It all began innocently enough, a few beakers of wine, maybe some gin, don’t remember. It was dark outside and chilly; yes even in Southern California it gets chilly. Dressed in sweatpants and my lucky Michigan sweatshirt, I was comfortable and relaxed. Then… an email arrived in my inbox. It’s January, past the holidays, we had been discussing where we might want to travel next. One of Lucia’s favorite recreational habits is to search for good deals on flights to almost anywhere. Past destinations have been determined by her research and results, (read good deals). The e-mail was an invitation to a week-long photography workshop with Trey Ratcliff in New Zealand. Hey, Honey. I just got an email inviting me to participate in a photography workshop in NZ wanna go? Leading question (the judge instructs the jury to disregard that question) she asks when. End of April I answer. Let me check she says. I’m thinking let me check what, we had been talking about New Zealand for several years, always coming to the same conclusion - too expensive! We need a good deal to commit to overseas travel. If I book the workshop now, I get a discount…. of course she says “how much” 10% says I. Do you want to do it she asks? I would love to I reply, book it she says. I did, knowing that we could not get the full amount back if we changed our minds, full speed ahead. For the first time, we committed without a “deal” on flights, etc.