28 hours and counting

 

Today is apparently the first day of the rest of my life. Although …what day isn’t, right?

 

But no, really: Today is a bright Monday in the bustling city, and rather than chugging coffee and tripping down Market Street toward my office, I am sitting in the sunshine with my kitties, listening to Sean Hayes, and planning a long trip to Europe.

 

It’s a new era, people.

 

No, I don’t know where my next paycheck is coming from, but please, please let me be impractical … just for a minute! If you need practicality (including a regular column called “Ask the Cubicle Expat”) check out Michelle Goodman’s fab site, The Anti-9-to-5 Guide. Admittedly, my head is up in the clouds right now, with just my tippy-toes on the ground.

 

Okay, let’s talk about Europe again. The title Escape Artist ain’t fer nuthin’. Those of you who followed me here from my last blog will know exactly what I’m escaping, and why. And you’ll know that, after working at a luxury travel company with a long-expired passport, my wanderlust has become a form of madness—for which there is only one cure!

 

So travel is the next chapter in this quest for a juicier life. I’ll definitely be blogging my journeys, though with varying regularity. Starting in a matter of days, you can also view my trip photos on Flickr.

 

I’m off to pack. See? I am practical enough to think about the future on some level ….

Meanwhile, if any of you readers have any suggestions as to what I could shove in my tiny suitcase as last-minute gifts to the hosts, new friends, and strangers I’ll encounter on my trip, I’d love to hear suggestions!