The Life I Want

This semester, my class load is much lighter due to cutbacks. At first, I spent a lot of time complaining and adding up how much less money I am going to make this year. I also wasted some time worrying about how to pay for college.
Just in time, I picked up The Power by Rhonda Byrne. She's also the author of The Secret and if  you've heard of that book, you know she doesn't have to worry about how to pay for anything. She has sold tens of millions of copies.

One of the things recommended by The Power is to live the life you dream of. For instance, if you want to have a job but you don't, set your alarm every morning lay out the clothes you would wear to work, etc.. If you are single and want to be in a relationship, start making room for that special person. Sleep on one side of the bed. Make room in your closet for his clothes, etc..
So, I examined my life and, overall, I am so fortunate. I have a husband who loves me. I'm healthy. I have a great family, great friends. The work and money thing are my biggest concerns.
The author encourages people to put their dream life out there, so I did. I'd like to make a living full time as a writer and to travel to France, maybe even live in France, once the kids are through with school.
I decided on the days when I don't have to go to work, to live my dream life.
I got up this morning and went for a run. I ran seven miles then stopped by the bus stop to chat with my husband while he waited for the bus.
My plan was to come home, shower and get busy writing. But Tucker had a late start today, so he was hanging around the house. Earl forgot his notebook, so even though he took the bus to save the earth, I had to drive the notebook downtown to him.
I didn't get around to writing until almost 10 a.m. I had Tucker drop me in our little downtown on his way to school. I walked to the coffee shop ready to claim my table and get busy. My friend Leah was working in the coffee shop, so I spent a bit of time chatting with her.
As I settled in my corner, another acquaintance came in and we talked for awhile too.
Finally, I got busy on my new novel Paris Runaway. I wrote about 3000 words today. Ideally, I'd like to write 5,000 words on these days off, but my future life needs to include friends too. So if I have a day where I write and drink coffee and talk to friends, that's definitely the future life I want.
Then I walked home, stopping to buy a baguette and a pastry treat for myself.
Walking home with my computer and a baguette protruding from my bag, I definitely could see myself leading this kind of life. But warmer, because the temperature was around 20 degrees. Flakes of snow began to fall as I continued home.
Once home, I sliced the Gouda and Port Salut cheese in our refrigerator and added some salami to big round crackers.
That was a lot for one person to eat, but after running seven miles this morning, if I don't eat enough, I get ravenous. Then I never feel full.
My goal this afternoon is to do some marketing for my other novels before I clean up the house and cook dinner for my husband and son.
Yes, I think this is the life I want to live. It's just tweaking the life I currently live, but throwing in France, plus writing full time would definitely be my dream.
How bout you? Can you start living the life you dream about?

First Chapter, Tuesday Teaser -- A Surrey State of Affairs

Every Tuesday, Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea posts the first paragraph of her current read. Anyone can join in. Go to Diane's website for the image and share the first paragraph of the current book you are reading.
I picked up A Surrey State of Affairs by Ceri Radford yesterday as I accompanied my husband to a walk-in clinic to find out if he damaged his eye when he got a cleaning chemical in it. The book immediately caught my attention because I had just been talking to my mom about helping her start a blog. You'll see. Here's the intro:

I suppose that this, my inaugural "blog," represents at least one new element to the New Year. If my son, Rupert, is to be believed, it may be read anywhere from Milton Keynes to Mauritius. This would certainly be a marked expansion from the usual audience for my reflections, which consists mostly of Darcy, my Eclectus parrot. He is a magnificent specimen who has been a great source of comfort since the children left home, but his attention span is not unwavering. Occasionally, he punctuates my stories  -- on Natalia, the housekeeper's, blunders, or Miss Hughes, the bell ringer's, bunions -- by breaking open a Brazil nut with a resonant crack.. At that point I usually try calling my daughter, Sophie, or Rupert, who suggested last time that I might like to tell the World Wide Web all about it, rather than him. He is such a thoughtful boy.

 Also this week is Teaser Tuesdays.
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!
Open to a random page of your current read and share a teaser sentence from somewhere on that page.
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.
Here's mine from page 14:

My attempt to discipline Natalia has backfired. Yesterday, Jeffrey came home from work and headed upstairs toward his study. I followed him so that I could tell him all about the latest Aga malfunction on the stairway. He opened the door to his study and we were both greeted by the unsettling sight of Natalia cleaning the room in her underwear, which was scant, back, and dotted with little shiny red hearts.

This woman is kind of bumbling, oblivious and definitely loveable.