My new favorite game is asking people to tell me what their “pipe dream” is. I had no idea what a pipe dream was until the notion was introduced to me by Fallon a few months ago. It’s a “ fantastic notion or vain hope, often fanciful or impossible” and even though the term came from fantasies induced by smoking a pipe of opium (re: this is a drug-free blog), I am so obsessed. What’s a better conversation starter: “What would you do if you could do anything?” OR “what’s your pipe dream.” Option B. Definitely.
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about what I would do if I had zero limitations – time, money, location, etc. I say do because living a life of lazy luxury isn’t a pipe dream, it’s just a boring genie in a bottle kind of wish… If we all have to work, or do something to occupy our days, what would it be in a perfect world? My pipe dream is kind of simple. I want to move to a new city, go to photography school, and spend my days taking and sharing perfect images. To feed my student self I would nanny for a family with darling twin babies. My precious white lab (which I don’t have) would also follow me around everywhere and be perfectly behaved. My uniform would also made up of this and these. (Don’t judge me, this is my pipe dream)
My dream might not be totally impossible per se, I could make all that happen if I wanted to abolish my current life in Dallas, break my apartment lease, and really take a risk… But (but, but, but) the chances of me doing all that are slim. At least right now. My goal is to take my high-reaching pipe dream and break out chunks that are achievable. Photography school? Maybe I can find a legit Arts program in Dallas that will fit with my schedule (looking into this). All suggestions welcome. The one thing I know is that I’m getting a white lab puppy come August. Maybe getting to a fully realized pipe dream is equal parts obsession, visualization, relentlessness, and luck.
So your assignment today is to decide what your pipe dream is. It can be big like backpacking through Thailand or starting a food truck or smaller and closer to home like making your backyard a rose garden or getting rid of all the decor in your house and starting over. To any of you already living your pipe dream (working for a killer designer? living in the city of your dreams? getting paid to perform your passion which already happens to be something your naturally gifted at), I envy you and you inspire me. Dare to dream (for realz) and dare to share in the comments!
(Image via Emerson Fry)
Sounds like a fabulous pipe dream!! Still not sure what mine is career-wise, but working on figuring that out
I hope you're considering going the rescue route for your lab puppy! So many dogs needing homes and love out there!!!
Love this, especially on a Monday. Contemplating a pipe dream and how it can come true is a nice way to start the week. Thanks for the inspiration! xx N
oh I just LOVE this question (and your response!) I would say my pipe dream would be leaving my finance job in DC and moving to a modern loft in NYC. I'd work as a luxury travel advisor who specialized in shopping vacations and spend 25% of my time traveling the world in search of fabulous hotels, exotic markets and luxury boutiques and 75% at home working with clients, eating my way through the city with my husband and playing with my (currently non-existent) puppy! Such a fun thing to think about
I love this post, something to think about from my desk at work — I think my pipe dream definitely involves doing something that's not at this desk
I say go for it girl! As soon as you are able to that is. I was working at a job I so clearly disliked that I think the people around me were ready to send me packing! I recently quit said job, packed up, and moved to Spain to stay with my bestie for a few months. So until I have to be a real adult again, I am enjoying the sunshine, sangria, and the girl time. I highly recommend!
Xo!
What a lovely post! Sure made me think about going on an adventure. – Megan http://www.step-brightly.com
That sounds great! Have you ever checked out creativelive.com? They have amazing courses on photography from the worlds best photographers. My pipe dream would be own my own pastry shop. On the waiting list for a spot at my local farmers market. Small steps. Love your blog and think you take great photos!
That sounds great! Have you ever checked out creativelive.com? They have amazing courses on photography from the worlds best photographers. My pipe dream would be own my own pastry shop. On the waiting list for a spot at my local farmers market. Small steps. Love your blog and think you take great photos!
What a wonderful post for a Monday. I'm going to spend the rest of the day daydreaming about my perfect pipe dream. Just sayin', it probably involves Paris…
I love me some Monday inspiration – thank you!
My pipe dream would also most definitely involve a puppy (a naturally trained and very well-behaved one, of course. that also doesn't shed or chew… do they exist?) and probably more time to blog, and more time (and money!) to bake. Aside from those things, I must admit that I am one of those people who actually likes her job, likes her coworkers, and enjoys coming to work. So that might be pipe dream enough!
I've always said I would move to Paris and go to cooking school to become a pastry chef. Hey, it could happen!
I love this! Especially love that you admitted you didn't know what pipe dream was until a few months ago… that's how I felt recently when someone said "smokeshow" (read: hot). It is a great convo starter! Mine would be to write a book… and make money doing it!
I love the idea of a pipe dream! Mine definitely switches pretty often, but right now I would have to say it would be moving to back to Nashville or California (anywhere else, really) and opening up my own cafe and coffee shop. It's not anything completely outlandish, so maybe it will become a reality someday!
This post made me smile
So thank you for that!
I'm not positive what my pipe dream is, but off the top of my head, owning a bakery, going to yoga classes every day, living in California by the beach, but not far from the mountains so I could hike or ski on the weekends. Definitely fun to think about! And I like how you said you'd divide up yours and work towards making pieces of it happen – I should do the same!
Such a fun post!!
I've always wanted to say "see ya" to my life in Iowa and go to Paris for a year! I love the idea of living like a Parisian for a while, then returning to my life in the states with a whole new look on life.
http://www.lizzieandleigh.com
♥L&L
Hubby and I are dreaming of building a small environmentally friendly custom home in a GREAT urban neighbourhood in our expensive city, with tons of small cafes and restaurants, with good schools for the kids, traveling internationally at least twice a year.
it sounds so simple, but feels so far away (unless we win that lottery!). One baby step at a time.
Molly,
This is a great post and I think you can definitely live this dream out. My friend attended the Art Instititute and received a Bachelor's in Photography, I'm sure they offer night classes!
As for me it feels like I've been dreaming this dream for quite some time and come June I will be living it. I'm leaving my job in June and backpacking through as much of Europe as I can afford. I recently got accepted to a Master's program in Boston and might be moving there so all is looking up.
Hope all is well with you and of course I keep up with the blog, I love it!
I love the idea of breaking up your goals into manageable chunks. My pipe dream is to make a living by writing. My first piece of making that happen was starting my blog, which has been so much fun.
What a great topic! I'm sure there's plenty of great photography courses in Dallas, I took one at SMU when I was in high school, might be worth checking out..
as for my pipe dream, right now, I love my job, but I would be even happier if my home office was located in the restored attic of my vintage walk-up with a few more fabulous designers on board. As for that walk-up, I want to restore an old one in Chicago that's also got a yard for my puppy to run around in! A girl can dream… hah! good luck with photography school!
Brookhaven Community college is near where you work…and they have night classes….I will be taking one in March….and the best part….since you live in Dallas and pay taxes classes are on the cheap! This could be a nice way to do it all!!
Love this! Your pipe dream sounds amazing! My little brother just asked me this on our recent road-trip to Florida. I know I would love to do something in fashion. Definitely trying to live pieces of my pipe dream daily through my blog!
xx
Giovanna
http://www.HeyLoveBlog.com
intern or apprentice in a fragrance lab in europe. my cavalier king charles, Potato, would my companion.
My pipe dream would be to have my own children's store…I have had this dream from the time I was little! Maybe one day! You should follow your dreams now…before kids and a husband get thrown into the mix!
I think about this a little too often but isn't too far off in the sense like you mine would be pretty simple. I'm currently working on getting my masters in library and information science-to the point, I'm on my way to becoming a children's librarian. But if I could I would love to own a second-hand bookshop and spend my days beautifying the interior of my little nook of a shop. Not that far off from what I"m currently doing, I love rare illustrated books and read a little too much. However if these kinds of places weren't closing left and right I would absolutely go for it-maybe one day I'll go for it!!!! What a great Toast Talk today Molly!
That's an awesome question , the minute I saw the q I was hmmmm what is my pipe dream, great post.
http://meghansilva.blogspot.com
best toast talk to date. may all our pipe dreams come true! p.s. SLC? my old stomping grounds.
I was a photo minor as SMU and they have a great program. It is not the nicest labs but Charlie DeBus is a great teacher. Old, wise and a wonderful resource. He lives in Fredericksburg and commutes to Dallas to teach. He offers a workshop that gets rave reviews. You should totally check it out. http://www.crowabbeyworkshop.com/Workshop.htm
what an appropriate toast talk to read – i quit my job at a mktg agency yesterday! an amazing local men's boutique got to know me/my blog and brought me on board to bring in women's lines for the first time to a 50 year old men's shop! dream come true! cheers to you following your pipe dreams!