Living the Life You Dream

This is a photo of me from years ago. September 2011. I was vacationing in Arizona on one of the hottest days of that year. The mercury hit 113° in the shade. This was the second vacation that year. The first in North Carolina - sweet and mild.

My friend drove to a monastery/retreat center and we explored the grounds and buildings. It was both fun and educational. More than that, I loved sharing time with my friend.

Even as I type this post, I can't believe it has been that long. We haven't spoken since, but that is outside the point of this post. Just two months after this vacation, I quit my job. November 11, 2011. This month is the fourth anniversary of that decision. It was one of the best decisions I have made in my life.

Before I left my full time job, I researched people who had decided to leave the idea of working full-time and living clearer, closer, and within their dreams. I read plenty of clogs about young people making similar choices, but wanted to connect with those nearer 50 years old, with children, families and mortgages.

There are a plethora of blogs and sites dedicated to living well with less, saving and managing money, alternative earning opportunities. Still, I didn't find what really met my needs, so I started writing, counting down the days, and designing a plan to make my move.

I am leaving on vacation in three days. I have been home from my last job since August 1, 2014. Before I travel, here is a recap of how I managed to live the life of my dreams.

I do go back to work. When I work, I maintain my budget to live well below my means. I believe to have more, we must give more. I live by the principle - give first, save next, spend last. I work and therefore deserve to have pleasure from the effort I expend. I budget for my luxuries as well as my needs.

This year, I am excited to sort living on a budget while in San Francisco. At home, I get by with $25/week for groceries and have no need for transportation beyond driving my car two or three days a week. I will be there two weeks. During that time I will travel to East Bay a few times to visit friends and to Northern California for my birthday. While away, I will post on both my adventure and how the budgeting goes.

You can live the life of your dreams, whatever that looks like. If you ask, I will believe with you.

Travel safely.

Joy in the City

What I love about being in the city are the vast array of choices. We discovered a new store on the way to Whole Paycheck. I constantly ask my daughter how people manage to eat here if all their income goes to paying the rent. This is one of the most expensive places to live in the United States. Rent for a two bedroom apartment can start as low as $1450. I have become inquisitive, asking anyone how they manage life here, in this city I love.

My daughter and grand-daughter are discussing the choice of oranges. There are so many varieties and prices. I know DA is not that particular, but the prices vary greatly and we are paying by the pound. This orange will be gone before the next store. I would rather pay a bit less where it is available.

 This is the outdoor display of cut flowers at Whole Paycheck. They are beautiful and smell delightful as you walk by. Inside, I see a sign that guarantees the flowers will last seven days. Much as I complain about the prices, we found some products that were less than the previous stores. This was our third stop for groceries. I wanted to make sure I got the best prices. Sadly, we purchased some impulse items that totaled at least ten dollars. On the other hand, we needed to replace some basic snacks and the prices are twice what we would pay at home. For example, I buy dried cherries at $3.49 per pound and paid $3.99 for eight ounces. Excessive pricing around almonds and I just skipped the raw cashews. It was frightening. I am thankful that I carried my chia seeds and coffee with me.

 A wonderful place to get side tracked. We left with the triple layered cheese cake and agreed to split one piece between the three of us. It was the bagels and cookies that crushed the budget. At least the bagels will be for my daughter's lunch.

This is a composed moment as we wait for the lights to change. My grand-daughter skipped and jumped and ran along the street. Thankfully, there was little foot traffic so keeping up with her was busy and exhausting, but less overwhelming than it would have been with lots of folks around. She sang and waved at everyone. She pointed to the building, the birds, the window displays. I feel like that too. I feel it when I am at home looking at the pictures and remembering my visit and knowing that it is still there. I feel the energy of life moving around me, churning, shifting, exploring. I am thrilled to be a part of the flow. She feels it without inhibition and it is all over her and inside too. She can't help but sing and dance and play.

It is 11 PM here and the neighbors just pounded on the ceiling/floor. They don't understand that she is charged up with life. It scared her enough to draw her to my side and now there is a yawn. She is subdued. Sleep will come soon. That is just fine, for tomorrow we will head out again. We are heading to Nob Hill and Grace Chapel, and Chinatown. We will explore the busyness of  the city and know even greater excitement.

Until then, blessed dreams to us all.

Namaste

Traveling, Writing, and Drinking Beer

The walk that waits for me.

I've arrived at a new beginning - the start of a whole new era. I've left my jobs before, for varying reasons, and in the past have said that I intended to travel. Those were usually short physical trips, though the internal journeys were far reaching and sometimes filled with angst and challenge. The first time, as I sat contemplating the decision, I met a women who advised that I would not find the answer until I walked through the door. Sitting staring would leave me blank. I've been walking through doors ever since.

I forget how incredibly long the trip from the midwest to the west coast can be. Flying is much faster than driving, but still all those hours on the road and in airports can wear away at one's enthusiasm. I am thankful for traveling graces and a safe and uneventful arrival. Z! collected me at SFO and we returned to the Tenderloin by BART. I do love riding the rail system.

I love the city - the lights, the sights, the sounds. I have been returning here every six months, walking these same streets and still I find something new each visit. Last night exiting the BART at Powell I noticed a mall. Really? A mall entrance from the BART station. How had I missed that before? Z! commented that she didn't think I was a mall person, and I'm not, but malls have chocolate cake and that was my arrival priority.

Let me say we passed on the dessert offerings and selected pretzels and snacks instead. Poor choice. I felt especially disappointed as convenience foods in the city are VERY expensive. The food bar was $9.99 per pound. That does limit what one might pile on one's plate. Thankfully, we already had dinner plans and continued our way home. Next stop, Pakwan's. This is our favorite Indian restaurant. We had our usual meal of saag paneer, garlic naan, and vegetable samosa. (Pictures are missing this visit. Next time.)

Because we were sated from the mall stop or exhausted from our day we packed up the leftovers and headed home. Beer waited there. Yay! New to me, but enjoyment for Z! was Stocktop Belgium Spice. I introduced her to the Raspberry Wheat. Both excellent choices which I highly recommend.

I was so ready to collapse into oblivion and had to convince Z! not to watch the scary movie she had cued to play. Thankfully she chose Kevin Hart who was incredibly funny as I drifted from exhaustion to sleep. And there I stayed until her alarm sounded at 0400.

I am further thankful to have lazed delightfully in the hazy morning embraced by a cool breeze hunkered under warm bedcovers. I haven't written about the girls (in my novel) since I left St. Louis. I will take a rest and open to their world that I might be a more accurate witness and share their stories more fully.

I've reached 100 days. There was great surprise even as I walked out the door. This biggest came as they proclaimed how very much I would be missed, that they loved me, and that I was great. This was news to me. Well, not the "missing me" part. I have shown up as the person I am. I gave what I had to offer fully and easily. My word was to be trusted and I was dependable, reliable, and responsible. While I want way more than that on my tombstone, I know those characteristics make a good and memorable employee.

The rest of the story is that I am opinionated and likely to share. I believe in radical honesty and while I didn't practice it consistently I had a low tolerance for any forms of bullshit (including placating, brown nosing, acquiescing, or accommodating). To me that meant my word could be trusted. To others, well, lets just say they preferred a smile even as your teeth were brown. Being polite doesn't have to turn one into a liar, but the lines were blurred entirely too often for me.

It was hard to figure out what to say. There were a few people I will continue to share parts of my life with and the rest I will just let go. I have several stories left to tell that I have waited for my departure to even write. For that I am excited.

Life is like dancing. If we have a big floor, many people will dance. Some will get angry when the rhythm changes. But life is changing all the time. ~Miguel Angel Ruiz