Wonderings on Wanderings: Preparing for 2015!

2015 is fast approaching and so the time has come to think about our dreams and hopes for the coming year. Actually, I only have a few items on my list but they are huge, significant, and will certainly take a whole lot of effort to make sure they are not on the list again for 2016. I am determined to make them happen next year. Here they are, from easy to difficult:

1. We will travel again to eighteen destinations in nine countries, fifteen destinations with Bill and three with BFFs Jingjing and Ann Everything has been booked except for Morocco and Macedonia, that is why this is the easiest to accomplish. The only thing to do is to keep healthy so we are able to make and enjoy the trips!

     March 18               Dubai, United Arab Emirates

     March 21               Rome, Florence, and Pompeii, Italy

     March 28               Malaga, Sevilla, Granada, Spain + Morocco

     April 4                   Nice, Cannes, Mougins, France + Genoa, Italy

     July 2                     Calgary, Canada

     September 12-26   Kauai and Maui, Hawaii

     Oct. 10                  Malta

     Oct. 17                  Bulgaria + Macedonia

And if my book will be launched, the following two cities will be added:

     May 27                     Manila, Philippines

     June 26                    Seattle, Washington

2. I have submitted the second draft of my book to my publisher. Even if it does not get the nod, I will work hard to make sure it still makes it to production by February. If it does, then I would be able to launch the book by May with the indicated tentative launch schedule above. We not only have to decide which other cities to launch in but also when and how.

There is a whole lot of marketing activities to support the launches, including solidifying my online platform which now only has my Blog, my Facebook Fan Page, and a beginning Twitter account. I have yet to launch my website, initiate Instagram, and revive my LinkedIn account. I may also look at Pinterest and YouTube. This will all require a lot of effort. I really don’t know if I can do it but I will try.

Bill and Carol @ the tennis court, wearing their uniforms

3. Doing both of the above should be a near impossibility! So the most difficult, while we are juggling the two goals, will be to keep healthy physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And not just on my own, but with Bill most certainly. This is why we have decided to stay put at Viewpoint. It makes everything a lot easier. Transferring to a new home will have to be postponed to a later year. And we have to continue with our new-found healthy eating regimen (the 80/20 Rule of Healthy Eating) and daily exercises of either gym or tennis with regular visits to our doctor and our parish.

I know it is an ambitious plan but, if all things push through, I promise to retire again soon!