Dear _______,

Getting your e-mail motivates me to try to articulate this small leap I'm about to take. I'm going to disappear and be off-line and out of town for big pieces of the next seven to eight months.

I've realized that it's time to learn something new in a big way. Not necessarily a change of job, but something new. I don't know what it is yet. I need to read and write new things, do some entirely new kinds of activities, and think about consulting and what I want to do with it in the future. I desperately want to substantially enhance my ability to read music and use music theory - both are very big tasks for a 50 year old mind. But I'm totally excited.

In 1989 I took a year off, and it had a huge positive affect in giving me a sense of revitalization. I was in Asia for that year, but with Sophie and Jack well situated in school, I don't have the option of going somewhere with my family. So I need to create something here that feels really different. (I've tried for about a year to think about how to create the experience of a sabbatical while being here.)

The combination of savings and a couple good paying multi-day retreat processes that have already been scheduled should get me through October. At this point I have two May/June full day retreat slots open. After they are taken I don't need any more work.

I also have realized that I have been doing five friend-related events a week. If I really am going to create a sense of real sabbatical, I've got to break that pattern during the seven months. It all comes down to wanting this sense of "being away" that I remember being so utterly valuable 15 years ago. I've realized that I have to be consistent across all of my friends, and that there cannot be an "in group" and an "out group" (with the exception of a couple people who have serious health issues.) So I am going to see nobody! Really.

You are of my close friends and hope this does not appear off-putting or too anti-social. (My challenge is that I still have to work some, and still have a lot of family responsibilities (like find Jack a new school for next year...)) I just have to feel that my day to day experience really is different.

However, I've decided that the phone is a great vehicle, and so I'll definitely give you a call after I have some initial March fun.

Fondly, from your somewhat odd friend,

Steve
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Jack Forman, age 5, waving a light stick