Doug: One of the great boons of teaching is the built-in break every so often. Sure, I often fill those times with work-related activities (lesson planning, summer school, teaching at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, etc.), but certainly not all the time. Today we'd like to hear about your perfect day off -- and the conversation is even better if you add some details concerning the time of year when this fabulous day off might fall.
Doug: For me, there's no better day off than the anticipated-and-now-it's-true snow day! A little unplanned sleeping in, followed by some time on the treadmill and a "no worries" breakfast just spent watching the snow fall. That... is a great start to a day off. Follow it up with a little time spent clearing the driveway and sidewalks and an opportunity to read and it's as if it were heaven sent.
Doug: In the fall or spring, when it can be cold in the morning, I like to follow the same early routine of working out, showering, and then having some coffee while I enjoy the outside scenery. If I'm on top of my game, I've already chosen some comics to read and write about. I really enjoy that 1-2 hours of solitude, just studying the comic art, reflecting on the story, and the nostalgia of it all. I may follow that time with some more reading (books or comics) just for fun. Once afternoon hits and the day has warmed, a brisk walk somewhere outside is great -- either around the neighborhood or at a forest preserve.
Doug: Things are a little different when my wife plans the day off. I, as you might tell, am a homebody; she would prefer to get out and go and do. If she's in charge, we're probably going to make the 50 mile trek to downtown Chicago. Her idea of a great day off is to pack a lunch, take the lawn chairs, and head to the museum campus on the shores of Lake Michigan. We set up shop with our goods and a radio, a couple of books, and sit and enjoy the skyline and the sunny weather. If we are in the Loop, we will just walk around for hours. We did a weekend stay downtown a couple of summers ago and walked almost 20 miles during the 36 hours we were there. Those are great times, too!
Doug: So how about you?