Take your hands off the keyboard, and back away slowly.

I received this advice years ago in Boston, and it always resonates within me when someone I know makes a conscious decision to spend less time at (pick one) the computer/work/the computer at work, as Jeneane did this week when she went to a part-time work schedule:

I'm worn out. And I'm doing my best to change one part of the equation that's burned out my passion. By going part time I think I can give the BEST of me to work and the BEST of me to myself and my family. It's a start anyway. One change at a time, so to speak.

Though I'm disappointed that Jeneane isn't moving to St. Louis, per a recent suggestion, I'm very glad to see her giving herself more time to spend with her family and, more importantly, herself. Time for a slow walk, a banana split, or a funny movie. Time for a bubble bath.

Everyone needs to have enough time in the day to take a bubble bath if they want. It's as essential an ingredient to living as water, air, moonlight, the scent of lavendar and sea, the touch of silk, sex, and chocolate.

My roommate received a catalog from the local community college and I decided to use some of my own bubble bath time to take a few classes. For instance, there's a class on B & W Photography that includes instruction on using the dark room. That one's a must, as is the day long photography class at one of the local parks.

And then there's the astronomy class that meets four nights at an observatory, spending hours gazing at the moon, the planets, and the stars. If that's not a good use of bubble bath time, I don't know what is.

This week I drove to an isolated park next to the Meramec River, pulling up to the river bank between the trees that overhang the area. I put favorite music into my CD player and opened all the windows of the car, letting in the steamy warmth. Leaning back against the seat, through half closed eyes I watched dragonflies playing catch-me-if-you-can among the bushes as the late afternoon sun painted the area emerald green-gold.

You can almost see the bubbles if you squint at the words hard enough.