Across the universe

Have you ever received a message from the universe? A little something that lets you know you're on the right path and to just relax a little and stop worrying so much about everything.

For example, about four and a half years ago, after I had already stopped heading down my original life path, taken a sharp right turn and found myself on a comfortable country road that was nice and all, but a little boring and with nothing to look forward to on the horizon, I decided to take the next exit and was quickly approaching the on-ramp to something completely different. It was an exciting time, but also scary. I'm a pretty confident person and I'm generally comfortable with change - you have to be when you grow up nomadically - but I tend to fear the unknown.

(Not that fearing the unknown is uncommon or anything, but with me it can manifest itself in strange ways. I find it difficult to even go into stores and restaurants that are new to me, especially if I am alone. What can I say? I am a dichotomy. Just like all humans.)

Anyway, back to my message from the universe.

One night I attended a focus group about...bottled water, I believe. (I have no problem with selling my opinions. People, you've seen my debt!) When I arrived, they handed me a clipboard with a whole bunch of papers on it and a "Hi, my name is" sticker. I filled out my sticker, stuck it on my sweater and settled in. Throughout the session we had to fill in the papers on our clipboard and hand them to the moderator. Well, when I handed the last paper over, I looked down at my now empty clipboard and there was an old sticker on it. It said, "Hi, my name is Tammy."

Now, I know that Tammy is not exactly a strange and unusual name. A little ditzy perhaps, but not unique. Still, I don't meet a lot of Tammys in my travels. So I took that discarded sticker as a sign from the universe that taking the highway was the right thing to do. And even if it WASN'T a mysterious message from the universe, it made me feel better about the decisions. And now, almost five years later, I can clearly see that it was absolutely the right decision, which only reaffirms my belief that it was indeed a message.

Well, this morning as we walked to the subway, the boyfriend got a message from the universe. Not that he's standing at a particular crossroads in his life or anything...that I know of. (I think I'd know. I hope I'd know!) But still, it's nice to get a pat on the back from the universe. At least, I think it is.

Oh ya, the message. We were crossing through some traffic parked at a stoplight and I noticed the license plate of a bright yellow car. The vanity plate read "Hey [insert the boyfriend's initials here]." I was excited, so I pointed it out to him. He placated me by acknowledging it, but I know it didn't mean the same to him that it did to me. But why else did I notice it? It was the only license plate that I looked at this morning. Maybe it was the yellow of the car that made me look? But we were also out the door at least 10 minutes earlier than we usually are...

Well, if he won't claim the message, I will. I'm choosing to believe that the universe was saying "Hey Tammy, that [insert the boyfriends initials here] is a pretty great guy. Hang on to him!" Ten-four, universe. Ten-four.

Total debt: $11,000 and change
Spent today: $2 (Having a hard time breaking the afternoon treat habit...)
Weekly total: $94.04 (I had a few bucks left over last week, so I believe that explains the extra.)