02 April 2009

Never Enough Time. Ever.

Counting down the days to Sweden, and I have not enough time to get everything done, done, and done.  If I was the worrying type....sigh.  We all know I am.  Between the amount of things to get done and the amount of worrying I apparently "need" to do, I have a devil of a time falling asleep.  I also have been dealing with a lot more heartburn than I really need to.  

One of my many, many faults is that I'm a procrastinator.  Yes, I freely admit it.  It is a very, very bad habit, and I have learned over the years that if I get things done ahead of time instead of everything last-minute, huh, I don't feel like a nervous wreck.  How 'bout that? 

Since I've known for a few months that I'm going to go, I'm ahead of my usual curve, and really, I don't have all that much left to do for the trip itself.  Everything else in my life, though, I'm not so sanguine about.  

I know what I'm packing.  Get this  - which should give you a big chuckle - I am really and truly attempting to cram absolutely everything that I need for the 5 weeks of the journey into bags that I intend to carry on the plane.  Every time I fly international, my luggage gets lost.  Every time.  So I have a nicely matched set of a small rolling suitcase and tote, and that's what I'm taking.  I'm not taking enough of any liquids to need to check them.  I have Lush to thank for solving the shampoo/conditioner problem; they make a SOLID SHAMPOO that is wonderful.  They also make a solid conditioner, and I'm not as crazy about that, but it at least eliminates me trying to either check through big bottles (and hope against hope that they don't explode all over my clothes)  or to locate small bottles of stuff that fit into the stupid TSA restrictions.  

I plan to take 1 week's worth of clothes.  I will have access to laundry facilities, and I plan to take advantage of them.  I have a bunch of stuff that can be balled up and crammed in a suitcase and still come out looking like a million bucks.  The only fly in the ointment for me is shoes.  I love shoes, and trying to figure out 2-3 pairs to take and no more....is torture.

A good friend suggested making a list of absolutely everything that needs done in my life, and as they get completed, checking them off, and leaving the list displayed where I can see the progress.  Things currently not done:

Write a newsletter article
Clean the closet room
Write a press release for a non-profit board I sit on
Compose voice-mail "away" message
Compose e-mail "away" message
Add international calling to my mobile telephone plan so I can use the Crack Berry in Sweden
Mail my sister's birthday present to California
Write some ads

Pretty short.  In the midst of this is Easter, which I have hosted at my house for my husband's family every year for about the past 5.  My darling beloved begged off to his mother on my behalf.  I love that man!  If I were hosting, you could add about 17 more things to the list, all involved with trying to make the house spic-n-span and cooking Easter dinner.  Instead, I have 2 things I need to make, and more than a week before they need to be made.  That's working well for me.  

Except for the fact that my oven is still broken.  

(Which is a story for another day.  A calmer day.  A day without screaming insanity surrounding me in a 360-degree manner.)

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