If you had six months

Aside from being flashed by a young 'indecent exposure' fellow on my Wednesday evening run, I had a number of thoughts and good ideas. Lots of 'em actually. I've been down with flu so Wednesday was my first run in a week and a half! I suffered a bit, but it was worth it to get out and about.

My one thoughts was around, "What would I do if I had six months to live?". As a freelancer, I'm always too scared to spend money on trips, holidays, clothes and such because I never know when things are going to be good or things are going to be hard. Work has been fairly stable for the past few months but it looks like one of my clients has had a project cancelled, which means I'm out of work on this project and need to find something to fill the gap.

As a result, I like to keep a reserve so that when this happens, I'm fine for the next month or two while I put something else together.

But, if I was given six months to live... I'd happily spend on things I've wanted to do for ages. That five-day yoga retreat in Thailand, on the island with the 50km circumference that I want to run around while I'm there; going to a big adventure / mountain film festival, like Banff in Canada; a trip to any one of a dozen 100km / 100-miler races; a trip to the UK to visit friends; a trip to the US to visit friends... I don't want stuff; I'd rather go places, see things. And then pass on.

Ja, sure, I could pass on next week, but I don't know that. It's one thing to want to live in the now, but, some thought does have to be given to the future. This is, I find, the hard part of freelancing. It can be a very uncertain lifestyle. So, although I can't, at the moment, jump on a plane to Timbuktu just 'cos I think it would be fun, I still wouldn't trade freelancing to be tied down in an office - it destroys my spirit.

So, if you had six months, what would you do?