With the surprise inside of lightly-sweetened almond milk with beans and spices. It smells and tastes so much better than it sounds.
When we were hiking in JTNP, I came across some delaminating granite (pictured at top). Granite is generally considered a very tough stone. But, under harsh conditions such as those found in the high desert, it can crack and peel. I spent some time studying and trying to photographically capture the peeling layers of the stone. It reminded me of the pastry.* For that reason, between jobs is the closest to the truth, unless congress completely cancels a badly needed future satellite program.
But I am also on sabbatical as I am taking this tough online class and learning the python programming language by writing all my homework programs in python and numpy. And I am a wife and mother and do a disproportionate amount of the family work in our partnership regardless of market work status. And I've been doing community volunteer work since I was a teen. Perhaps all of the above would be more accurate?
It sounds like you are making the most of this time off. And focusing on family and health is never a waste. :)
ReplyDeleteAll of the above indeed! I hope you can enjoy your time and make it your own.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear of this big change in your life, but I know that change is an opportunity for growth. It will be interesting to see what comes from this. Good to hear you are taking care of yourself. It sounds like you have a very busy life!
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard. I would probably have said something about being able to focus on your health and family too.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get some good down time- once it is sure that the other job will materialize, of course. But I hope you get it for YOU. My last "sabbatical between jobs" was great for giving me time to do some things just for myself.
ReplyDeleteI find layoffs hard no matter what my role is in them- and I've had all roles: staying, going, the one who has to break the news. They all suck in their own way.
Do take care of yourself. Do continue to spend time with your family. It will all work out. I know that sounds trite, but you are educated and talented -- you will be re-employed in short order.
ReplyDeleteAnother bullet point for your list -- you are also an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I mention your blog and the things you're doing to my daughters. You're a great example of how a woman can live life fully, combining intellectual growth, selfcare/health issues, community service, creative expression, and motherhood ... umm, gee, I probably left some things out there. But my point is that young girls need to see that women in various circumstances can choose to fully engage in life. And you're producing a great snapshot of one way to accomplish that.