Friday, November 30, 2012

The end of another year

The end of November and almost the end of another year, 2012. What have you done? It's almost time for another year's resolution but what's the use of more resolutions if you haven't done anything about the previous year's resolutions? I never make any New Year's resolutions. I do plan out my trips for the New Year before the old year ends. I have done it already for 2013! In 6 weeks I will embark on the first trip of the year, 2013. The year 2013 will consist of a few mini trips. If we can't take long trips, can we take short ones? Take mini trips. It is a costly proposition but not really, we wouldn't miss that much time away from work. I never count the costs that way. The trip abroad itself pays in kind that is not measured monetarily. It's hard to really put a price tag on it. I have taken mini trips to the Peloponnese, Greece, to England, to Paris, to Yunnan, China and now about to take one to Nepal, visiting Kathmandu and Pokhara. The time spent getting there is almost the same as being there. To most sane people, this is insane but who wants to be sane? Who wants to be sane if you can come back with fantastic pictures and experiences? I don't. Trips like this gets me out of bed each day, to go to work or to take care of housekeeping so that I can go to work. I cook once or twice a week, have enough meals for sack lunches and dinners. I clean, I write, I read and shop only for food and essentials. I'm ultra frugal and don't feel like I'm deprived. While I do buy a lot of books, I read and reread them many times. They are not novels that you read once and chuck. They are self-help books and travelogues that is read many times. I don't have cable TV and I watch mostly PBS. I do own a car (a 2012 Subaru Outback) that I use only for work. On my days off, I walk or take the bus. I own my own home which is paid off.

Previously before each trip, I'd send off an extra house payment to the bank while extra money is added onto the monthly house payment. I love being alone because it means being in sole control of my life, my money and my plans. I hate anyone who says to me 'why don't you do this instead? Only the one who signs my paycheck has the right to tell me what to do and how to do it!

We are going to be here, at this moment, just once. We only have this life. How are we living it? Are we living it? Are we going to remember the numerous ball games we've watched or the wonderful stuff we've purchased? What is our life going to be measured by? How are we going to be remembered? I don't think its important what comes after we're dead but what are we doing for ourselves while we're alive. Our legacy will be how we have lived.

Everyday I try to educate myself about the real picture of the economy, about world politics. I read about the places I've been to and also about the places I'm going to. A successful life is about curiosity. I've seen timid people at work. People are basically timid. We're not equipped for the world and therefore most of us never realise our potential, we end up living very mediocre lives. We follow movie stars, pop stars and ball players. We watch soap operas. We don't realise that we should be the 'star' in our own lives. We are the 'star' in our own show.

We need to carve out a show for our own lives and be a 'star' in it. Take pictures of our own lives, write about our own lives (albeit in a journal that no one may see) or in a blog (even one with a paltry number of followers or viewers)! From that basis, we can work our way up, to spice it up, jazz it up, enliven it.... who knows where we'll end up. But who cares, except ourselves. That's all that matters....that we are caring for ourselves!