Vicarious Indulgences

Picture some of your greatest indulgences.  Picture a dense, moist chocolate cake with rich chocolate frosting.  Picture a hot and cheesy Chicago-style pizza with sausage and fresh tomato marinara.  Picture the best thing you have ever eaten, EVER, and picture yourself eating it right now.

Picture yourself walking into the mall and walking out with everything you even THINK you want.  Think of new furniture and that cool new electronic you really want.  Think of leaving tomorrow for your favorite vacation spot and spending two full weeks.

Think of your greatest indulgences . . . then INDULGE.  Over the past couple of months, Megs and I have been able to do this on a consistent basis.  We want it, we indulge it. . . vicariously. . .

Vicarious: \vī-ˈker-ē-əs, və-\ Experienced or realized through imaginative or sympathetic participation in the experience of another.

That’s right, we indulge vicariously.  Let me explain:

Over the past few months, Megs and I have really made an attempt to make healthy decisions.  This was kicked off by our annual observance of Lent in which we give up all things sugar, soda, and fast food.  This then lead to a fairly structured regiment of daily foods that obviously did not include most of life’s AMAZING and craveable comfort-style foods.  So, how have we coped? . . . Food Network.  Ina, Giada, Bobby, Paula, Guy, the Neeley’s, Throwdown, and DDD to name a few.  If you think hard enough, you can ALMOST taste it.

While awaiting “an income”, our observance of the budgets are bigger, hairy, and more ominous than before.  Though we’re kickin’ it frugal style, we still pine.  So being, my wife has come up with an affordable way to rectify this want: online shopping and the delete button.

Last week I walked in on Megs finishing up yet another “shopping spree” at BabyGap.com in which she racked up a bill of over $800.00.  At this same moment, Megs hit the “delete all” key on the screen, took a deep breath, and sighed, “There, I feel better.”  She did this same thing three days later. . .

Finally, we LOVE to travel . . . well at least we like to TALK about traveling.  Megs and I have a detailed itinerary for about 15 different and awesome vacations we would like to take one day.  Like, we have already sacrificed our large, future estate for the opportunity to travel the globe with our children.  So, how have we recently and vicariously filled this void?: 2am, a very sad 13 month old getting her molars in, two desperate parents, and strong desire to spend a week back East.

Just driving past the airport, watching all the people come and go, guessing on where they have been and where they are going just seems to do it for us.  Its almost like we are going somewhere . . . rather than just back home.  Airport=refreshing past time.

So, there you have it.  Take all of these things, sprinkle a daily dose of Jillian, and you have our life.  It may not be a glamorous life, but it’s our and, for now, it does just fine.