People always ask how cartoonists come up with ideas… When something interests us, we play around with it.
My goal is to feel enthusiastic about some aspect of the work. I think one can always tell when an artist is engaged and having a good time: the energy and life comes through the work.
—Bill Watterson
Any Calvin and Hobbes fan can tell you Bill Watterson’s energy and life did indeed come through his work. That’s why the cartoons are still loved 14 years after the last one was published, and why the U S. Postal Service is going to issue a Calvin and Hobbes stamp this coming July.
Hobbes is one of my role models so I have all of the comics and revisit them from time to time. They’re guaranteed to get me out of mental ruts…they stir my imagination and make me see the world with fresh eyes. You can view the comics in order here.
One reason the cartoons still seem fresh after all these years is because Bill took two sabbaticals when he needed to, from May 1991 to February 1992, and from April through December 1994. (The strips ran from November 18, 1985 to December 31, 1995.) And he ended the strips in 1995 because he had said all he had to say. It was time to move on.
What about you? Have you ever taken sabbaticals to renew yourself? Have you ever stopped doing something you loved and/or were successful at because it was time to move on?
Have you ever stopped doing something you loved and/or were successful at because it was time to move on?
No. Why move on?
Actually I moved away from bicycling. That’s because our organizer got too old to bike those long distances.
I have taken some out from my previous life of handweaving…my looms lie idle in the basement. Both have other things draped on them.
I have tried to sell my big loom a couple of times over the last few years but to date it’s still lodging here. I’m now thinking it doesn’t matter at this point as it’s not taking up any real space.
Over the last year I have sifting/sorting out my yarn stash and have actually made some radical decisions regarding some of it – sell/give away. Plus in the last few weeks when I have decided to keep any yarn – thought what I might weave with it.
the only thing I have endeavoured to do is keep dyeing yarn but even that at times goes to the back burner. Yesterday I sorted all the yarns that are destined for the dye-pots later this week and am looking forward to fighting up the gas burner and pouring magical colours onto yarns. Most of it is destined for the Weavers shop (I’m its manager!)
but also I finally decided that if I was to spin yarn, I may as well use my antique/old wheels instead of the fast electronic spinner…it’s more soothing.
I moved on from some ‘people’ as well for many reasons – I was over them, I wasn’t walking on the same path now etc.
The short sabbatical I took at New Year – I made a lot of resolutions including ‘me’ sort of ‘time out’ regularily.
.-= Cathy in NZ´s last blog ..Achievements + usual Opinions =-.
bikehikebabe,
“Why move on?” To make room for other things in one’s life. We don’t have time for everything and sometimes after a long time we start getting stale doing something we used to love.
Cathy,
It sounds as if you know the value of re-evaluating what you’re doing and moving on when that seems appropriate. It can be refreshing, can’t it? 🙂
Cathy in NZ,
You go to Uni etc.,etc.,etc – A N D you are manager of a Weaver’s shop???
Sure. I stopped doing genealogy some years back. I had found out a lot about my ancestry, but got sidetracked into civil war research when I was trying to find out more information about the bushwhacking death of a 5 generations removed uncle at the end of the civil war.
I was born and raised in western Nebraska and had no idea that I ever had any kin in Arkansas. However, this brother of an ancestor of mine was killed about 60 miles from here. I still don’t know any specifics about his death other than that he was a farmer killed March 11, 1865 and some of his children were taken by homeward bound Illinois troops to Springfield, Illinois, where they were placed in an orphanage.
I did learn that this part of the country was pretty lawless and put together a short article in 1999 – Impact of the Civil War on Farmers of the Arkansas River Valley and Northwest Arkansas
Never did get back to genealogy. 😉
.-= Mike Goad´s last blog ..Seismograph Pool =-.
I have never taken a sabbatical. I don’t even know what a sabbatical is for: Wherever you go you’ll still take yourself with you. Neither do I wish to ‘move on’ from anything I love doing: Takes ages to perfect an art in the first place.
The only thing that renews itself in my life, on a daily basis, is my skin (I don’t have any say in it).
What you refer to as being ‘stale’ I believe to be what one of my friends calls ‘ennui’ (listlessness and boredom caused by dissatisfaction). He suffers endlessly. That comes from reading certain authors – which in the name of discretion shall remain unnamed – at an impressionable age.
U
Mike,
I’m a history buff so doing Civil War research sounds more interesting to me. I love tracking things down too.
Ursula,
No. I’m not talking about ennui. I love to learn new things, develop new skills. So when I stop learning and growing it’s time to try a new challenge. Different people like different things.
I am on a permanent sabatical! Okay, having got that out of the way, my employers, in their infinite wisdom and misplaced hope kept sending me off on various training programs to ‘renew’ myself. Quite whether they succeeded is another matter, but I enjoyed each sabatical as it was time away from the routine and time to learn something. So, when I say that I am on a permanent sabatical, now I am constantly learning new things are refreshing old knowledge.
.-= Rummuser´s last blog ..Winter Visitor II =-.
Rummuser,
Me too. I’ve spent more of my life on sabbatical than I have working. I love it. 🙂
Cathy,
It’s still quite a bit!
quote from bikehikebabe: You go to Uni etc.,etc.,etc – A N D you are manager of a Weaver’s shop???
it’s not as onerous as it sounds 🙂
it’s basically a fund raising [ad]venture which sells items for weaving, knitting, feltmaking & fibrecrafts to members and any one else who ‘finds’ out about it.
it isn’t open every day…meetings, groups so about 4 x a month on average.
much of the stock is donated from deceased estates, downsizing and occasionally big commercial weaving companies….we are going to try and get rid of a lot of fine stuff in the next few months (I just have organise that!)
But we do purchase quite a bit of Merino carded sliver which is popular with feltmakers! Just had notification from one of the companies that prices rising…so that means I will have to wear comments from clients!
The most onerous things I have to organise – is shop display, stock shelves, volunteers for the days I’m not available, buying in stuff and the stocktake.
I don’t mind the ‘treasury’ totally – someone else does that on a computerised system 🙂
This year I plan to buy in quite a bit of yarn when I have gotten rid of the fine stuff…which reminds me ‘must make a list’ (jean!)
.-= Cathy in NZ´s last blog ..Achievements + usual Opinions =-.
Jean…
it’s my sanity and hobby as such!
last year, at some point, B from Disability (the co-ordinator) discovered that I was often at Uni on a Sunday and he said “Cathy you need a hobby” – by the time I had finished telling him that I was a bit involved in 2 craft organisations HE DECIDED I actually had a life outside of Uni.
Sorry, I just remembered I have another 2 voluntary jobs with the Embroiderers guild…I’m the editor of their monthly newsletter which of course is all done here at the computer. After I’ve got it all together I make a PDF and email it to a copy centre and I don’t see it again!! [hardcopy dealt by someone else] – I do however have to email it to about 30 by BCC….
My other job there is managing Treasure Island…it’s all donated goods a bit like a trading/elephant table. I’m hardly ever there but it seems to be OK!! I have a volunteer for the Tuesdays and some of the Saturdays. The Saturdays sometimes clash with the Weavers Yarn Shop…
They say here in NZ: “give a busy person a job and they will do it!” – of course, no one else wants any of the ‘jobs’ as they take some time!!! 🙂
I was just looking at the next newsletter tonight because the Feb one is in everyones’ hot hands and it’s time to delete that info and start with March – very little bit I can do before the deadline when missives arrive means less time spent fiddling with words/space stuff like that 🙂
LONG AGO…WHEN I HAD BETTER HEALTH I wasn’t involved in things like this – my hobby was going to night clubs, dance parties and that sort of thing and during the day I was self-employed as a weaver/dyer 🙂 🙂 🙂
.-= Cathy in NZ´s last blog ..Achievements + usual Opinions =-.
Cathy,
When did you start having health problems? It must have been a big adjustment, but you sure are doing a lot. Do you ever feel overwhelmed?
suzen,
When we’re lucky enough to be able to choose how we spend our time we either don’t need a sabbatical or else, as Rummuser says, we’re on a permanent one. That’s hog heaven, isn’t it? 🙂
Cathy in NZ, Now I’m exhausted reading all that you do!
Hi Jean! I’m constantly trying new things, going in different directions, and doing a LOT simultaneously. I let painting set awhile and made a quilt, painted more, stopped to write – I crochet hats and scarves for people at the shelters, work in a food pantry, sew lap quilts for the chemo patients at the hospital —- on and on – not seeing any real sabbatical but I do vary things up, no boredom or routines here.
Mine’s socializing. I used to love meeting people, making friends, going nights out and making more friends. Crowds pump me up, and more often than not I know half of the people in that crowd. Because of my ease with people, I moonlighted as MC at events and almost went into club promoting.
One night while getting ready for a party I suddenly felt as if I’d had enough, all in the space of a few minutes (as in, I was so excited and happy and ready to go a few minutes ago!). And it wasn’t a “I’m tired, I’m sick of this, this is it” too. I just thought, ok. Done. And changed into my pajamas. I made a no-show that night, had others stand in for me as MC for the rest of the month. Became a hermit for a few months and didn’t take calls. In that period I changed from a socializing person who knew people, took an interest in other people and introduce people to other people…to someone who doesn’t really want to have anything to do with anyone. Maybe that was me feeling like I need to move on?
I can’t explain it even now, but I wasn’t unhappy in my socialising state nor am i unhappy in my current state. I guess I didn’t completely abandon it. I still have my ‘former life’ in me. I still have no problems in crowds or being in front of people, only now I can’t be bothered to do it extensively/pursue it as I did before. For some strange reason, I feel worried as I write this. Anyway, this post made me stop and reflect…
.-= The Mad Penguin´s last blog ..Laundry in batches =-.
The Mad Penguin,
What an interesting experience! How long ago did the shift take place? It sounds like “Been there. Done that. Time to move on.” Did you start writing more after the shift happened? What are you doing with the time you freed up?
I went to your blogs and especially like the banner for The Mad Penguin. It sounds as if you’re a student and working part time? I would love to know more. Curiosity is my favorite emotion. 🙂
Jean, Stepped off the normal health planet about 1990 – in a big way and acquired in a change reaction: liver dysfunction (originally diagnosed as indigestion, different doctor to now); glandular fever (thought be from first catalyst); bronchi-pneumonia – summer time!
seemed to get over most of it but was diagnosed with a post viral chronic fatigue syndrome
spent the next 15yrs travelling in that CFS maze…every symptom was pinpointed to it – the doctor had it all down to a fine art. Each visit cost $$ so pretty soon I adopted a new attitude (to my detriment as it turned out)
Something new would crop up: my stance would be to leave it a week or two and if better – must be OK. Most things subsided!
But one area that should have grabbed his attention was back in the bronchi-pneumonia time. A chest x-ray was needed and it showed a swelling where a swelling oughtn’t be! It was decided that it was part of G/Fever but 3mths later another x-ray was taken, the darn thing was still there so I was invited to the clinic. At the clinic they take ‘start-up’ things i.e. weight, peak flow, other…
The swelling turned out to be part of ‘me’ but what wasn’t followed through was last paragraph of the letter (it’s in my files) – about how I wasn’t breathing at the correct rate for my age/gender/height/weight etc!! THAT WAS A KEY
But that key didn’t get attention until one summer trip, approx 2005, to my brothers place up North. I hadn’t been breathing all that well (later learnt breathing attacks) and bro decided I needed medical help. At the time, diagnosed as chest infection but also adminstered ventolin to open airways. The practice nurse, decided after realising that I was my brothers’ sister that when I returned home I should see my doctor
I got home….made appt and promptly that night had another breathing attack! Went next day to doctor – he was astonished that I might have Asthma! Even more astonished a week later when I made no improvement AND that I had these attacks many times!
(apparently you can die from these attacks!)
I now breathe like a teenager most of the time, in an late adult body…my triggers are now (humidity) so I have to work at keeping on top of it!
According to my elderly sister, when I was a child I didn’t do well with chest infections…my elderly de’cd brother also had Asthma – but we will never know!
the rest of my health issues have to do with ‘born with stuff’ which as I have gotten older have caused me more grief – ankles and hands 🙂
Cathy,
Yes, when we have something serious we’re dealing with then it can distract the doctors from other things that can be wrong. I’m glad they finally found it. You’ve been through a lot. 🙁
Thanks for filling in some of the details. Bless you!
Jean,
thanks for asking…I guess it’s quite hard for friendship by remote (Internet) to understand the true ways about another…sometimes when we write ‘letters’ we fail to fill out the details because it just doesn’t seem a necessity
BikehikeBabe,
it does sound exhausting but I’m sure at times your life has just as busy as mine 🙂 & fun 🙂
.-= Cathy in NZ´s last blog ..Not into making ‘lists’ really =-.