A place where dreams collide

It’s been a fairly emotional week.  My dreams collided in a full cosmic clash culminating with me packing up and leaving my “dream home” in return for the opportunity to continue traveling more in 2024 and beyond.

Tears rolled down my checks as I walked out of the Main Street House, cat in tow, and prepped the house for my first Airbnb guest that checked in this weekend.

I relocated myself and Macie to a very good friends garage apartment.  Amanda is one of the few “constants” that have been a big part and a big supporter of my life, pre and post coming out in my late 30s.  I won’t ever be able to say thank you enough for this opportunity.

Unsure if they are happy tears or mostly sad, but renting out the Main St House, the place that was meant to be a "fresh start" and then turned to a "start over", a place where I carefully selected finishes and materials, furnishings and spared no expense to create the “American Dream” of my dreams, is now not my home.

I am not looking for your sympathy, it was a choice that was presented to me, and a choice that I made to give myself a LOT of flexibility going forward.  The tears are temporary and will be replaced with happy tears as I set out to new adventures in Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific, a return to the Great Barrier Reef, a return to Asia, my first visits to Alaska (2x), being able to explore NYC at Christmas, new Caribbean Islands to add to the 21 I’ve previously been to…2024 is going to be another amazing year of spinning around the globe.

If I keep all of my current reservations, I am at 100 nights onboard a cruise ship in 2024…and there will be filler trips to be placed between some holes.

The total for 100 nights on a cruise ship due to loyalty and casino offers is a whopping $3865.95, which includes a free drink package on most sailing and prepaid gratuities, $1700 in onboard credits, $1500 in free play in the casino + the value of the free drink packages.  It does not include airfare which should be around $2500 out of pocket + some airline miles. For some quick math, traveling for ~$50 a day for over 3 months including room, board, entertainment and destinations around the globe turns sad tears into happy tears real quick.

So that’s where my worlds collided.  Saying goodbye (or until next time) to one dream in pursuit of another.

Next up is planning my 2025 passport renewal so I can continue to spin without interruption…

Work, let’s talk about work for a moment.  I am feeling beyond thankful for all of you current and former clients that help make this possible.  I was just awarded the top Loan Officer awards for October and the 3rd Quarter.  November is shaping up to be the strongest month in loan volume in several months.  Now with added rental income from the “Main St Charmer” and things…meaning 2024 plans and this thing called life seem to be, at least for the moment, on more solid footing than they’ve been for a while.

So, onwards I go, spinning around the world.

Ohhh, and let’s talk about Asia for a moment.  My first trip to the continent is in the crosshairs. It’s continent #5 of the year and is less than 2 weeks away.  A few nights in Tokyo, then moving on to Kagoshima + Ishigaki Japan, Taipei Taiwan, Hong Kong, Daang Vietnam and ending up with a night at the Marina Bay Sands Singapore.  16 nights total…it should be unlike anywhere else I have visited and I am here for it!

Cole from Colorado

Spinning in 2023 and beyond.