five years time

Have you visited She Wore It Well?  I remember reading her comment on my Double Whammy post and grinning out loud.  You know those grins, right?  There's just something about her.  I feel like we've been friends for eons.  Anyway, not so long ago she tagged me on a "five years time" post she wrote so here goes...

Where were you five years ago?
 I had literally just moved away from this (no I did not own, I merely rented a portion of it):

 

And to this neighborhood.  Seriously, almost to the day.

I had lived in LA for 3 years and hated my job.  I wanted out.  I never even unpacked the boxes at the last place I lived.  It was like if I unpacked the boxes I was giving in and resigning myself to stay in a job I hated.  My health was rapidly declining, the doctors couldn't figure out why and I was still working crazy hours.  Then my position was "eliminated" (nice way of saying buh-bye you look sick) after 3 years of micromanagement and deafeningly long hours.  Oddly enough it was the hugest feeling of relief I had ever had.  I went home and slept for 2 days straight.  Okay more like 2 weeks.  And then slowly started consulting and have worked on my own ever since.  

                                                                     image via twentythree

So 5 years ago, after having toughed out self-employment for one year, I decided to look for a different neighborhood to live in.  By that time I didn't mind LA, but the rents were ridiculous.  One Saturday morning a friend and I, just off the cuff, drove to a small beach community to visit a rental.  I saw the narrow streets and beach fog still thick at 10am and that was the end of it for me.  As we walked along later I saw this too:

I've held onto this picture for years now.  Anyway, I moved in to my little place shortly thereafter (nothing like the monster above!) and have been here ever since.  I didn't have any furniture except a bed and a couch for the first year though...I guess you could say I'm a little commitment-phobic. :)  Eventually "the stuff" followed.

Within the next 2 years I was diagnosed with gluten-intolerance or Celiac disease.  It completely changed my life and set me back on the road to health.  Except for the past 6 weeks of bronchial infection. Boo!

Where would you like to be five years from now?
To be honest 5 years from now I would just like to be 100% healthy - with the same for my family.  I know that doesn't give a definitive answer, but when you have spent several years being very ill, lost three-quarters of your hair, had it grow back, worked for a tyrant and gotten out alive - you really learn that the most happiness comes from the simplest things.


Of course I hope to be enjoying my career and having a certain amount of freedom to travel and enjoy life.  We'll have to see, I guess.  I would like to be able to see my family in Canada a bit more often, but moving back there is not really of interest to me at this stage.  I have a difficult time with questions like this because I don't believe in planning too far out.  Life has dealt me a couple rough hands - don't get me wrong some good ones too - but it's the rough ones that teach you to take it one day at a time.

                                                                       image via twentythree
  
What is on your to do list today?
-Make an acupuncture appointment - done
-Send a thank-you note to my Doctor for the 2 inhaler samples (they're $130 each with insurance and I.was.not.paying.for.that!!) - also done
-Work - done
-Email Jessica - not done
-Go visit the Chef - on my way after this
-Oh and laundry.  bugger!!


What five snacks do you enjoy?
-Green tea (is that a snack or a drink?)
-Baked Jalapeno Cheese puffs
-Homemade gluten-free chocolate chip cookies
-Fruit - any fruit doesn't matter
-Nuts (preferably walnuts or almonds...or maybe chocolate covered macadamias)


What would you do if you were a billionaire?
I would go Big O style.  I'm not a huge Oprah Winfrey fan, but I have seen her be able to truly help people who needed it.  The other night when I was getting ready to do the post for the Melinda Maria bangle (HAVE YOU ENTERED YET??) I said to the Chef, "this is so exciting.  Can you imagine how Oprah gets to feel everyday?? Lucky biznatch."  And what I'm able to give is a tiny (albeit wonderful) thing that won't be a life-changing thing in the larger sense.  Imagine helping a single parent get off the streets or paying for some lifesaving health treatment or putting someone who really wanted to go through college.  Whatever it might be...just imagine.  To have that level of financial freedom to truly rescue people from their circumstances would be amazing.


Of course I'd also help my family, my friends and we'd all go on some fat trips too.  That would be so fun.  And then there's the shoes...


"I've never been a millionaire but I just know I'd be darling at it." - Dorothy Parker

But I'd have to also find something to do because sitting around being lethargic is not exciting to me. Probably would keep on working - maybe even at what I currently do.

I pass this meme on the following intriguing blogs - where will you be in five years time?  I don't even know if these bloggers will answer, but I'd be interested to read if they do...

-Bumpkin on a Swing
-See Jane.
-Corks & Caftans (Rob + Carey crack me up to no end, but I'll understand if you guys don't do this)
-Style Obsession
-Cheetah is the New Black

Please see their links on the side of my page - I'll add the clicks here later...have to run!
*Update:  added links!