Carrots

Three more days and then I'm flying back across the country to start the whole merry-go-round all over again! Although it has been wonderful to be back at home and to see my family, I don't feel entirely relaxed. Much of it is due to the fact that I have been spending my time either surrounded by relatives or buried in research. I must be spending upwards of 10 hours in front of the computer each day. It wasn't until my dad clapped me on my shoulder that I realized just how tense I was. I feel like I need a real vacation with absolutely zero work. It doesn't have to be long; it just has to be work-less.

Reading Jo(e)'s entry about her upcoming monastery trip in March set me looking about for retreat centers in my area. To my surprise, I discovered that there is a Benedictine monastery that offers retreats right in my town, a 20-minute walk from my front doorstep. Heck, I could go there for morning prayers every day if I wanted to. Considering that I've lived in that neighborhood for nearly three full years now, I'm a little miffed that I had not found it earlier. I really need some time to reconnect with God alone without the distractions of work.

So here's the deal: my next (and last!) comprehensive exam will be at the beginning of March, right before spring break. As soon as spring break begins, I will take a glorious two or even three-day retreat at the monastery. Just me, my Rosary, my Bible, and my unread copy of St. Francis de Sales' "Introduction to the Devout Life", which I've been meaning to read for years.

The other thing that I really need to start doing (this sounds suspiciously like a New Year's resolution) is to manage my time better. Considering that this semester I am taking NO classes (instead I'm teaching, taking one exam and writing my dissertation prospectus), I would really like to take one full day off with zero work each week, or, if that's not possible, every other week. I need to do some serious walking around town, breathing fresh air, relaxing, meditating, and maybe (gasp!) even having some wisp of an inkling of a social life. If it's going to happen, this is the semester to do it.