Well, I did it, everyone!

I'm practicing something as old as the Bible

Well, I did it, everyone.

My leave of absence got approved!

I’m not dealing with any health issues; I just thought I should try something as old as the Bible: taking a sabbatical. It’s only a few weeks, not a year per Exodus 23:10-11 — maybe we can call it a small sabbatical.

Yes, it is unpaid. I believe if you wake up wanting something everyday, you’ll make a plan for it.

I have a friend who has been on a career break. When I first announced to him news of my approval, I told him that I felt like I was straddling between a double standard — like I was cosplaying an unemployed person or a wealthy bum.

I will keep saying the best time to take a sabbatical — a year-long sabbatical — was a year ago. The economy may be shaky, but I’ve realized there’s no such thing as perfect timing—so why not now?

Last year, I was selected for a yearlong professional development program—and I’m proud I did it. Throughout the year, I reflected deeply on my professional identity and my growing need for extended time away from work, often in conversation with the program manager. Since then, I’ve brought up the idea with other people, hoping to help normalize taking breaks in our careers.

What will I be doing with my time?

My four-year-old wrote my itinerary. Check out our plans.

Just kidding. But she’s not too far off. There will certainly be travel plans but I’m not trying to aim for anything epic like doing the John Muir trail or a pilgrimage. That isn’t the goal for the sabbatical. My goal for my sabbatical is to just hit the pause button on my everyday life. Because the break is long, there’s this expectation to do something epic—like it’s my one and only sabbatical.

I think all too often as soon we see even a tiny slice of free time, even if it is five free minutes, we try to fill it with something to make the most of those five minutes because it’s empty.

I haven’t quite “landed” on my purpose on Substack. Is it to normalize mid-career breaks, since Americans notoriously don’t take time off? To share my hobbies? To create a longer-form space for self-expression? Maybe it’s best not to overthink it. For now, I’ll treat Substack like a postcard—or an e-card—from my week.

What I’m Reading

I finished The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. It’s a historical fiction book set in the 1920s and 1930s, a turbulent era marked by the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, the Dust Bowl Migration, and the California agricultural strikes. I don’t want to spoil too much for you, but let’s say these characters didn’t catch a break as soon as they arrived in California. I can’t decide if life for the Martinelli family was better in North Texas or Central California. If you were expecting them to rise out of poverty, that didn’t happen.

What I’m Watching

I don’t watch a lot of TV. I don’t mean to say it as a flex either. My TV is time very limited. As soon as I find the time, I can’t decide what to watch. I just finished “Waitress: The Musical” starring Sara Bareilles. It’s about a waitress/baker in an unhappy, abusive marriage who unexpectedly becomes pregnant. Encouraged by her friends and coworkers, she enters a pie-baking contest, seeing its grand prize as her chance to earn the money to leave her husband and start a new life. Oh yeah, she also pursues an affair with her obstetrician. I warn you the musical is quite long. It took me a few sittings to finish it.

What I’m Eating/Making

I made some pajeon (Korean green onion pancakes).

What I’m Drinking

Lots of Mint Tea. Most say it’s good for digestion, but I think it’s also good for relaxation and stress relief. It helps with inflammation too.

Fun things to share

What your French teacher (or French native) hears during a speaking test - I certainly have made some funny mistakes in my language learning journey.

Corgi’s Late-Night Special! Ultimate Seafood Donburi Delight - What? Is this real wasabi? #dogmukbang? Not a fan of that. I immediately wonder: how do they manage their dog’s weight?

What is 'sardine girl summer'? The cultural moment, explained. Is this a thing? I was honestly confused by the article. I thought people are eating more sardines and other canned fish because groceries are so expensive, and canned fish is nutrient-dense and cost-effective. Is it one of those many recession indicators? They talked about that. What I found confusing was that people are doing sardine-themed hauls, which makes me less convinced it’s a recession indicator.

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