The Clock is Ticking

So...yeah, I finally made my blog known to the general public, so ya'll should probably start with my first entry below to get the real scoop on what I'm doing here! (hey--when did I start saying "ya'll" anyway? Scary). While this blog is mostly for myself and family and close friends (or any stalkers out there), I welcome any and all who want to join me on my journey for the semester. I also welcome any publishing houses who want to option this blog for a book deal or movie script. I mean, isn't it basically the same thing as Eat, Pray, Love? Aren't I like a real-life version of Bridget Jones? (if so, that's fine, I just don't want Renee Zellweger playing me in the movie version. I'd say Demi Moore might be a nice choice--you know, we're practically twins with blue eyes and dark hair--but she can't act for the life of her. I'll cross fingers for Maggie Gyllenhaal for the movie version. There would be real Oscar or Golden Globe potential there. Excellent.

ANYWHO, I digress (and yet used to that--if you know me at all you know I'm a huge fan of the random tangent as well as parentheses). It is about T-minus 48 hours now until I'm on the plane to London (via Atlanta). I am mostly done with most things--packing, school prep, cleaning out my office (probably the hardest thing of all!) and getting my house in order for the extended absence. I am also full of nerves and anxiousness thinking about dealing with/mentoring/caring for and about 18 college students. And living with them. In a smallish old house that could probably go up in flames with a left-on curling iron. But I try not to think about that fact too much.

Anyone who has ever traveled with me knows I am a terrible packer. You would think by now with all the travel I have done I would be good and efficient at this, but I'm not. I mean, every time I travel abroad I remember that you really only need like one pair of jeans, a skirt, some sort of top, and a scarf. Yet, every time I get ready to go somewhere again I'm convinced that there's lots of stuff I might need JUST IN CASE (just in case what? The Queen wants me for tea? Posh and Becks call me to go out and party? Sheesh). Therefore, packing for being away for so long has given me a lot of anxiety. I mean, I make no claims to be a fashionista of some sort, but I just really like having my entire wardrobe available at all times. My shoe wardrobe too--I think I'm bringing a total of 7 pairs, plus slippers, plus flip flops. And trust me, I did some serious editing to get the numbers that low. I don't know what I'm worried about--for crying out loud, I'm heading to an international mecca of fashion and sophistication, it's not like there's NO SHOES in London. Cripes--I will probably need a bag just to bring all my European shoe purchases home with me.

So anyway, along with the clothes (ok, I managed to get my stuff in just two bags, which I feel is an accomplishment!) I have several other 'extras' as well. Because I'm cheap and I know the UK is super expensive, I went all Sam's Club and got huge bottles of shampoo and various toiletry items--which, of course, will probably have to be purged at the airport to some innocent (lucky?) bystander if my bags are too heavy. I also brought a few staples--granola bars, power bars, and yeah, Easy Mac. Because, you know, just in case I can't find a thing to eat while I'm there.

I have done all the other stuff, like officially forwarded my mail and given away all my full bottles of beer to friends. I'm trying to soak up as much of my TiVo and terrible reality TV shows as possible before I go, because I have no real idea of what the TV situation will be over there (this also gives me a great deal of anxiety, particularly because LOST starts up again for the final season in about 2 weeks. That AND the fact that I *must* be able to see who wins in The Bachelor. Priorities, people). I am feeling better about the fact that I finally learned how to use a webcam and have video chat set up--technology in this way rocks and makes me feel more comfortable with being away for so long. Because, anyone who knows me (to those of you who don't know me well--don't worry, you will soon) knows I like to be in the center of things. The life of the party, if you will (maybe some people don't think of me as the life of the party, and that's fine. I just like to be invited, really). And I hate to be away from the 'scene' I have established here in FL and one easy breezy phone call away from my family and out of state friends. But whatever. Who am I kidding. I'll be hitting West End theater and drinking my tea with milk and drinking room temperature beer in no time. Like in about 72 hours, to be exact.