Big Fear, Big Savings

I’m going to take this opportunity to point out that despite all outward appearances, I am terrified at the prospect of starting a new life in California. Taking such an enormous step with no real safety net, gambling everything I have on the hope of something better… well, it’s pretty much madness in my eyes, but other people seem to think it’ll work out so who am I to disagree?
Plenty of people subscribe to the whole “happiness vs. possessions” paradigm; I tend to want to be somewhere in the middle of the two. In this case, I’m not sure which side of the equation I will land on. Will I be happy in California? I mean, how much does place have to do with happiness? Will I like the people there more than the ones here?
Leaving everything behind — my house, a job that frustrates me but is admittedly stable, my cats, my family — is going to be very difficult, mostly because I find change to be so scary. But if I stop to think about it, those are red herrings. It’s wonderful to own my little house, but I don’t expect to live here forever. I’ll miss my cats, but cats are… well, they’re just around, they aren’t emotionally attached like the dog. My family? Well, I see them so rarely that it won’t make that much difference.
But one impediment is that I’m so lazy I’m not sure I’ll be able to actually pare my life down enough.
I’ve got to get rid of all the stuff I’ve accumulated over 38 years — I guess Craigs List is the way to go, but here’s a list of stuff that I’ll offer free to any of my local readers. Just drop an email if you’re interested in:

• double-width hammock with stand
• arts and crafts-style console table from Crate & Barrel
• chunky oak dining set with china hutch and 4 chairs from Cargo
• computer desk from Staples
• 2 tall and 2 short white Billy bookcases from Ikea
• small glass-topped patio table with umbrella
• one of those metal shelf units you see in gourmet kitchens (kind of hard to describe this one)

My life up for grabs! Hurry before it’s all gone!