Re-reading the blog from my sabbatical I realize how much has changed since then. I stopped writing in December, while visiting the baby boys in Portland. Now they’re toddlers. And I was readying to move into Elizabeth Hall–what a beautiful building! I love my office and arrange to have lots of time there. With a spectacular view of the mountains, I sit in my rocking chair sipping tea, reading a book. My little haven. Also, I spent a year and a half coordinating the FYE program. I had no significant time off last summer, so I didn’t write, didn’t think much beyond day to day. But after a year, I concluded that the job wasn’t for me = too frustrating, too little room for movement/change. It was an interesting experience; however, I’m incredibly relieved to be done and move on to other opportunities. I applied for a grant to attend a writer’s workshop in Taos this summer. When I didn’t get it, I was disappointed but realized that I could do the writing on my own. Duh. Why do I think I need some kind of grant, conference, publication deadline in order to do something? Why not motivate myself? The ultimate question I guess. Self-motivation is hard. It’s so easy to just give up when there is no outside motivating force.