That’s a wrap!
That’s it. My sabbatical is over!
This time was a gift — an unexpected opportunity to dive into my presidential project headfirst and figure out What’s Next, career-wise. (📣Scroll all the way to the end to find out where I landed.)
I’d envisioned a sharp divide between “I’m on sabbatical” and “I’m not on sabbatical,” but it ended up being a little more fluid. In a good way. Now that it’s over, here’s the debriefing.
Takeaways and wins:
In no particular order:
Realized I’m probably not going to get rich on POTUS merch, but I do feel very fancy drinking out of my Theodore glass and using my presidential cloth napkins. But also — how cool would it be to have my stuff for sale at historic sites?? Right?
Had a blast writing blogs. I posted far too many for anyone to keep up with me, but that’s ok. A few highlights:
figured out the difference between James Madison and James Monroe (turns out, they aren’t interchangeable! Who knew?!)
aired my grievances with The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt
was inspired by a fancy schmancy bathroom
posted about Averell Harriman (with some not-so-subtle fundraising plugs)
Found the perfect café for doodling and it checks all the boxes:
it’s within walking distance
it opens early
they let me use my own insulated mug
the ambiance is on-point (great music, but quiet enough that I can concentrate)
it’s not crowded
Donated blood twice and made a third appointment.
Mailed gobs of zines.
Simplified the subscription process for The POTUS Notice.
Enrolled in the Book Proposal Blueprint and have learned sooo much from Richelle Fredson. (Loving the group sessions!!)
Fixed up my book page on my website.
Enjoyed collaborating
didn’t get completely crushed in live (!!) history trivia with Dead History
had a blast working with LearningPlunge on a trivia night
…and a handful of other fun collabs in the hopper, including one with Kurt Deion of Kurt’s Historic Sites
Joined the Friends of Clermont executive board. (Clermont was the home of Robert Livingston: founding father and the guy who swore George Washington into office!)
Read a lot, including more fiction than I’ve read in a long time.
Watched loads of Skillshare classes and Chris Piascik videos, learning as much as I could.
Interviewed by WeInspire.
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Favorites from sabbatical
Books
Fiction: Anxious People, by Fredrik Backman
Non-Fiction: A Man of Iron: The Turbulent Life and Improbable Presidency of Grover Cleveland by Troy Senik
This book was an absolute treat to doodle. Check it out!
Blog post
Hamilton!, because it was inspired by an incredible night out with a friend.
Skill acquired
I spent a lot of time drawing in Adobe Fresco. Vector trimming is unbelievably satisfying.
Motion
Definitely Grover Cleveland chowing down on James Madison.
Insult
“He had every quality morons esteem in their heroes.” H.L. Mencken on FDR, right after FDR died. (As read in A Man of Iron.)
Timelapse
Discovered that timelapse makes even crappy drawings look decent. (But I happen to kind of love this doodle of Vice President Garret Hobart.)
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Big news!
During my sabbatical I discovered that I really liked being my own boss and being on my own. To be honest, that was not the outcome I expected.
With my regularly scheduled coffees and lunches, I felt connected and not at a loss for camaraderie. I loved the freedom and flexibility to do things like walk to a café to doodle for a couple of hours before “work”. I loved feeling nimble and unencumbered. Not feeling guilty to meet someone out AND go for a long walk on the way home. The freedom of a maker’s schedule — with giant, luxurious swaths of time to create and few meetings breaking up the day. Five years ago, the idea of working for myself would have been laughable to me — completely out of character. But a lot has changed in the past few years. And guess what?
[pause for dramatic effect]
I started a business! It’s brand new and still feels surreal, but I am loving it.
Introducing:
Heather Rogers Creates
Right now, it’s mostly graphic design (brochures, presentations, advertising, etc.). Design is my first love and I always want it to be a part of my business. But I’m hoping this will eventually evolve into all sorts of creating — doodling, lettering, speaking, a book, etc. For now, as I figure things out I don’t have a business card (other than my other three business cards!) or a business website. If you’re interested in working with me, I’d love to hear from you.
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Thanks for following along on my sabbatical.
The support and encouragement the past few months has been incredible. Stick around — here’s hoping the best is yet to come!
