TheCPT

So, I have a question for all you other wonderful graduate students out there. I graduated last year from a little A&M in physics, with a stellar reputation there (4.0 GPA, published, etc), and am now attending a "Top-5/10" graduate school for physics. I wish now that I had looked more into the advice of other graduate students before I had made this decision, because I realized I did this because I had no real life plans after graduation, and it "seemed like the right thing to do," after getting some pressure from the professors at my alma mater (I don't think anyone had gone to a prestigious grad school in this field from my school is in 10-15 years). That being said, I would have been much much better off now looking back on it taking a year or two off to figure out what I wanted to do, because even as an undergraduate I wasn't passionate, or even really happy about my field. I did what I did to build the best resume I could, and to finish a degree in in four years before I ran out of money, in the hopes that my outlook on things might radically change when I entered graduate school and changed sub-fields. Needless to say, that didn't happen. I now don't really want to remain in academia (no desire to be a professor or academic scientist of any sort) any longer than I have to, and honestly getting a good engineering job right now would be great. It's getting hard to keep up in classes at this point, when you realize that you really don't have any passion for what you're learning. However, I want to exit without destroying my future. I don't know what I want right now as far as life directions; I'm not sure I can stomach research in any field of the caliber that is performed here right now (gotten a little too burned out recently), but I think maybe an advanced degree in mechanical engineering or a related will get me where I want to go eventually. I've spoken repeatedly with my DGS about feeling really burnt out with the field, and wanting to change directions (this also may have been a mistake), since I am not currently doing research with any faculty right now. My DGS did advise me that taking leave for a year might be good for me to straighten my perspective and determine what it was I wanted to do. My question to you all is, since I have almost no intention of finishing my physics PhD but have learned I would rather pursue a graduate degree in a different field, does taking leave for a year or two by my own personal volition (my academic standing here is not bad) look questionable if I were to reapply to another school in the coming year or two? Also, should I stick around long enough and find someone to work with in research to generate some sort of favorable letter of recommendation? How important is it that I get a letter of rec from my current school, and would someone like the lecturer I TA for be an acceptable substitute? Also would it look better to finish the masters degree or to jump ship before then? Hopefully someone can learn something from my mistakes here. Also, any more general advice is also appreciated.