guilty pleasure

I love Costco! I can’t help my self. I know they put small independent stores out of business, they contribute to urban sprawl, encourage car culture, and ship their goods ungodly distances using up precious fossil fuel. All these things I normally find abhorrent. But, still I love to dive into my $7.99 giant bag of snap peas. And, don’t get me started about the giant bags of Cheezies, and corn chips, and the tub of salsa.

So, when you come to visit me and out of curiosity look into my bathroom cupboard don’t judge me too harshly, be comforted. Because I won’t run out of toilet paper and if you forgot your toothbrush and toothpaste, I will probably have one that you can have. Please don’t offer to replace them. Consider it my penance

Things I need to accomplish:

1 Renew Passport
2 Get dog to vet for shots / microchip / EU Pet Passport
3 Pack all worldly belongings into boxes (many boxes)
4 Find place to store all worldly belongings
5 Sell apartment (make huge profit to finance this folly)
6 Find place to stay in Portugal
7 Buy airline ticket for myself and the dog
8 Fly away to new adventure
9 Write great Canadian novel (or Harlequin Romance)
10 Have it picked up by Oprah and/or Ellen (book club or life story)
11 Rest on my laurels

Why, when I write this list does it seem so achievable? Yet, when I sit down with the forms to accomplish the first item I can’t seem to finish the task. I can watch a lot of really bad TV in an effort fill my time.

What if I go a whole year without TV and I don’t miss it?

It seems a little like breaking up with that boy. You know, the boy you know you don’t truly love, but he makes you laugh and keeps you company in bed. So. you stay with him because when you make yourself laugh people look at you oddly on the bus, and if you let the dog keep you company in bed you will end up with sand in your sheets.

I have been surrounded by change. Friends have moved, married and had babies. Some have done all three. That has brought me to this. A realization has come to me. Changes won't just happen to me. I need to make them happen. So after much consideration a snap decision has been made. Travel. Time has come explore more of the world. For a long time my dreams were for a life of moderation. My past has had many days and night of sleeplessness and worry. For me moderation was a dream. No longer.

Now I am taking inspiration from my friends and family. Even though many of them probably think I'm crazy, my dog and i are going to head to europe. This involves a lot of red tape and months for the dog to get her EU Petpassport, but i can't imagine going without her.