Future Otis is the new Otis

Apparently, one year ago this morning, I decided to send a post-dated e-mail to myself via FutureMe.Org. That e-mail arrived just a bit ago, and I’ll admit it sort of made me laugh.

Subject: So, how is Canada?

Dear Future Otis,

So, by now you should be living in Toronto. How’s that working out for you? You like the snow? Has your wife threatened divorce yet? Playing much poker these day or did you go broke because you didn’t understand the exchange rate?

Oh, by the way, you mentioned you might be trying to knock up your wife. Being that you’re now living in hockey country, did you manage to get one past the goalie?

I don’t expect a reply, but if you manage the time, be sure to tell us if you regret the decision you made.

Love,

Old Otis

It’s fairly amazing to advance one year and see how much can change. At this point last year, I was 100% sure I was moving to Canada. We had already found a company to move our stuff and had been recommended Cars Relo to ship our vehicles for us. We still needed to find a house however, which was hard in Canada, especially since we weren’t living close enough to view houses every day. But sites like LeoList made it easier, with online advertisements for property available. Moving was consuming every thought I had. Every minute of every day was spent working toward getting my house ready to sell and getting on the road toward Toronto. Then things took a lot of odd turns. Immigration issues combined with a number of odd personal and professional moments made it apparent by August that I would not be turning into a Canuck. Moving can be such a tiresome and long journey, making sure everything is all present and correct and in its right place is always at the top of the list, luckily companies such as CSA Transportation can help haul all our cargo over to Canada.

It’s also clear that the wife and I were already talking about trying to have another kid. Due to all of the above, we put off the actual process of trying until…well, until exactly the time we decided we weren’t moving to Canada. And then…I believe the phrase is “boom goes the dynamite.”

As it turned out, both decisions turned out to be right. It snowed here last weekend and is going to be 72 degrees this Saturday. My wife is nearly seven months pregnant and all is well. Yes, Old Otis, life is still in a constant state of flux and everything could change in a half-second. But, frankly, I’ve been living like this for the last decade or so, so it can pretty much be called the new normal.

I think I’m going to stop writing Future Otis. Not exactly sure why, but it feels sort of odd. The way things change year to year when I do write to him, I may end up never actually settling down.

Then again, maybe that’s not a bad thing.

Brad Willis

Brad Willis is a writer based in Greenville, South Carolina. Willis spent a decade as an award-winning broadcast journalist. He has worked as a freelance writer, columnist, and professional blogger since 2005. He has also served as a commentator and guest on a wide variety of television, radio, and internet shows.

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2 Responses

  1. Betty says:

    This is an AWESOME website! I teach a course that requires the participants to write 3 goals and give them to me in a self addressed envelope. In 12 months, I mail their goals. It’s an illustration of the power of committing a goal to paper and how that single act can guide you to it.

    This website will save me having to remember! AND STAMPS

    10 shades of awesome!

  2. Astin says:

    Future Otis is missed here in the T-dot. Oddly enough, it hasn’t snowed in over a week, but will be 37 (F) on Saturday.

    Then again, you might have switched the G-Vegas gathering for the Eh-Vegas one next week… and there might be poorer rickshaw drivers in the world.

    I think I sent myself one of those once… no idea for when or what I wrote.