Wary About Fall

Apparently fall has started. Of course in Atlanta fall doesn't ever actually start when it's supposed so as an area we just sort of make it work. We mix summer and fall clothes and call it good. We wear leggings with tank tops and boots with t-shirts. Like today where I have on boots that would be fine if I lived in NYC or Boston where it's actually cooler and fall-like, but with temperatures hitting 90+ degrees today I feel sorta silly wearing them. But they looked best with the skinny pants that I wanted to wear to work, so boots it is.

I've had one of those "smack you in the back of the head with at 2x4" sort of past 12-24 hours when it comes to figuring out my life. Champ and I spent the evening yesterday with a good friend of Champ's (and mine now) Tom. Tom is easily my walking example for doing what you love and ignoring the nay-sayers.

First, it's important to point out that Tom's brilliant and comes from money, but he's got a good head on his shoulders. He was slated to be uber successful anyway, but he chose his own path, which is really what makes it so damn inspiring.

But that whole college? Successful business life? Tom didn't want that. So two or three years into college he dropped out and moved to the Caribbean to sail boats. Seriously. To sail boats.

He started bar tending and met people and eventually started working on a boat that catered to the tourists who ported with the big cruise ships in St. Thomas (where he lived). In the evenings he was going to school to get his Captin's license and eventually moved up the ranks.

We chatted with him last night about what's next. He's currently working on a yacht that gets chartered throughout the year when the owner isn't using it. He works from waking to sleeping and has no home on land, but makes more money than Champ and I probably do combined. He loves every waking moment of his life.

And he's a success. Hair bleached blond grown out, a permanent tan and stories of diving, boating and traveling to places that I dream of visiting. It's...a dream life.


(not a recent photo)

But more importantly? Tom found something he loved and he did it. He misses his friends, that much I can tell. He adores Champ and considers him a brother, even if we've only seen him twice in three years. He always calls at Thanksgiving to talk to Champ. It's a thing.

Follow that up with this post from Erin at Design for Mankind (one of my favorite blogs/bloggers btw) about her trip to Might Summit, which just sounds amazing.

And I realize? What am I do with my life? What do I want to do with it?

I have no good idea. I want to write, but I don't know where to start. (I have a degree in Aerospace Engineering for God's sake). I want to create things, but I don't want to completely walk away from Math. From airplanes. To be honest? I think I'm at a crossroads and I have no idea where anything is taking me or where to even start.

So this fall? That's my goal. I'm going to put together that life list even though I don't know if there's much left on it. I'm going to really truly think about what's next for me. I can't keep treading water. It's starting to get boring.