It Would Be More Fun with Pictures

At some point, I will find a perfect definition of sabbatical and then I will perform it. In the meantime, I will cobble together a semblance of an idea and then wish I posted minute by minute what I did on my sabbatical but will instead post month by month.

1. Imagine this picture. Hike. Mt. Elden. Fat Man's loop. It is January on a Tuesday. I think I'll have the whole trail to myself but as there are on Friday there are again on a Tuesday runners and dog walkers and fast hikers hiking straight up 1.5 miles and then straight back down. It's slippery walking downhill. Be care. 
2. Trip to Oregon. Saw Misty. Gave a quick talk. Came back. Portland, as much as I don't want to love it, is still lovable. I went to Laurelhurst Deli and picked up charcuterie to take home. I ate it on the drive up from Phoenix. I also found a beer I like. It was sour. It tasted like kombucha. I wish I'd stayed longer to see more people but seeing Misty was rejuvenating. 
3. Book book book book. So I have been writing. 7 new essays since the end of last semester, all in an attempt to tie the book together. Narrative is a lie though and I write nonfiction so no narrative, baby. It's OK. I can live with that. 
4. I submitted one of those essays on Monday. It was rejected today. So maybe not OK. 
5. Conference, conference, conference. It's OK, in some ways. I mostly work on getting sponsors and responding to email and planning social media pushes on Mondays but that bleeds into Tuesdays. Budget budget budget. No sleep at night. But then, by Wednesday, I usually get it out of my head, at least for a few hours. 
6. There is a lot of cat in two kittens. 
7. I have done something so terrible to my hip that I can hardly run. I've been doing strengthening exercises and using the IT roller but it still hurts. If I have to see a doctor for my hip, I will resign myself to old age. I think I'll see an acupuncturist first. 
8. I might make kombucha for the CSA. 
9. I have field trips. Did I mention? Water treatment plant, recycling plant, ice cream cone factory, toilet paper factory, Grand Canyon? Also, where is my butchery apprenticeship? Where?
10. I went on another hike to find the heart rock behind Zoe's school. I found some rocks and a cave and got kind of lost but I just ended up in a neighborhood. I had to sneak through someone's back yard to get back to my car, but no one shot me. Yay Arizona!
11. I'm going to volunteer at the CSA. I fear I will regret this. 
12. On campus. Only twice. Not too bad. 
13. Great Narrow Chimney Series Readings. Have been to them all this semester. I'll see if I can keep it up. 
14. Planning trips for March and April. Tucson, Torrey, other places that begin with T. Minneapolis does not begin with T. Not looking good for AWP. 
15. Facebook. Problem or friend? Who else am I going to talk to? 
16. It's pretty easy to get used to talking only to yourself, your cats, and your computer. 
17. Taekwondo for Max and Z. 2 days a week, each, different days. 
18. Cheffering up a little bit. Made a good mole amarillo although I added a few mole verde ingredients (pumpkin seeds, mainly). I think it was pretty good but not spicy enough. I made curry last night, having finally found garam marsala. It was excellent. Also could kick the spice notes up a notch. Fajitas instead of tacos one night. Ground breaking! 
19. Birthday parties. Ice skating. Trip to Jerome. 
20. No snow. Mostly I spend none conference thinking time thinking about how fast the forest can go up. Don't read Timothy Egan's "The Big Burn" if you live in a forest in the middle of a drought. 
21. Microfilm! First page written. 50 pages to go. 
22. Egg. Book. This week. Proposal forthcoming
23. Next book plan. Running even though it kills you? Well, I'm off for a 3 mile walk/run. I'll let you know if I survive. Next month.