So yesterday was a pretty momentous day for me. It was the last day at my job... and a busy one! I didn't leave the office until it had gone 11! This is mostly my fault as I assumed that I would have time in the last couple of days to sort out the data on my work computer and clean my desk, but I didn't vouch on new work coming in earlier this week. Ah well! It's weird how staying that late doesn't seem like a bad thing when you know that you don't have to work the next day (and that you won't be wasting most of a precious weekend day by sleeping, because it's Friday and everyone else is at work. Mwah ha ha ha!).
Anyway, I quit my job as I got to the stage where I think I either had to accept that I would be working there until I was forced to quit for whatever reason, or to actually try to do something that I've been wanting to do for ages, which is becoming a freelance translator. I have no idea if the freelance lifestyle will suit me (or if I will be able to get enough work to make this financially viable!)... I expect that the reality will be radically different from the idealised version I've been pining after for years, but if I am going to do this then I figured it was better to try now, than in a few years when my husband and I might have more responsibilities than we currently do. And if it doesn't work, then I can go back to an office job (or an English teaching job) and feel more satisfied with the decision.
In terms of books... this means that for at least the next month or so I should have more time to read! Yayyy! I haven't really been aiming to read a particular number of books this year, but according to goodreads I have finished 82 books so far (I'm pretty sure that my blog does not in any way give off the impression that I have read that much!) which is so close to 100 that I feel tempted to aim for it... but then I don't want to rush through books (which is something that I do too much anyway) just for the sake of having read a nice round number by the end of the year. So I'll probably just carry on reading the same way that I normally do. Hehe.
Also, I think that I am probably not going to be able to get that much work for the first half a year at least of doing freelance stuff, so I have been toying with the idea of doing NaNoWriMo, and I think I might give it a shot! I have an idea that I've been mulling over for a while, and although writing was always something that I really enjoyed, I haven't tried to do any for years. I realise that fully deciding to do this on the last day of October probably isn't the way to go into it, but I may as well try, right? I've been secretly wanting to since I heard that it existed (so at least 10 or so years ago?).
....now wondering what to do with the rest of my day. Maybe changing out of my pyjamas and showering would be a good start! I'm also feeling a really strong urge to clean my house, but that doesn't seem relaxing enough for a day off!
Ohh, tha's wonderful - I'm so pleased for you. You must be so brave to take a leap like that, bu tit sounds like you've put a awful lot of thought into the decision.
返信削除I hope it goes well - enjoy your first few days of freedom :)
Thank you!! I think more than brave, I just know that I have to force myself to do things, otherwise I'll end up being miserable for the rest of my life! I think the next couple of months will probably be full of me having internal battles over whether it was the right decision, but hopefully it'll all come out okay in the end! I'm going to try my hardest to make sure it does!
削除It does really feel like I've had a huge weight lifted off me, although it also feels like I've replaced that weight with a slightly differently shaped weight, hehe.
What a very long last day for you!! It must be so nice going into the weekend and truly enjoy Sunday evening for once, knowing that you can rest on Monday too ;)
返信削除I admire that you're taking initiative on reflecting on your career and where you want it to go. Most people work paycheck to paycheck and don't stop to think about what they want to accomplish in the long term. Now is the time to take some leaps of faith while we're young and flexible in our life decisions!
Also: more time for reading - how awesome is that?! I have a very modest goal for the number of books I'm reading this year so I can be pleasantly surprised when I far exceed it (lol who am I kidding, I'm only at the halfway point in my goal and I only have 8 weeks left)
It is nice! :D Although I am trying not to sleep in because I work better in the morning, but knowing that I can always have a nap if I need one is very freeing :D
削除Thank you! That's what I figured :D
And yayy, reading! Although given that my income is definitely not going to be as high as it was with my old job for a while, and I generally buy everything that I read because I don't have access to a library with a decent selection of English books, it might not be a very good thing for my wallet, hehe. Ah well, book buying is what savings are for, right? (I really hope my husband doesn't read this, haha. Taka, if you are reading I'm only joking! Don't be mad!)