Count down

Alrighty guys, I've purchased my one way ticket to France. Departure date: September 26th, 2010. Seeing how today is the 30th of August, I've got less than one month before I say "adieu!" to Southern California and say "bonjour!" to the south of France. My days in my home town are numbered and I'm really feeling it. Packing things up has made me realize how much stuff I have. It's necessary for me to edit the possessions in my life and in my space. It seemed perfect timing when one of my favorite photography websites posted an article about buying less. The author of this article, Matthew Dutile, referenced an article from the New York Times and it really struck a cord with me. It tells the story of people living minimalist lives and having only 100 personal items. I need to accomplish this for my move to France. With airline baggage fees so high it only makes sense to edit. Fortunately, there are only a few materials at this point in my life that I will be bringing.

Here's a short list of the items I plan on bringing.

1. computer
2. camera gear
3. scuba gear
4. clothes

Luckily, that doesn't sound like much. However, some of that gear I will be carrying on, too precious to leave at the mercy of the airline baggage handlers. Items that I'm leaving behind that I'm sad about, my snowboard & gear, photos, historical kelly items, my dogs, my friends, my family, this life. I'm turning a page, I'm changing my scenery, and my daily life will be so different. I look forward to an improved quality of life, I look forward to bonding with my distant relatives, I look forward to la boulangerie et la pâtisserie! What a trip. See you next time!