Who do you want to be? The one in charge of crepes.

There is one section in the newspaper paper I receive that is called I.D. and its tagline is "Who do you want to be?"

While it's probably meant to be inspiring and inviting and dream-inducing and reflective, I find it sad. While I suppose it could be meaning to encourage you to be the best you possible, to me, it always smacks of "Be something other than you are! You're not happy as you! Be something else! Dream of being something other than you!" and I find it sad that people are being encouraged to be someone other than who they really are.

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I love to travel. I purchased 1000 Things to See Before you Die. I know other travellers who have. I highlight places I've visited. I read through the book. It's full of fancy schmancy hotels you should check out. I would never travel to a new destination and waste time checking out a hotel. I rethink these types of lists.

Got my CAA magazine tonight. Saw an ad for a similar book (Trips to take before you die, or something). I was curious and yet, again, it made me cringe a bit.

They're meant to provide information and inspiration. The problem? You're living your life to someone else's list. Instead of your own. Yes, they can be used to help you add to your personal list. But it's almost too contrived. I think I prefer inspiration to seep in from a random source, plant a seed and grow, until the desire becomes so strong you have to place the destination at the top of your own list. Like watching the Eco-Challenge years ago and falling in love with the romance of the name Atlas Mountains, without even realizing it. So that, years later, when I've (seemingly out of nowhere) decided to go to Morocco, I don't even remember the true inspiration for the trip until we are actually driving through the Atlas Mountains (which lived up to their promise). So while I still highlight, just to keep track, I don't use the book for decision making. And no longer pay attention to these types of lists. I have enough of my own list to still work through that I'll be busy for quite some time.

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Cousin's bridal shower. Mother helping organize it. "If it were you, would you want to be responsible for champagne and fruit punch, or dessert?"

Champagne cuz we need to be drunk to get through it, or dessert to symbolize the lifetime of sweetness ahead of them?

Tough call.

And then, not really.

Dessert. Because dessert is always a truly happy time. And I would opt to be responsible for spreading that happiness.