Today I sat behind my desk for work for the first time in five weeks after taking my second sabbatical at WRI. Having time away to clear one’s head is a very rare and valuable perk that my organization offers, and while I haven’t been able to take advantage of it the same way some of my colleagues have (globe-trotting trips to exotic locales, for example) I’ve been able to take time away to focus on my family, my hobbies, my friends, and my life outside of work, which has been worth every minute—and a lot cheaper than plane tickets.

As mentioned here, I’ve spent time working on an EV swap project with my friend Brian, spent a week in New York State with my family, and I took care of several long-delayed tasks that required time and focus to complete. I also did a bunch of boring house maintenance, including a paint job on the back two sides of the garage. 

It’s going to be very hard adjusting to rising early in the morning to get Finn off to school, getting myself cleaned up and presentable, and hopping on the train again, especially as the days are getting colder and the darkness is getting longer.