I came to a rather harrowing realization this morning- I am close to broke. (Sorry mom, dad, grammy and grampop...) Now, close is a relative term- I am not in debt, I am paying rent successfully, I'm not starving, I have a gym membership and am in school again. So, yeah. Not really broke. But, I have a small enough amount of money that all of those attempts at "watching it" I've been making lately have suddenly become absolute necessity. Honestly, this has been going well. I've been watching it, and saving some dough. At this point, I have to.
This post was originally intended to be a "stuff I will buy when I get money" inspiration post. A lot of bloggers I know do this- they post about things they want, and are working towards owning. Clothes they wish for, necklaces they found on Etsy. Frankly, it's usually clothes or cameras or random crafty stuff they found on Etsy. I tried to compile that post. I did. I'm just not materialistic enough to do it. I have barely been clothes shopping lately, and god knows I need some new socks. This should be done. However, I own such a ridiculous number of clothing items that I can't justify it; not to mention that I have no particular desires at the moment style-wise. My closet is pretty great. There are quite a number of nifty pieces in there, and everything I own matches in some bizarre way to equal one closet full to the brim with semi-gothy outfits. Only semi, because they manage to look within the general bounds of normal 99% of the time. That one percent day is the one where I allow it to shine and, you know, wear pirate stockings. Which, I may have bought as an impulse buy on Etsy. Okay- I might be materialistic.
What I really desire, and crave is experience. Learning. Living. Going. Doing. I want to move and I need to see. Talking. Listening. Giving. Receiving. THAT is what I plan to do with future money acquisitions. Save, and then spend those hard-earned dollars on travel, or eating a nice meal out with a friend, seeing a show, taking a class, what have you. I own too much stuff. Too much. I think it's a disease, buying crap. Then, you're stuck with it, and feel like you should attempt to sell it- but it's so much work! Organizing a yard sale takes forever, and carting massive bags of stuff to Buffalo Exchange almost requires a day off from work it's so tedious. There are two of said massive bags of clothing in my storage closet from our last move that I keep meaning to get rid of, but I haven't yet. They are sitting there. Inhabiting space that I could be using for something, you know, useful. That'd be cool.
In any case, guys, I have a wanderlust and a need for adventure. This may be why I am an actor, why I do martial arts, and why I do yoga. I like to have experiences that most people will never have. Fighting. How many people have legitimately been in a fight? Like, one that lasted beyond the initial punch? I fight multiple times a week, something I certainly thought I would never say. It's in a controlled environment, yes, but when you're working against a guy who is a foot taller than you, and weighs 100 pounds more than you, or when you are fighting against a woman smaller than you who has been training for 20 years, it doesn't feel fake. It's not. Before I started, the idea of legitimately hitting someone blew my mind. You know what? It's one of the most exhilarating things that I have ever experienced.
Everyone should try this. Everyone. I get to feel like a bleeping ninja multiple days a week, not because of an avatar on the screen, but because my actual, physical body, those muscles and bones that are me, are really doing ninja shit. It's freaking awesome.
Everyone should try this. Everyone. I get to feel like a bleeping ninja multiple days a week, not because of an avatar on the screen, but because my actual, physical body, those muscles and bones that are me, are really doing ninja shit. It's freaking awesome.
So, these are some things I want to do when I have enough money. They are not things I want to have. They are things I want to do.
Yoga teacher training
(in progress! YES!!!)
Work with Andrew Wade for a full week next week!
(okay, this is free for me, but holy cow, is it awesome and going to be the most fulfilling)
Savate Seminar with Nicolas Saignac at my martial arts school!
(this is in two weeks. note to self: pay for this on Monday. French kickboxing. Yes.)
Go along with Danny when he might have to go to Los Angeles
(soonest! must save so fast! I've never been there...)
Public Domain Photos
Get up to Maine to visit my grandparents at their house on the lake
(it's been a year and a half, and it's time. also, it's so peaceful there. so much nature)
Get down to Texas again sometime in the near future.
(because I just love Austin. seriously, such an amazing town. also, it makes Danny the happiest.)
Visit my sister when she studies abroad in The Netherlands next spring
(saving now, this is soon! love her a lot, but this is also a great excuse to go back there)
Get a Masters in Voice at the Central School of Speech and Drama
(this is in the 10 year plan... preferably the 5 year, but we'll see. Post- Danny black belt...)
Before attending grad school, tour Europe.
(this is the big one. all of the saving ever must happen.)
During said tour, explore more of Wales
(liked it, need more than just one day in Cardiff. was not enough)
I have the exact same feeling about Scotland
(one day in Edinburgh- one of my favourite days during my entire time in Europe! I need more)
Explore the "mystical" towns/ cities in England
(though I love this stuff, I ignored Glastonbury, Avebury and Salisbury last time. must be remedied)
Sit in a cafe for hours in Provence, France. Preferably outdoors.
(because, yes. this is what I want from life, basically)
Rome, Italy.
(yeah. haven't been there yet. this must be remedied.)
Barcelona, Spain.
(Barcelona or bust! I know so many people who have been, and they have raved.)
Paris, France.
(I just can't get enough. been there twice. not enough.)
Helsinki, Finland.
(most popular clothing style is "cyber alien" and their top selling band is Nightwish. I need to see this place)
Oslo, Norway
(must connect Danny to his Viking heritage.)
Augsburg, Germany
(I want to eat a pretzel and sausage in the town square, and see the cathedral. my dad loves this place and raves about it, and I want to see it.)
Study Kali/ Panatuken in the Phillippines with Danny
(yes, really. this would be for like a month before Europe in an ideal world... and would be so cool!)
SO. There is my life plan for the next five years.
Yup, plan. Expensive? Yes. Very optimistic? Yes. Possible? With some penny pinching, planning etc, yes. Absolutely. Especially if we do it cheaply.
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