What a difference a year makes...: seanan

What a difference a year makes...

Today is January 15th, 2015. My last day of full-time employment for someone other than myself was January 15th, 2014. The last time I set an alarm for anything other than a trip to the airport or a convention was a year ago.

A year ago today, I started sleeping.

It's sort of remarkable: I hadn't realized how much of myself I had sold for health insurance and a desk with my name tacked to the wall next to it until I started to sleep again, and started to wake up. Because seriously, that's what sleep allowed me to do. I slept ten, eleven, twelve hours a night, with two-hour naps every day, for three weeks. Not out of depression; out of the sheer joy of sleeping, the restorative delight of starting to feel like myself again. The sleeping tapered off. These days, I go to bed at 11:00, go to sleep at 11:30 (slow sleep insomnia), and wake up between 7:00 and 7:30. Naps are rare.

I have had two major illnesses in the past year, versus ten to fifteen a year for the last several. One was a twenty-four hour stomach bug that could have hit anyone, regardless of how rested they were; the other was a cold brought home by my housemate and incubated on my flight to London. I have slept through the night almost every night. I have become happier, more stable, and more productive.

(The more productive has actually been a problem, as I'm flooding my poor proofreaders with material. I was always fast. Now I'm working at more what I consider my "normal" speed, and it's terrifying.)

A lot of people asked how I was going to stave off boredom. The answer was, and remains, that I will let them know when I actually get bored.

It hasn't happened yet.

imogen_blue

January 16 2015, 03:54:54 UTC 2 years ago

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Congratulations on your anniversary of freedom to sleep. :)

seanan_mcguire

July 28 2015, 18:21:26 UTC 1 year ago

Thank you!

juglore

January 16 2015, 04:12:45 UTC 2 years ago

Happy anniversary of sleeping in.

July 28 2015, 18:21:32 UTC 1 year ago

adafrog

January 16 2015, 04:27:33 UTC 2 years ago

Glad you're so much better now.

July 28 2015, 18:21:43 UTC 1 year ago

I really am.

bunsen_h

January 16 2015, 04:31:22 UTC 2 years ago

I expected that you'd have these kinds of results, and am glad that I was right.

I can't imagine being bored from having lots of free time, assuming reasonably good health and security. There are so many books to read, so many things to create, so many things to learn. And that's not even getting into "not being someone else's employee" =/= "have lots of free time"... an odd idea to have about a full-time writer, or any other kind of self-employed professional.

July 28 2015, 18:21:58 UTC 1 year ago

Seriously.

myuki_chan

January 16 2015, 04:31:41 UTC 2 years ago

I'm so glad you were able to start writing full-time and make your own schedule. I love that you sound happy. :)

July 28 2015, 18:22:07 UTC 1 year ago

ironed_orchid

January 16 2015, 05:35:22 UTC 2 years ago

I'm so glad for you.

July 28 2015, 18:22:13 UTC 1 year ago

wfw_sj

January 16 2015, 06:47:02 UTC 2 years ago

This is fantastic to hear!

July 28 2015, 18:22:20 UTC 1 year ago

dornbeast

January 16 2015, 06:51:08 UTC 2 years ago

Reading this makes me cat-with-a-full-stomach-and-a-warm-spot-and-maybe-petting happy.

July 28 2015, 18:22:28 UTC 1 year ago

Aw, yay.

azurelunatic

January 16 2015, 06:57:33 UTC 2 years ago

I am delighted that sleep is a regular thing in your life again.

July 28 2015, 18:22:36 UTC 1 year ago

I love it so.

mysterysquid

January 16 2015, 07:28:32 UTC 2 years ago

Happy anniversary! Really happy it's working out so well for you.

July 28 2015, 18:22:48 UTC 1 year ago

gwyd

January 16 2015, 12:39:59 UTC 2 years ago

This makes me so happy.

July 28 2015, 18:23:03 UTC 1 year ago

Yay!

Pamela Adams

January 16 2015, 16:16:22 UTC 2 years ago

Happy Anniversary!!

July 28 2015, 18:23:10 UTC 1 year ago

Thank you.

gothrockrulz

January 16 2015, 19:45:31 UTC 2 years ago

Congratulations on a year of freedom to rest and work at your own pace, and just be healthy and happy. :)

July 28 2015, 18:23:20 UTC 1 year ago

jenk

January 17 2015, 22:44:47 UTC 2 years ago

So glad ;)

July 28 2015, 18:23:30 UTC 1 year ago

vettecat

January 19 2015, 20:03:30 UTC 2 years ago

Delighted this is working out so well for you! Yay! And even more glad that your health has improved.

July 28 2015, 18:23:39 UTC 1 year ago

seawench

January 21 2015, 22:10:34 UTC 2 years ago

So many people I know have sold their lives for health insurance and retirement contributions. It's crazy. I quit health administration and went to grad school. Now I go to sleep dreaming of verb forms and student health covers the basics. I'm also starting my own business teaching other city girls how to use power tools. It's amazing what you can find the energy to do without haranguing bosses hanging around.