The night before our move, I sit here amidst beer bottles at 2 in the morn, trying to make my thoughts coherent for an audience. Now it's really coming down to the wire. These last 3 weeks have gone so fast. I'm now glad I've taken this much time off since I've got so much stuff to go thru.
Junk for sale! Who wants to buy my junk? It's all for S-A-I-L! Last Sat we had a yard sale, and I couldn't believe the stuff that people would buy. But since I've kept it all this time thinking I could put it to a useful purpose, I guess someone else would think so also. We're not a nomadic society anymore...we tend to stay at a place for a longer period of time now. So it makes sense that we can keep things handy that we think we can use at a later time.
This is the longest time I've ever, yes, ever lived in one place before...9 years. I'm 29 years old, and this is the room I have ever habitated continuously for the longest period of time. This is my home. And I didn't realize I'd accumulated so much crap in that period of time. It took me 3-4 days to go thru just my files and decide what things to keep. For example I have my report cards from kindargarden in Taiwan, my ribbons from field day from elementary school, my Cal application, and my favorite papers from Cal. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. My life is so attached to the material things that surround me, the things that are historical reminders of the person I am. But I wouldn't have realized it until I went thru it all. I forgot about half the stuff I've kept. I keep thinking how cool it'll be for my grandkids to go thru this stuff.
The place is starting to look emptier everyday. Tomorrow we're moving all the big furniture out of the place, and tomorrow night we'll be sleeping in our sleeping bags on the floor. I've had a couple sleepless nights thinking about this...what will it be like?...no home to come back to every night?...seeing something different every day?...will I get home sick?...I'm going to miss my friends and family. My stomach is a ball of excitement and anxiety all rolled into one.
Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling. Everybody's Irish for a day you say? Sounds like an excuse to drink green beer and pinch peeps on the posterior. Of course, the fantastic weather enticed me into a pint (or two) on St. Patty’s day, a brief respite. March madness is here and it has nothing to do with basketball. All week I’ve been scrambling to get my affairs in order prior to our departure from NorCal in early April. Every day around 1400 I find that I am exhausted from running errands which would make sense if I literally ‘ran’ the errands. I suck it up though, with the help of a siesta power nap, and I’m in the gym by 1530, glorious days I tell you.
While I run my errands I wonder if people think ‘what’s with this guy, doesn’t he have a job?’ and I realize, I’m just being self-conscientious and/or paranoid this is how things get done. So I may as well get back to getting things done.
My files are empty; my workspace is free of the personal effects that made it mine; the farewell lunches, the exit interview, the final goodbyes are all through. My final paycheck in hand I join tens of thousands of other working class Americans as unemployed. Of course, I’m unemployed by choice, not by circumstance. You would think in an election year that the incumbent administration would be concerned with the growing numbers of unemployed electorate but I digress.
I had a great job with opportunities for advancement, good people to work with and for, then I decided to postpone that career and pursue a lifestyle of travel and leisure. It is not without trepidation that I leave my job, family, and friends behind. “Balls!” Said the queen, but the king just laughed because he had too (two). The decision was made and now we have 5 weeks until departure to finalize preparations and celebrate with friends and family our once-in-a-life-time voyage. Excitement, anticipation, apprehension, joy, and sadness, it is all part of the emotional roller coaster of life. I recognize this as I prepare for my new job, vagabond.
It's almost the weekend, and I have had a harrowing week! (I'm being sarcastic in case it's not coming across). The weather couldn't have been more cooperative for the first week of my vacation. Let's see, Monday I went to the movies with my dad. Starsky & Hutch and Hildalgo weren't bad and not as cheesy as I thought it would be. Tuesday I sold my books, grocery shopped, played wiffle ball, goofed off with my friends who are also unemployed or work at night, and later took a dip in the hot tub. Wednesday I went thru my clothes, sold some and donated some. Thursday I filled my malaria meds, did laundry, did a step class at the Y, and made a necklace and bracelet. And today is a brand new day full of fun and errands!
First item on the list - clean out emails. Look what I found while going thru old emails...the link to our China trip's webpage! Tyler and I went to China in 2000 with my aunts, cousins, and some friends. Glen, a family friend, was very nice and created this site for us. Check it out...
http://www.enfsoftwear.com/Beijinghome.html
The alarm clock rang, and I awoke at the usual time. I laid in bed for another ten minutes, half asleep, and thought, "I'd better get up." Then it hit me, I don't have to get up today at all if I don't want to!
But I couldn't sleep anymore, and the day was turning out beautiful. I leisurely walked to the gym, worked out, and leisurely walked home. I tried to take a shower, but the water's been turned off. Damn! Now I can't get a drink of water, make my salad for lunch, or shower. I guess I'll have to start getting used to more unexpected mishaps anyway. I shrug and have a bagel and a little juice.
Now I'm writing my blog, waiting for my dad to come over, so we can spend the day together. Not so bad after all...