Keeping it Together

Finally, I can say I'm almost packed for my trip.  I have a few things I can't pack until the day I leave (toothbrush, hairbrush, etc) and I need to find myself some casual black shoes for meandering, but otherwise I'm pretty much done!  Bonus: I easily got everything into my carry-on bag!  My only trouble was the stupid "one-quart bag with all liquids per person" rule.  I mean, seriously?  A woman was obviously not involved in that decision.

So, what to do while I eagerly await my departure from the frozen tundra?  Well, tonight I'm going to finish up a couple craft projects and tomorrow I'll be meeting my extended family for lunch.  I'll probably try to find the before mentioned shoes tomorrow as well and also run to get a few personal grooming things done (goodbye Italibrows).

Now that I'm packed, it feels real.  I'm going to visit that place that will hopefully be my home this summer.  I'm both excited and nervous - what if NYC isn't how I remember and I hate it there?  What if my expectations aren't met?  Then what do I do?

"I don't have expectations. Expectations in your life just lead to giant disappointments."

~ Michael Landon

I'm trying to just live in the moment and enjoy my trip with my best friend, but its hard.  If I don't like it there then I'll have to completely reevaluate all of my current goals - eek!  I've told pretty much anyone who will listen to me that I'm moving out East this summer, so I'm scared that if I change my mind they'll all think of me as a failure and a few of them will give the ol' "I knew you'd never leave".

I just need to get my expectations in check and remember that NYC isn't an oasis - there is noise, dirt, pollution, crowds and rude people.  If I go in knowing and remembering this I don't think I'll be disappointed - if anything I'll be surprised by how clean, quiet, and friendly it is (and honestly, I believe the people in NYC are friendly - they are just more blunt than Iowans).  I've got to keep myself together and stop worrying - I'm going to have a blast with my best friend and meet a few new people along the way.  That's all that matters.

Packing Meltdown

I LOVE traveling, but I do not love packing.  I'm a mess over trying to figure out a way to cover myself for any situation for five days in a city when I don't have an agenda to plan around.  And don't get me started on all the new TSA rules.  It's been 9 years since I was last on a plane (I'm not scared of them - I just did road trips) and things have changed - I fully expect to mess up and have something confiscated. 

Besides all that, I refuse to pay $50 round trip to check my luggage, so on top of the stress I already experience I now have to figure out a how to fit everything into just a carry-on suitcase.  I purchased some travel space bags, so I hope that helps.  I've decided to keep the actual clothing pretty neutral - lots of blacks and grays and denim - and then use accessories and lightweight tank-tops to bring color into the outfits.  And I'll be wearing all my bottoms more than once.

"He who would travel happily must travel light."

~ St. Exupery

I have to make sure I have enough room for my work-out clothing and shoes because after taking three days off from running for my sinus infection, I learned I cannot skip that many workouts without wanting to die when I restart.  I also have to remember to have my film for my Holga hand inspected or it will spoil, so I need to keep it someplace I can easily access.   Oh yeah - and then there is the need of getting travel-sized bottles for my medications with pharmacy tags on them.  I have so many little things to remember. 

Oy. 

I'm sure I'm making this more complicated then it has to be, but my type-A butt just has to organize.  It's what I do.  Six days.  I have six days.  I don't need to panic.  Deep breaths.