I started this blog in February by a rant about dishonest translation agencies and my loss of income. Those even took their toll on my self-esteem and mental health, and in spite of my admittedly feeble efforts to find new, better clients, the situation has not improved yet.
But after six months, I have started to wonder if it’s not a good thing. For 18 years, I have worked a lot, with good enough wages to allow my partner not to worry about finding employment. We only took short holidays, preferring long weekends to practise our hobbies. It stopped abruptly, and I was at a complete loss as to what to do with myself. And then the exhaustion kicked in. I had done so much for so long that I needed a break. My partner found a job and reminded me of this. Now, it was his turn to support our household.
And it feels good. I may not afford to practise all my hobbies any longer, and my skills at making bobbin lace are still terrible, but I can rest. I can start projects that had stayed dormant for so long that I thought they’d remain so indefinitely. In short, I can finally take care of myself.