running off to join the Carnival (cruise line)

Preparedness has always been an important theme in my life. This might be something that I picked up in childhood during the times that we moved around with little (or no) notice. Or maybe it was the hovering suspicion that wherever we were at the time was impermanent.
So I learned not to take my living situation for granted, which in hindsight is a very valuable lesson for anyone to acquire.

Of course in the mind of a kid this sometimes led to some pretty silly preparations. For example, the will that I wrote when I was 12 years old bequeathing all of my earthly possessions (save my favorite stuffed dog) to my best friend who promised to do the same for me. We even had two passing strangers sign as witnesses to make sure that our document was official. The two of us also created a secret code phrase in case we were kidnapped and were allowed a phone call to let our family know that we were okay. So heads up: if I call you and ask you to feed my fish for me that means I'm in trouble, alright? I don't have any fish. I'm in trouble.

Somewhere along the way, I picked up a fear of natural disasters. Right now I have an Amazon wish list loaded with survival supplies that I can't afford but somehow even being prepared to be prepared is some kind of comfort against thoughts about the impending "big one". But I also find that I need preparedness to help me slog through living day to day at a less-than-stimulating job with the fear that this could be it for me. I could be an admin for the rest of my life- staring at computer screens and filling out spreadsheets. And to be honest, that's almost as scary as the prospect of a 9.0 earthquake off the Oregon coast. So here's my new contingency plan: if all else fails, I'm going to leave everything behind and become a vagabond lounge singer on a cruise line. I'll eat crab and sail the seas, and probably write some best-selling novels. I bet my hair would look really great too. The world would be eternal sunsets and fresh ocean breezes and the ship's band would only play my favorite jazz music or possibly whatever is native to the exotic country that we are currently visiting. Ahhh yes, that's it. Somehow that towering stack in my inbox is no longer so threatening. I think I'll slip on some earbuds and travel to the Bahamas for a bit as this day just slips right on past my far-away smile.