It’s the shoulder season, that chillin’ week between the busyness of Christmas and fanfare of New Year’s. My husband and I take this “chill” very much to heart. We may do serendipitous day trips here or there. For sure, we binge on leftovers and football (for him) and books (for me). Strangely, one of my favorite chills for this week is the methodical cleaning of my office. I find it a therapeutic combination of reflection and preparation.
The term “shoulder season” is more commonly used in the travel industry, as in the time between peak and off-peak seasons. But I find it’s a perfect choice of words for my week of chillin’, cleaning, and reflecting. This year—Adunate’s 20th anniversary—the intersection of work life and travel fit like a well-matched luggage set. Here’s a recap.
Re-Routing My Focus
A year ago this time, I nervously announced I would no longer be offering online media services. Change is hard and I worried that eliminating such cognitive flexibility would shift my brain into screen saver mode. Thankfully, it hasn’t. Yes, I miss the people I regularly worked with, but I’ve taken my problem-solving exercises in different directions and it’s going well.
Also a year ago, my husband was recovering from a day-after-Christmas hip replacement. It’s hard to imagine because he’s done sooo well, but we started 2025 with a lot of physical therapy appointments and slow—very slow—walks on nearby trails. And then there was the ultimate therapy—two weeks of strolling the sunny beaches of Dauphin Island, AL. Being the loving spouse that I am, I went along to keep him company (such a sacrifice:-). They say travel inspires creativity, I agree. I came home with art for my office and ideas for my work.
Taking to the Trails
Wisconsin is home to hundreds of glorious trails, including the Ice Age Trail, rails-to-trails, and state trails. When it comes these outdoor adventures, I’ve never needed much prodding to rearrange a work day (gotta love the flexibility of self-employment). Now that my husband’s retired…need I say more? My latest poster is a result of such diversions.
The Road Well Traveled
Lest you think I’ve totally given up on work, let me assure you I have not. In fact, I’m hoping to continue this sweet gig as long as I can. As I look back over the years, I see how many things—my projects, my niche, my customers, the industry, technology, how I work, where I work, trends, fervor, so many things—have shaped what Adunate has become, both to me and my work. I’m blessed with the best clients and my admiration for them equals the pride I have in working with them. I’m unwavering in my dedication because, hey, it’s my clients who have brought me to 20 years. Thank you so much!
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