04 April 2008

The List

You know, I am a fairly intelligent person. And I own a calendar. And a planner that I dilligently write down all my events in. And I’m conscious of what the date is.

So WHY, in the name of all things that are holy, can I think constantly about going on a trip, then look at a calendar and feel a complete meltdown coming on when I realize how much I have to do before I leave?!? It makes me feel like such a freak.

Such is my mental state at the moment about the trip to IQF.

I looked at the calendar today.

I realized I leave next Wednesday.

I counted (which is a good skill for engineers to have) and determined that is four days away.

I am now officially freaked. (And its the kind of freak-out-feeling like you get when you watch a scary movie and you just know someone's head is about to get lopped off. You can see it coming but you are helpless to stop it or avoid it. That's pretty much where I'm at.)

So in all my wonderful Virgo-like logic, I decided I would feel better if I just made a quick list of what needed to be done before I leave. It was neither a quick list to make, nor will it be to execute. And it keeps growing as I keep thinking about things. (I fear that Cathy’s car will not be large enough. I suppose I could always ride on the roof.)

I hate the list.

The list is evil.

The list seeks to stress me out and torture me into believing that I will not be able to pull this off. It is the devil.

I think I will burn the list.

I can do this. I just have to ration time. I’ve always thought that humans are so poorly designed, having the requirement to lay completely still for at least eight hours everyday. Think of all the stuff we could do if we didn’t need to rest. Blasted sleep.

Tonight will be domestic duties, which includes bathing the Dooley dog. Cathy will be meeting him for the first time when she comes to pick me up and he will be embarrassed if he does not look his finest. He is nothing else if not a good host. (Although I wish he had the ability to wash himself. He’s rather short so getting into the tub would be quite the feat but still, I need to train him to do something.)

And of course tomorrow I am doing absolutely nothing related to preparing for the trip. I am taking a class on how to make Stupid Sock Creatures. (Not that I feel a class is required to execute one of the little buggers but let’s face it, its far more interesting to make stuff when you are sitting amongst a group of fellow odd artists making the same thing.) And I’m looking forward to it so I’m not canceling it. Perhaps if I finish the fellow I can take him on a photo safari during IQF. I know, I’m weird.

Sunday is taken up by a baby shower. But hey, you gotta celebrate the little wee people, so that ought to be fun.

I’m wishing now I had taken Monday and Tuesday off as well from work but allotted vacation time is limited and they are cranky over there so its probably better that I don’t. Its not always a wise thing to taunt the crazy people.

Perhaps I will burn the list and just wing it. It might make things more interesting.

3 comments:

Leann said...

A ritual burning of the list will make you feel sooo much better!!

Anonymous said...

Pace yourself, so you can actually enjoy yourself in Chicago, not recuperate.

Julaine said...

Yeh, what is it? Thanks for posting about this, Lynn...I'm feeling the same about the lists.

I remember last year only using 1/4th of the stuff I brought. This year I'm working on this mantra, "I didn't forget it, I will just have to buy it from the vendors."

See ya this weekend...