The Aftermath

What a ride this last year has been, huh? 

Getting the dream job, going to Italy, melting down, quitting the dream job, celebrating Christmas, getting another dream job, deciding to move, Brett quitting his job, and then deciding to stay. Bleh! We're both mentally exhausted! 

Since we met, I've described Brett as a walking beam of golden light, but lately he ranges from a sleepy storm cloud to partial sun. I miss his golden rays. He misses his golden rays - they've been squelched out by The Man.
So we're taking a few months off. No real jobs. No responsibilities - except mortgage, utilities, groceries, heath insurance, gas, pet food, and the Netflix subscription. 

Other than that, no responsibilities. And lawn care. But that's it!

Brett is headed off on a boys trip to Japan soon. He's always wanted to go to Japan, so we're both thrilled for him. I was not invited but also I was not, not invited - but I can take a hint. Boy trips are more fun when no girls are present, and who would take care of our four full-time and two part-time pets? And I'm not sure I'm up for a 14 hour flight to then spend 10 days pretending like all the boy activities are stimulating. 

"Will we be stopping for afternoon tea?" I'd ask, gracefully. They would have to remove their mud covered dirt-bike helmets to hear what I said. 

"Huh?"
"Afternoon tea. There's a lovely boutique..."
VROOM VROOM! Off they would go round the track again and again. 

No no. I'll stay here on pet patrol. Ever since deciding to stay in Charleston, my usual appreciation for Springtime weather has become an impatient beast. I want to hole up on the porch and read books and well, sip tea. I can't wait to be outside again from March to November. What is life indoors? This wait for Spring is killing me.

I have plans for while Brett is away. Plans that resemble the successful undertakings of his previous international boys trip - but I'll stay cryptic so I can surprise him. If he even reads this post, he won't read into that statement. Isn't it fun knowing someone so well? You figure out exactly what you can get away with. 

Our plans for our temporary retirement are minimal but they do include a half-bath renovation and abundant experimental cooking. Maybe we'll go on a big road trip or buy a business or join the roller derby. Who knows. 

Brett has been nonchalantly referring to this point in time as his mid-life crisis. It's led us to lots of big thinking on the concept. Does everyone have one in some way? What will mine entail? Does my on-going crisis about existence exempt me from this particular milestone? Surely I've served my time. I've always giggled at people that want to leave legacy of some kind, but recently I had the weight of "an unproductive life" settle comfortably on my shoulders for the first time. I've never worried about that before (because I don't really believe in productivity for the sake of it, and who cares what silly acheiviments society made up to keep you participating. You can't fool me with trophies and corner offices. Pshaw!) but it felt like a legitimate concern for a minute there. What am I supposed to do with that? 

Anyways. We're going to be stationary nomads for a few months until our savings dwindle too low. 
Then I guess we'll both go get jobs.