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Simplicity. I had been thinking a lot about what's important in my life, how my goals have changed, and where I'd like to see EL and I be in the future. The bottom line is basically happiness, but I think simplicity is key. There is a certain web of complexity surrounding every aspect of my life today... high profile job in an extremely large corporation, mortgages plural on more than one property, credit cards, automobiles, etc. It's all this "stuff" that ties adults in contemporary America to jobs they may or may not enjoy and a routine that they may or may not dictate. The peanut gallery may be full of naysayers, but I believe that everyone has the ability through choices to shed this stereotypical lifestyle that fits people into our class based society and live free... maybe not fiscally free, but free of heart. That is where I want to be in a few years. Free. There is a lot of pressure associated with the responsibility of being a good provider for your home and maintaining a quality of material life that provides safety and comfort for your loved ones, but that's not really the junk I'm talking about. I talking about state of mind. Simplifying just makes the path from here to there easier to see, but it isn't necessarily a requirement to get there. I just know I want to find my way there fast. I lot of people think money leads to happiness. I think money leads to comfort, but not much else. People without money have problems, true, but people with money just have more expensive problems. I someone where to give you ten million dollars - no strings attached - how would you use it? I'd be curious to see the results of that kind of case study. There was a large chunk of time in my life where the me would have bought and played and squandered, but now I would use it for the long haul. Set it up to trickle enough subsidy to my pay to life a modest lifestyle doing exactly what I want to do. Interesting thoughts. I'm crazy tired this morning. I believe it to be psychological. I'm sure that if I were going anywhere but the office, I'd feel differently. Maybe a few gallons of coffee will help? Speaking of, I heard some blurb on the radio about a proposed coffee tax. I didn't get the details, but I think it's an ingenious idea that I absolutely hate. Just say no.