short pants romance

I think I'm nearing the 7-year itch with my job. Actually, I'm nearing the 7-year itch with work in general. I know it sounds completely silly, but the past few months I've really been dreading work. Not dreading my job, but dreading work in general. Dreading the idea of having to work for a living and having no time to enjoy life. That's not entirely true, I mean I have it much better than most as far as free time goes. I have a laid back husband, no kids, and a short commute, so what more could I ask for? I just sometimes feel like I'm more productive outside of work than I am sitting at my desk, or at least the things I do outside work feel more rewarding to me.

Here's a perfect example: We went down the shore yesterday for a get together with Greg's family. Despite the overcast and slightly chilly weather, it was lovely to sit around on the porch drinking Corona and taking in the salty air. We went for a walk on the beach, ate guacamole, mediated between the dogs, went to the boardwalk and just sat around doing nothing. Today we went to the beach and I just sat around all day reading. This afternoon as we loaded up our stuff, waved goodbye and drove away, I was embarrassingly sad. It doesn't help that they were all staying on for a few more days and were making plans for the boardwalk and bike rides (not that that would do *me* any good), and that I really love hanging out with Greg's family. It just sucks to have that never ending commitment that you have to get back to. Vacations are nice, but the office is still always hanging out in the back of my head, taunting me with that "you can run but you can't hide" attitude.

I would really love to work for one of those illustrious companies that have sabbatical options. Any short vacation I take is never quite enough to fully recharge me. The disconcerting thing is that they used to be. I remember the first few times I went away after I started my job, coming back to work was refreshing, like I was *almost* looking forward to getting back. I'm not sure, but at this point I think a month's sabbatical might be enough to reset my dread of work. Or maybe I should just be a teacher and get summers off. Of course then I couldn't afford our mortgage, AND I would be totally locked into only traveling during the hot, crowded summer months.

I feel so silly writing all this, because anyone reading it is probably like, "No shit Sherlock, nobody wants to work for a living, but you have to do it." And I would be the first person to agree to that. I just wish I had the wherewithal or creativity to do something that didn't require sitting at a desk five days a week. Then again, if I changed career paths to do something conducive to a more flexible schedule, I'd probably have to take a pay cut and then I wouldn't actually have any money to do anything in my free time. I guess I just need to start buying some lottery tickets.