Monday, August 15, 2011

Plans...

So, I've been plotting some of my favorite things...
futures!

I've been making plans for the next year, and I'm dreaming big these days.
I thought I would go ahead and scatter these confetti dreams to the 4 internetchi winds,
because once they're out there in the ethers,
they're hard to take back.

So what am I planning?

Well, I've been toying with the idea of taking a year off of medical school for a while,
but now I'm starting to set the wheels in motion.

I want to live in this:



Learn how to do this:


And practice some of this abroad:


I want to decipher what I need to learn in my last year of medical school by practicing medicine in its bare bones form, free from grades and malpractice fears and healthcare reform debates.

I want to learn the practical skills I'll need to create the sustainable life I want to live. Growing food, natural building, community planning.

And I want to live a beautiful and free nomadic life.

In order to shimmy my life down its little path,
I've been brainstorming some changes and schemes to support this year 'off'.
Methods that fit with both my schedule (haha, oh man) and values.

So, things to look for:

1. Blog Update
This blog has mainly been an outlet for me and a way to keep in touch with my family (Hi Mom! I'll teach you how to comment soon!) and friends (Hi Kathleen! Thanks for commenting!),
but I think I want to focus it a wee bit more on three of my passions:

Design Sustainability MEDICINE

And all the places where they intersect.
If those places exist...


2. An Etsy Store
Since I'll be downsizing into a trailer for the foreseeable future,
I'll have to part with many of my flea market treasures
and vintage store steals.
Lucky you guys!

3. Art
I have thousands upon thousands of photos
(just ask my hard drive that is about to run out of room),
so within those thousands,
there are bound to be a few winners.
I just need to figure out a way to sell them?
Also, little know fact:
I've been keeping a list of ideas for artwork for quite sometime.
I just haven't attempted to make or sell any of said ideas, because,
well,
the thought of putting myself out there with art
makes me
a bajillion times more uncomfortable
than performing a rectal exam.
Weird? Probably.
True? Definitely.

So, now that that's all out there...
I guess I have to make some of it happen!

I took the first step today and opened a savings account.
All before the age of 30.
Look who's got her big girl pants on now!

If you have any suggestions to help me get there,
there will always be a spot for you in an airstream trailer.

------------------------------------
"Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it."
-Goethe

9 comments:

  1. Wow girl, I salute you! You have a dream and you're going to live it. Im still finding my dream but one day I hope to live it too...
    All I can say is that trailer is amazing...I so see you living in it and I only wish I could get to you to sit in a deckchair outside it and tend to your latest crops! There's a place in Scotland I also see you living...it's called Findhorn...it's a sustainable community with high values...you may or may not remember I did my dreaded dissertation on it...shame the academic stress took away from the place itself...google it! Let me know when your etsy site is up...if you ship to Scotland!
    Miss you x T

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  2. can this trailer be, say, in Vermont?
    I don't think I could bear another year of not seeing you! Also, maybe we could coordinate this practicing some of this medicine thing abroad? One of my attendings was talking to me about work she did recently in Guatemala and in Kenya - heyo. let's talk soon!

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  3. Thanks Tammy! I do remember that dissertation and Findhorn. Oh man. Maybe I'll have to come check it out and visit you guys in the year off. :) And whenever you do figure out your dream, the world better watch out, because you're going to do amazing things.

    And E, definitely in Vermont! And I would loooove to coordinate working abroad. Yes, please!

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  4. Wheee! Hooray for plans. I love how you don't ever say no, I couldn't do that... I'm sure I'd have ended up a few different places if I hadn't been so inclined/conditioned to a certain order or way of doing things. But hey, there's still time for me, right? Although I'm not sure I'd make a good nomad after a while...

    Where are you getting said trailer? (I guess it's the next logical step up from the navigator...) Will it actually be an airstream? Will you schlepp your etsy things and mail them from far-flung post offices when they sell? Will you sell your hypothetical art through etsy too? Will you please stop through Atlanta?

    I'm glad you'll be blogging more too. I love reading about what you're doing! And I promise I'll keep commenting. Miss you Buhweet!

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  5. There's definitely still time, KP! Thanks for the encouragement. As for the trailer, I'm looking for an Airstream. The one in the picture is actually for sale in VT, but I'll have to save up a bit first. And I'm hoping to sell my stuff on Etsy before March or I might off load some to consignment shops in Burlington. Hypothetical art will probably be through Etsy too. :)
    Oh, and an Atlanta stop is definitely on the cards!
    Miss you too!

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  6. Oh you're gonna BUY a trailer? Damn, girl! Hope you've got some big ol' student loans coming your way ;) Renting (if one can do such a thing) would probably end up being just as expensive, huh...

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  7. Oh my I didn't get that you were buying said trailer either! That takes your plan to a whole other level of awesomeness...and my jealousy scale has gone through the roof! I'm with Kathleen on loving reading your updates...now that I've worked out I can comment from my phone il respond to everything I read more often too! X

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  8. Oh yeah! Well a used one is cheaper than a year's rent and they have great resale value. Like I said, there's always room for you guys! :)

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  9. call me re: art. i have no doubt you could rock that. maybe i can test out my shiny new business skills with my old (hopefully not too dusty) art skills to help you make this dream happen?!

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