The Big Decision of 2021

As you go through life you find those forks in the road where you know everything will change based on a decision you’ve made. Not those little ones that make you wonder how it can go either way. But those defining moments where it encompasses your entire lifestyle and you know it’s going to be a BIG change.

About a month ago I made the decision to move from Alabama back to California. I was born there, and most of my family lives there. The only thing about it is? I hate California.

SHOCKING! I know. But there are reasons for that, and most of them have to do with how expensive it is to live there. Hence the funny part of this story.

I left California back in 2014 in search of a job where I could start to embrace the new world I had at my fingertips with new medication. (For those unaware I have Ankylosing Spondylitis). Most of California doesn’t want to give you a job without the ability to speak Spanish, mind you I’m fluent enough to get by with American Sign Language, thus McDonald’s wouldn’t even give me a chance. Pathetic, but that was my reality.

So I moved! I moved a total of three times since my arrival in Alabama and went through various roommates. All to my final demise here in 2021. Last year having dealt with Covid I struggled to maintain our apartment and so far we’ve been just sliding by. Finally, after signing a lease for another year, something occurred to me…

If I could NOT pay Rent or Power what then would I spend that money on? There were a few different answers to those questions. And all of them very much paving the way to how I wish to live.

With that money…

I could spend it on my business, my cats, and of course myself. I’ve been penny pinching as long as I can remember. My family doesn’t come from money. In fact we’ve always been middle class-ish borderline poor. We can afford luxuries but only because we saved everything we could spare. We had multiple computers in our house, one for each family member, and we always had vehicles to get to and from places. We were big time! There’s so much I could spend on making a better life for myself, but I wouldn’t have known it without coming to Alabama and learning a few things on my own.

So I’m retiring and moving to the Mountains!

I count myself very lucky. My family owns private property on a mountainside. We’ve had it for a little over a decade. What does it have? Electricity, a water spring, and best of all? No neighbors. Unless you count the other property owners about, but that’s 20 acres of “Leave me the fuck alone.” Heaven? YES!

Let’s also keep in mind the fact that my current roommate and I have been TORTURED by excessive noise from our upstairs neighbors for two and a half years. Some more great news, THEY MOVED OUT YESTERDAY!!!! Oh boy things are looking up! But of course I’m not crazy enough to think that the next set won’t be just as bad. So oh well. After all of that? A bit of space is exactly what I need.

Aurelia Vel

At mountain Peak some long time ago. I do NOT remember the last time my hair was dark and short mkay. Definitely before 2018.

Now I’d like to make another note here that I absolutely never intend to have children of my own. I have defective genes. BUT I would love to adopt a child someday! Financial stability is kinda #1 on that point, so fighting for it just isn’t worth it to me personally. I’m ready to retire as it were.

Back to the mountain topic…

Aside from living in the mountains away from civilization I could visit my family. We’ve never been super close but close enough that I have really missed the last decade of their lives. I’d like to go back and spend time with them while I still have it. As the eldest grandchild and still childless there’s not much in the way of “next generations” to spend time with. It’s all grandparents, great aunt/uncle, aunt/uncle, and some cousins. I’d like to really make these next few decades worth it. To show them what I’ve learned on my own and how I’m starting up my own business based solely on a hobby!

My creative paths also open up even more since my father is a General Contractor. He has his own workshop. Ohhh yeaaaah! I want to do some woodworking among various other things! My Great Uncle is a pro with Photography and I can learn from him too. Plus Grandma is probably where I get all of my creative bits from even though the entire family is insanely creative and artistic. I want to do some painting with her!

PLUS the kitty adventures. Hold my Dr. Pepper! Cause we got a kitty backpack coming and we’re gonna embrace the traveling lifestyle! Nothing too hardcore, but it’s a fact I will be with my babies no matter where I go. They are 100% indoor cats, and were very sheltered most of their lives thus far, so we’re going to slowly work our way to adventures with mommy Vel!

Now this sounds all well and nice as an idea. But I’ve also put a lot of realistic-thought behind it all and prepared for everything that needs to get done before I can move. Mostly selling all my stuff if I can, but for a very good cause. My mental and physical health will benefit greatly being in the clean mountain air again. Mostly mental. I need the break of not being suffocated by other families imposing their loud lifestyles upon me.

I know what I want. And that’s truly a hard thing to know. I’ve always had ideas and vague impressions, but now I’m certain. I want to be able to moderately travel and live my life the way I want to. I want to visit Zoo’s and Aquariums. I want to do more conservation like things and donate to places I align with. I want to build a future for myself that is more than I ever dreamed before, and it’s already so close it just takes a bit of action to see it through to the end. And I’m going to do it!