Thursday, January 13, 2011

living without a plan

I live in a world of plans. When I was 13 years old I concocted a plan of how Julia and I were going to buy a car. Somehow I didn’t really take into account the fact that she would have to wait 2 more years than I would to use that car. Well, I probably did but was simply just trying to swindle my way into a car at half price. If based solely on my relationship with Julia when we were young, one would likely have pegged me to end up a greasy car saleswoman, in a cheap, pinstripe suit making loads of money at Low Book Sales. Luckily she caught on to my tricks…quicker than I would have liked. But that was me…a planning machine. And…not much has changed. I think it drives Julia nuts. This is not only because has she been a central part of many of my plans (only a few of which have come to fruition), but she does not live in this same plan-concocting world. I think I do this because I have a hard time being happy in the every day, 9 to 5 routine. I have to think of something new or different to work for or to look forward to. Perhaps it’s because it makes me feel progressive or something? I don’t know. In any case, I bought Robert (and myself) tickets to Seattle for this weekend for Christmas/our birthdays and we’re heading out tomorrow afternoon. We really have no plans as of now, which actually kind of excites me. Well, we sort of do. We know we’re staying with the Kessingers, a family who moved there from my mission who I adore. We know we’re headed up to Victoria, British Columbia Sunday and Monday and that we’re staying at a hotel on the harbor (harbour…in Canada), but that’s all. Oh, Victoria! My parents, Julia and I traveled there when I was in high school and I fell in love with the place. It looks and feels so much like Europe. The rain may do us in, but I can’t wait to go back there. We’re just going to wander or hearts out and end up wherever Seattle and Victoria take us this trip. I’m excited to see the ocean, to indulge in some great seafood, to see good friends and to be with Robert. This trip will likely be much like our quick trip to San Francisco last May, the one where I started to fall in love with Bobby C. All except…we’ll fly rather than drive through the night for 12 hours, sleep in the same bed, likely experience some severely inclement weather and will be at our destination a longer period of time than it takes us to travel there. We didn’t have any plans in San Francisco either and in less than a day saw almost the whole city, trolley ride and all. Here’s to no plans in Seattle!

The trolley ride where we nearly lost our lives:



Clam chowder at Pier 39. Dreamy! (Robert and I are too focused on the clam chowder to look decent in this picture):



The foursome...none of whom were dating at the time...two of which were married 3 months later:

1 comment:

  1. i think the trouble really lies in not having a plan AND resisting spontaneity. that's the space i navigate most often. i secretly envy your sense of adventure, even if it's pretty well calculated--that's why it works! you know how to get there.

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