Finally...an Update

 Obviously I have not posted for a while. I didn't realize how long. I actually have two drafts that were never finished. Oh well....here are some thoughts. 

Things have been very hectic. I was trying to do too much. The Spanish class is not going to get me as far as I hoped. I have learned a lot, but I need a lot of practice to become confidently conversational. I really want to be comfortable with it by the end of summer. I am not trying to be an expert or even to have 'advanced' conversations, but would like to be able to have conversations when I travel and with clients if necessary. I have started scheduling more classes for practice time. I am putting a lot of other things on hold to try to focus on Spanish. However, I am concerned about getting "Project Blue" done as soon as I can and also doing some part time work to extend my sabbatical as long as necessary. 

My second book is coming along a little slower than I expected. I still hope it will be out in August. It will be much longer than the first one - more of a novel size. It is a book for children, probably 8 to 11 years old. 

I also want to develop a few episodes for the YouTube channel on how I got here and recommendations for planning a sabbatical. But the Spanish is the top priority and I need to at least start making plans for some part time income so that I can hit the ground running when I am need to. 

I am also dealing with the stress of not having an income. This is very interesting to me. Obviously, I planned for not having and income and saved money. I have plenty to last through the summer and really longer since I sold my car. One of the many goals for my sabbatical is to practice living in the day and not stress about the future. Yet, I still worry that I don't have income, what I am going to do for money in the future, am I far enough along in Spanish, etc. I am doing so much and working a lot more than I did when I had a job. I would say that I am being very productive, yet without an income as a measurement, it is unfamiliar.  

Until next time...

Continued... (T-1)

 So after work, I picked up the RV and headed home to get my wife and load it up. We had made plans to head out Thursday night and get to the coast early on Friday. The loading went very fast and we were on the road by 6pm. 

We had a good drive down with only a little traffic. It is nice having an RV when on a road trip (for many reasons) We pulled over at a Wendy's and got something to eat. We ate in the RV in the parking lot. It is nice to be able to do that. Sometimes we just pull off at a rest stop or a strip center parking lot, cook something, and enjoy breakfast/lunch/dinner while watching tv. 

We arrived at Magnolia Beach a little later than we expected. Since we were boondocking (i.e., no electrical, water, or sewer hookups), we wanted to make sure we had plenty of fresh water and enough gasoline to run the generator. We found a state park and pulled in to dump the tanks and fill up on fresh water. 

We loved Magnolia Beach last Thanksgiving when we visited. It was nice this time too, but not as pretty. The water was choppy and brown. It had been green and clear (for Texas) before. The beach was much more crowded this time, as expected. There were dozens and dozens of horse trailers and people riding their horses on the beach. Apparently some horse owner's group does a Memorial Day ride every year. It was really nice to see them and various groups did mini-parades while we were there. Besides the horses, there were some pretty cool buggies and carriages. 

On Saturday, we decided to head to Padre Island. We found another state park on the way to dump our tanks and top off the fresh water. The drive was nice, but we were unable to find a place to park on Padre. We worked our way back up to Mustang Island and found a great spot. The beach was pretty packed. But that was only because it was 7pm when we got there. The next day we found out that the beach is insanely packed on holidays. Or maybe every weekend during the summer. By mid day on Sunday, the groups and families were two deep on the beach and another row on the dunes. They sure do have it well organized though. With a very wide lane for traffic that will easily accommodate any two vehicles passing each other and a separate lane for emergency vehicles only. 

The sand is so soft here and the water was more clear than we expected. But there were crashing waves all day, so still not very clear. With the wind, it was very comfortable laying in the sun. Our dog Charlie was only introduced to the beach last year and he loves it. It is amazing how doing the most ordinary things like reading, watching tv, cooking, eating, are so much better being away and closer to nature. 

Last Day (T-1)

 Hello. Sorry it has been a few days since my last post. There are some issues with this blogging site, so I may have to move it. Also, I have now got my YouTube channel up and running, so it may take precedent. I may just use this blog for more in-depth information for those who are interested.

Tomorrow is the first day of my sabbatical! I am very excited and will begin the journey with a trip to the coast. I hope to have a video posted next week of the trip. I've got a few very exciting ideas for the channel too, so stay tuned. 

Here is the link for the channel;

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_kaoK9wXPIB-to6dXWxhxg

See you soon!

James

The Beginning Continued (T-11)

    Like most people, I have several things I would like to do during my lifetime. And like most people, they are 'someday' things. We all hear - and believe - that you shouldn't put off your dreams until 'someday' or you will never reach them.  For years, I've been reading articles and watching shows about families that live on sailboats or in motorhomes and travel. Getting better educations for their children, spending lots of time outdoors, eating better foods, and collecting memories. together. as a family. Why the hell haven't I done that? (well, there are few problems in my case, but that is not the point). 

    I thought about living in an RV before I got married (just 4 years ago). Another idea I had was to go to Europe for six to twelve months and travel around, learning at least one language and probably two. But I let fear and 'responsibilities' keep from doing it. I thought I could make that part of my retirement. Even though I knew that put me at risk of spending the rest of my life doing things I don't love instead of things I do. 

    Stephen Fry, a great British comedic actor, said “We are not nouns, we are verbs. I am not a thing - an actor, a writer - I am a person who does things - I write, I act - and I never know what I'm going to do next. I think you can be imprisoned if you think of yourself as a noun.” When I saw that, I realized that I don't want to be a noun any longer. From now on, I am a person who practices law, who writes, who learns, who travels, and more.

So, along comes the pandemic. With free time on my hands, I started to think about what I would do if I could take a few months off. And I thought about ways to make money so I could extend my sabbatical. I can do some legal work on the side and might make a temporary job part of the adventure if I find something that fits well. 

So what income opportunities are there....

 

The beginning (sort of) (T-15)

    So, where to start? At the beginning is always good. I guess that leads to the question; How did I get here? It was a slow evolution, but I would say it started with the book The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferris. (Note: I receive a tiny commission for purchases through these links) The book is basically about how to create passive income and outsource much of your life so that you have the freedom to pursue your dreams. Tim talks about 'mini-retirements' which are basically the same as a sabbatical. One of the things I really like about the book is that he doesn't have hard definitions or structured rules. It is really about having the freedom to pursue what you want to pursue. 

     Then I happened upon another book, You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero. This is an amazing book that you MUST read. It is one of those that everyone who reads it will try to get you to read. They will be convincing, but you have heard it all before. So you won't read it. READ IT. (If you have read it, post in the comments how much you think others should read it) I have read it a few times and own the Kindle version as well as the audiobook. It is easy to follow and one of the most inspiring books you will read. It has encouraged me (and my wife) to take chances and enjoy life more.    

    Working as an attorney, and for the state government at the time, my options were very limited. I later left the state for a job in county government, which provided a big increase in earnings and even more limitations on my time. So I had to start working on a plan.  

And the ideas started to develop...(continued in next post). 

Welcome! (T-17 days)

 Hello! Welcome to the first post regarding my sabbatical. Although I intend to primarily focus on my YouTube page, I hope to post regular updates here as well. So, what is a sabbatical? It is time off from work to travel and/or pursue knowledge. Or just to pursue dreams. Some of the things I will attempt are;

1. Learn Spanish

2. Publish at least 2 books (one short and one very short)

3. Travel (in my RV at least)

4. Start a YouTube channel (or two, or three)

5. Learn a musical instrument

6. Learn a new skill/trade - maybe bartending?

I started off making a structured plan, but remembered I want freedom. I want the freedom to experience life and just see where things lead me. I do have plans for the Spanish course as it is my primary goal. But I have some flexibility on that and maybe a surprise later in the year. I will have to work some to extend my sabbatical as long as possible.

I will update, expand, shrink, and change this list many times. This will be a learning experience and I am going to share it with you. I hope I inspire a few of you to take some time off and pursue your dreams.

 

James