On my way to work the other day I was going through a mental list of things I’m going to miss and not miss while I’m away. I know some of the things I’m going to list may seem silly, but I want to write them down anyway. I want to put them out there so a year or even a month down the road I can look back and hopefully laugh.
DOWNTOWN HOUSTON
Things I’m going to miss.
- FAMILY
I love my family and I’m especially going to miss my mom. She is an angel and (I have tears just thinking about this) am going to miss her the most.
- FRIENDS
No not the show, but my real friends.
- HOUSTON
I love Houston and will miss it.
- BED
I love my bed and can spend countless hours, hell even entire days in it.
- TV & DVR
I wouldn’t spend countless hours or even entire days in my bed with out this duo. I’m a huge TV junkie and am not ashamed to admit it.
- TV SHOWS
Are we ever going to find out who the mother is on HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER? Are Meredith and Derek ever going to have a baby on GREY’S ANATOMY? Are Kurt and Blaine going to end up together on GLEE? Ahhh the questions can go on and on.
- CHIPS
I’m addicted to chips. I literally eat chips with just about everything.
- HOT SAUCE
Luckily I’m starting in Latin America so I’m sure I will find some great ones down there.
- CELL PHONE
I live with my cell phone by my side 24/7. I’m not taking a cell phone with me. I do not see the purpose of it and will have to adjust with out it.
MY BED...I WISH I CAN FIT IN MY BACKPACK!!!
Things I’m not going to miss.
- TRAFFIC
Houston has got to have some of the worst traffic in the world. Commuting to downtown for work is hell. Sometimes I can get there in 15mins and sometimes it can take up to an hour. Sometimes even 2 hours if a dead body is found in the middle of the freeway.
- WORK
I’m not going to miss dealing with customers anymore. I’m also not going to miss having to deal with management about my productivity or quality.
- WORKING SATURDAYS
For the past 5.5 years I have worked every single Saturday. The only way I was off is if I was sick, it fell on a holiday or I used vacation time. It’s going to be nice to enjoy my Saturdays the way I want to from now on.
- SPENDING MY DAYS OFF DOING NOTHING IN MY ROOM
Now I will be able to spend days doing nothing but around the world.
- THE ROUTINE
Even though I don’t do much anymore the last few months have just been one big routine. Every week follows the same pattern as the last. I’m looking forward to every week being different.
———————
I know I will adjust to life on the road and not even think about these things. I know I will look back and probably just laugh at this. Who knows maybe months into my trip I will miss my job. I am so excited to breakaway and go on this adventure, but damn it is scary. I’m about to leave everything I know behind and go out to the unknown. I am ready though and can’t wait to breakaway.
Don’t spend too long worrying about missing chips Jaime! You can get them everywhere. Try to look forward instead to trying lots of new varieties?
Liv recently posted..Cage Diving- How to cuddle a Great White Shark
Thanks Liv, that is a good idea. It is going to be interesting to see what chip I find on the road.
Yeah, there is never a replacement for the comfort of your own bed & home town. You’ll discover new comforts like an empty dorm room and a peaceful train ride that will feel like spending an afternoon in your own bed.
Even though I won’t be leaving until next January, things are starting to hit me that I will miss. I won’t be here for another Super Bowl for a couple years and I, being a huge politics fan will miss all the election of 2012. Thank god for the internet though, right?
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Ahh that is very true Scott. I didn’t think about it that way. I guess once I am on the road for a while I will start seeing things differently. As for missing the super bowl I actually thought about that during the game. Next time I watch the SB I will not be in my own country… How strange.
The only thing on that list you will ACTUALLY miss is your family and friends. Everything else is replaceable.
I just moved cross country to temporary housing.
– New bed
– New TV with only 20 channels
– No DVR
– No Friends
– New City (new State too!)
You know what, those are things that I thought I might miss too. But I really don’t (except the friends) – You learn to adapt. You grow. Other things become important to you. You will realize the old Jamie misses those things. The new Jamie won’t even realize they were ever there in the first place.
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Thanks Justin you are right about that. I think once I am on the road my family & friends are going to be what I really miss. Every thing else is stuff I have just been used to having for so long. Its going to be nice for the big change and I will adapt and learn to be with out it.
I find myself missing the most random shit while travelling… like grilled cheese sandwiches.
Thats too Ryley, I am sure I will be missing the most random things too.
your friends and family will miss you too but im sure they’re also excited for your big trip 🙂
flip recently posted..Cheap Travel Gears at Cash & Carry
Oh yeah Flip they are already tell me that they are going to miss me but are so damn excited for me. It’s going to strange once I leave and will not be able to talk to them whenever I want.
hahaha you’ll forget about them sometime especially when you’re drunk partying with other travellers LOL
flip recently posted..Cheap Travel Gears at Cash & Carry
Heckuva good job. I sure arppeicate it.
Weee… so exciting! 2 more weeks, eh? We’re just going to live precariously through you until our own departure.
Jill – Jack and Jill Travel The World recently posted..Getting Scammed Buying Batiks in Yogyakarta- or Not
Ahh yes JIll just a lil over 2 weeks and I am outta here. I will allow you and anyone to live precariously through me.
I love breaking free from routines! I try to do that even when I’m not traveling to spice up life a bit. I’m soooo excited for you. 🙂
Andi of My Beautiful Adventures recently posted..Meet My Fiance- Lucas
Hey Andi, yeah I hate routines and normally don’t get caught up in one but when your saving its hard to not get in a routine.
Breaking out of the routine is what I’m looking foreword too. Even though, any thing can turn into a routine… even travel.
You probably won’t even miss that stuff at first, with all the new experiences. Plus with an internet connection you can get pretty much any show you want.
Nick Laborde recently posted..Time doesn’t freakin matter- results do
Yeah that is true Nick, I guess everything can turn into a routine if we allow it too. I am not going to allow travel to become a routine. I am sure I wont miss many but who knows. I’ll find out soon.
Just think of how fun it will be to rent the DVDs for all the shows you are going to miss. It’s always better to watch them all in a row anyway. That way you don’t have to wait a week to find out what happens next! 😉
I don’t know that you will be missing chips too much. You might miss chips that actually taste good! Believe it or not, I actually missed working while I was gone for 2 months. I think having a blog is like working though, so most likely you won’t miss a job that you are forced to go to even though you don’t like it. I’m SOOO excited for you!
Christy @ Ordinary Traveler recently posted..Photo of the Week- Rowboat in the Sky 2
That is a very good way to look at it Christy. I didn’t think of that at all. Yeah I am sure going to miss my chips, but I know I will find some on the road too. Oh & yeah keeping up with the blog will my lil job & at least it will be a job I enjoy. EEEeee I can’t wait!!!
I got stuck on the fact that you love chips. Time to make a trip to the kitchen.
The NVR Guys recently posted..Here We Go – Our Mindful Mileage Run
So did you get y’alls chips???
You will miss something, sometimes, but believe me it’s going to be so exciting that you’ll actually forget about some things you think you’ll miss! I can’t wait to read about your travels, ooohhhh it’s going to be soooo soon! 🙂
Wow, you’re not taking your mobile with you, that’s brave! I could never live without it :p I have an unlocked BlackBerry and every time I visit a country I buy a simcard for local calls and data service. I use Skype for international calls.
Good luck Jaime, as usual I am excited for you 🙂
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Giulia, thanks I am curious to see how its all going to play out. About my cell phone yeah I am not taking one with me and is going to test me to a whole different level because I have never been with out one for the past 8 years.
You’ll find chips just about everywhere, and in all sorts of weird flavors. In Europe, I found shrimp cocktail chips and bbq chicken chips. Something quirky to look out for at each stop on your trip. As for the TV and your shows, I’ve said it before, but you’ll be fine. You’ll get so caught up in the excitement of traveling that you won’t even care about it as much. (Although I’ve only seen a few episodes of How I Met Your Mother and I REALLY want to know if they’re ever going to reveal who the mother is!)
Ali recently posted..Santorini Volcano Tour
Oh now I can’t wait to try different types of chips Ali. About my TV addiction I am laughing I know you have told me a million times I will be okay. I will catch up later & as for HIMYM they have to show us who the mother is at some point.
Now that I think about it, it might have been shrimp salad chips. Whatever 🙂
Ali recently posted..Santorini Volcano Tour
*sigh* What am I going to do with my chips, salsa, and margarita obsession?
I know when I was in Japan, the first thing I did when I got home was order a bowl of queso due to the lack of cheese there.
Erica recently posted..Not a Vacation
Erica, I love that we have similar obsessions. When we meet up we can indulge together.
I’m holding you to that.
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The change from the typical routine is the best. That and discovering new things every single day. Prepare to feel sensory overload!
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PAUL, I CAN’T WAIT!!!
Everyone else already said it best. You won’t really miss most of those things, and when you do find one of them along the way you will enjoy it even more. I know when I found Peanut Butter in Hue Vietnam I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. As for your ‘shows’ your friends can keep you updated and sometimes in your travels you end up someplace that has satellite TV and again you can catch an episode or two. I do miss my family and friends, but thank god for the internet and Skype! And your new job will now be exploring, experiencing and telling everyone about it. Safe Travels Jaime!
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Thanks Darren that is very good to know. I am so excited and I am sure I will forget about many of these things but yes thank God for Skype. I have already set my parents up for it.
There are televisions in other countries and most of them have satellite so don’t worry!
I see we have the same great taste in colour schemes 🙂
ayngelina recently posted..What you can learn from Hare Krishnas
Oh I know when I saw your page I was like oh wow same colour schemes as mine. We both have great taste.
How amazing it is that in just two days you will be a step closer to breaking away! I will miss you terribly. I’m pretty sure I will be depressed the first few weeks of your departure especially after watching Grey’s Anatomy. (that’s our show!) So don’t get mad if you have thousands of FB msgs waiting for you from each time you log in. lol
Try all the spicey stuff you possibly can and share the best with us.
Missing you already,
QueenB
Awww you are going to be ok & survive. I know I am going to miss our chas about our show Grey’s. You will have to keep me posted and I dont care how many message you send me. Send me a million and I will LOVE EACH OF THEM.
Oh & trust I am going to try a lot of SPICEY STUFF…. jajajaja!!!
New layout is pretty cool! Hmm you’ll always miss something in your life and that’s pretty normal. But think about all the wodnerful thing that you can bring back to share with your family later? From the stories to the pictures to the experience. Lots to share with them : P Oh yea you’re almost there to CR right? March : )
Every Saturday for the last 5.5 years….ouch mate, you enjoy your trip-you fully deserve to.
‘How I met your Mother’ is awesome. It’s more than just a comedy, it’s so philosophical and sometimes moving. Maybe you can watch it on your laptop when on the road when you’re wanting to chill?
Aaaanyway, not long to go, looking forward to reading about your journey.