Impressions 2024 - Wishes
The highlight of my year was DJ's military retirement in October. It felt a bit like planning a wedding and I remain pleasantly surprised that every little detail came together without a hitch - including things beyond our control like the weather! Much like people can clean their home in record time the day before hosting a visitor, The Little Hangar project was completed just minutes before the event. The prior week, DJ and Rob (our handy & generous friend) worked from sunrise to sunset finishing critical items in our metal building such as the stubborn stair railing and so much more. As usual, our community of friends chipped in to create and capture memories that will last a lifetime. We are truly grateful for all gestures both grand (unexpected fireworks) and small (potpourri spray for the shared bathroom) plus everything in between. DJ went out of his way to avoid speeches and tears, but the love was palpable throughout the weekend with unlimited hands of support, laughter, and stories.
The Little Hangar project was our primary focus for the year and while our contractor Brice and his crew completed most of the work, DJ saved us over 25k by tackling the plumbing, staining, painting, and helping as much as he could. This includes repainting the upstairs bathroom three times before settling on the right shade of blue. I have no idea how DJ managed to work on projects after his daily 5k run, a full day at work, and 3 hours maneuvering through Atlanta road-rage. I feel lazy in comparison. I did manage to refinish the sauna with liquid wood (people are so darn clever) and ruined a pair of perfectly good gloves while staining tongue and groove planks in the cold. I also spent hours on my iPhone researching tile, vanities, and soft close hinges until it dropped out of my hand as I dozed. DJ maintains I designed the entire project, but his flair made it into the final product minus the iconic Kramer painting and a few other items I may have vetoed. One of my favorite contributions from DJ is the "Wash your hands you filthy animal" sign from Hobby Lobby. DJ and I beat ourselves up about all of the things we could have done differently but every time I sit down to relax in the loft, I think about how nice it is to be able to enjoy something we created together.
The cherry on top is that despite inflation we were able to pull off the build while remaining debt free. Of course, that wasn't without great sacrifice. DJ sold a few hoopties including the Duster he fixed up for his dad and kept tinkering with after Donnie passed. And yes - we still live in a camper. The Little Hangar is part shop, part entertainment venue, and part guest room. It was never intended to replace our home. Our original idea was to build a separate tiny home on the property but that doesn't seem very practical when we already have everything we need. The human in me envies the beautiful homes inundating our social media feeds and the new homes popping up around every corner. BTW, that's equivalent to every 5-mile marker in our small hometown, affectionately named the "Poos". This desire for more is an ongoing struggle for me and I must constantly remind myself not to give into what I want right now in favor of an earlier retirement.
Another memorable event was going to see Lake Street Dive at The Eastern near downtown Atlanta. The venue was intimate, the crowd mature, and the company priceless. Laura & Fred introduced us to the band years ago and we were finally able to enjoy them live together. Well, minus DJ. That is, until next time. A bonus was getting to hear music from a new favorite trio named Tiny Habits whose song Wishes I have listened to on repeat more times than iTunes can count. The American folk-pop group was formed by three music students from Boston and well, I am a sucker for harmonizing.
And I wish that I was smaller, or I wish I was
Better at being kind to the one body that I've got
After all, it keeps me breathin' til the day it just cannot
All three singers take turns vocalizing their wishes and come together for the chorus. The song ends with "I wish these wishes weren't all for nothing".
Except for our labor of love, The Little Hangar, I feel as though I spent the year wandering aimlessly. At the end of my prior impression, I committed to a 50 before 50 list which I never wrote… until now. I spent a lot of time feeling my age - less youthful and lethargic. At work, I spent a dreadful amount of time in the weeds of project planning and preparing status reports. Neither of which I find fulfilling. Not sure if this is true for everyone but the older I get the harder it seems to imagine wishes. I am fortunate to have travelled and experienced a wide variety of activities over the years. While I do still have a few bucket list items like watching The Kentucky Derby in person, my enthusiasm for checking things off a list has waned. Unfortunately, that shift comes with a hefty price - because living without intention leads to regret.
With a little bit of luck, irony and gumption - I finally got down to the business of writing my list. As luck would have it, DJ opted to work overtime this weekend giving me sufficient time to focus. The irony, or perhaps coincidence, is that there are exactly 50 days between the first of the year and my 50th birthday. Weird, right? So, instead of coming up with lofty wishes I decided to select specific tasks covering various aspects of my life. It wasn't easy coming up with 50 realistic items for the given timeframe, but I surprised myself with at least one unforeseen gem. Can you guess which?
Self-improvement gurus often talk about the importance of having a purpose. I always thought that the elusive purpose had to be a single thing or at least ONE big thing. But maybe it's about many little things… like recognizing a co-worker or going roller skating with friends. Although the thought of a list felt daunting and limiting, the exercise of coming up with categories, researching ideas, and authoring these tasks made me feel a little bit spicier. Antoine de Saint-Exupery, the author of The Little Prince wrote: "A goal without a plan is just a wish." But maybe plans can lead to wishes too… and not for nothing.
Impressions 2023 - Sleepover
Impressions 2022 - Unfinished
Impressions 2021 - Domino
Impressions 2020 - Masked
Impressions 2018 - Surrender
Impressions 2017 - Ordinary
Impressions 2016 - Kindness
Impressions 2015 - Blossom
Impressions 2014 - Independence
Impressions 2010 - Penguin
Impressions 2007 - Inspiration
Impressions 2004 - Influence
