Just to tie you over...

I'll be posting more about my fabulous travels, irritating delays, sneaky wookiees, and a hip hotel, but until then.

A sneak peek. ;)

I got in last night just before midnight. But it took me 10 minutes to connect to a cell tower to let my dad know I had landed. Good thing he's a stalker of my flights to make sure I'm on time and was waiting off airport property to swoop in and pick me up.

It wasn't a lot of sleep having to be up at 6am to get ready for work. Do I regret not spending the New Year with wook? Not really. I enjoy paying the end of the month at work as I pay bills for the company and pretend I work for a Fortune500. Besides wook is gearing up for his move further East, but more of that later.

And look forward to a holiday rendition of "the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" - that is if I can take time away from Mexican food with my parents, ringing in the New Year with Stacey, and catching up on my sleep at 12:01am. So we'll see. No promises. Only know that if I can make it appear, it'll be funny. Or at least it will be to me. If you don't get it, it's your fault. Muahhaha...

So back to work I go as I have the Beaver game tuned in on my computer.

And the winner is...

...for "the worst-designed airport to get from one gate to another" is....

*drumroll*...San Fran!

Thank goodness "411" (my dad) was on-call to guide me through the piss-poor marked terminals and gates. Good golly. I mean I'll take walking in airports versus taking the moving sidewalks so I can get the blood flowing anyday. But come on. Never connecting in that place again.

All this happened while my mom was yelling at my dad...."Shouldn't there be someone to help her? Just have her ask someone to take her to her gate."

She doesn't get it that when bigger airports have "international" in the title, they mean it.

As wook's dad said, "Medford International Airport and Tire Care." Couldn't be closer to the truth.

My advice to SFO. Better labels. I can follow arrows. I can't follow blank walls.

Thanks 411.

'Tis the season...

...to be jet-lagged...fa la la la....no?

Well, wishing every blogger and stalker a Merry Christmas and great time with family, friends, or jail bitches.

There'll be more updates for when I am re-released into the Oregon wild.

Till then, have a great time with those around for the holidays!

*Hugs!*

*yawn* Update!

Good morning, for the second time today. I put good use to my extra 24 hours in Medford by catching up on my sleep. Ahhh. Could have really used the bed buddy I thought I would get tonight.

Anyways...

...onto the updates.

So right as I was in the cusp of falling asleep, my dad pops in before he headed out on a job.

"Chicago's had over 300 cancelled flight this morning, by 9:00 [their time]."

Holy crap.

I checked fly.faa.gov and flights out of Denver to Chicago were delayed 2+ hours.

So even if I would have gotten a delayed connection Denver to Chicago, I would have gotten screwed in Chicago most likely over night, for a couple days, which equals a irritable, cranky, unbathed Ashley. Not a pretty sight.

And poor Uncle Sneaky who got laid over in Phoenix. Drink up.

And I'm still debating what to do with my day.

Failure to Launch...

So this morning a very hungry, anxious Ashley gathered her possessions en route to the airport. Not sure about whether I could pack my compactable umbrella in my purse, I told my dad to standby incase he needed to swoop out and get it.

Well...

As I check in, I'm informed that Denver is delayed 37 minutes. Not because of weather. But because of the crew. Unlike wook, I can't man an aircraft nor do I have any desire. Thinking back right now, I don't know if I want a crew that can't show up on time to pilot my vacation. (Just a thought to try and cheer up the situation).

So as the nice lady at the little kiosk kept typing away, I was met with even better news. I wouldn't make my 45 minute connect in Denver. Without that, no connection to Chicago. No Nashville. In fact, nothing available out of Denver until Sunday morning. "Wait, what?"

That's right. Stand down Ashley. We spent a half an hour trying to think of alternates. "I'll go to Portland, Sac, Frisco, I don't care." She typed away mercelessly. Nothing. Zilch. No life back east to Nashville tomorrow. We did come close to going Medford, Portland, Chicago, Atlanta, but wook really didn't want to diverge that far off the path. So we settled for the original offer. Sunday morning, Medford, Denver, Nashville (takes out one connect, which is awesome).

Disheartening, yes. What anyone can do about it? Nuthin'.

So now I'm left with today and tomorrow to kill. Well since I didn't hardly any sleep tonight, I think that might be my first stop. The rest of the day is up in the air.

Until then people, keep up those good thoughts!

The Final Countdown

So last night wasn't as speedy as I was hoping for. My hair appt got pushed back till 7pm (no biggie). I had to run down to my storage unit for my boots and long johns. Then my dad and I had to do covert ops across the street (I'll tell you more about that later). So by the time Katie got into town, I had only just started my laundry.

Well the escapade of stacking stuff to pack, then removing what I don't need, while alternating loads between the washer and dryer continued until 11:30. Then I thought, ah crap, I planned on getting up at 3am. After debating whether or not to call it a night while my last load was in the dryer, the automatic light turned off in the front room. Okay. Enough said. I'm going to bed.

That was met with resistance as I'm incredibly nervous/anxious about making my way across the States. Somehow I was sprinkled with fairy dust to knock me out until 2am. Beats zero sleep. So running on 2 and a half hours of charge, I managed to pack up the rest of my stuff. I even keep double and triple checking that I have the tickets just 'cuz panic and hysteria isn't far off from 2.5 hours of sleep.

So as the rest of the world wakes up on their own, fully rested after a comfortable night in bed, think good thoughts. Think that Ashley will order her standard in-flight ginger ale (helps the nerves), pop in the earbuds, and zonk.

Here's to the holidays in the Midwest. Oh ya, and with him. :)

So Ashley's plan of attack...

So yesterday was a time of deep mental concentration, stalking airports' weather, re-writing packing lists, confirming things over with the photographer, and overall interrupting wookie from his busy schedule of turtle feedings, videogames, and lunch dates with Joe. (Okay, so really, he has a lot to do today including checking out of NAS Pensacola. Yay!!!)

Anyways, my deepest fear this season is not getting delayed. It's having my luggage go to Fargo while my body goes to Nashville. Well to kill those fears, I've executively decided to not check my bag (saves me $15 each way), but to simply downgrade the amount being packed so it can fit in the carry-on size. Now I realize this may strike fear in other females wondering about all the things we need to exist (blow dryer, slippers, lotions, shampoos, conditioners, etc.). Well wook happens to be an awesome enough of a person to have let me keep extra of those at his place in Florida so I didn't have to pack as much when I visited. Everybody now, aaawwwww.

And I do have the reputation of being the Master Packer in the family. Roll it, sinch it, squeeze it. That $#!t will fit! :)

Obviously tonight is the only night I have left to accomplish all my tasks (thanks Mr. Stomach for your cooperation last night), so that'll be it. I may have some evening blogs about what to pack that readers/stalkers are more than welcome to comment on. But that'll be after I get my hair-did at 630. (So it may be kinda late for you East Coast folk).

So as I make it to the airport tomorrow with possessions in stow and enough snacks to feed a Boy Scout troop, I'll be praying to the Weather Gods, the Airport Gods, the Crying Baby at the Back of the Aircraft Gods, and the Big Man Upstairs. I don't pray for zero delays (which would be nice, but let's be reasonable here as even Medford has a snow warning, lol). I pray for a Friday arrival. In one piece. Nerves only slight razzled, only because someone farted at the front of the plane leaving a green aerial film to trench through. With a beaming smile when I see that all-too-familiar charcoal rig pull up. Happy to get the world's biggest hug from the boy I've been dying to see.

Amen.

Well that was productive...

Well last night started out on a good note. I got off work, got my nails did, and then headed home. Broke out the leftovers from Saturday for dinner since my dad wasn't back in town yet from being up north. Well a little while later, wooooooosh...I feel like barfing.

So I didn't think it could have been low blood sugar since I just ate food. Ah man, now that I look back...those cheesy grits totally didn't taste like they did/should have. Uh oh. So I hung out with my head on the toilet for a little bit. Distracted myself in the tub, splashing water around like a toddler. I tried some Tums but to not prevail. Took a shot of Pepto but that made me want to barf instead.

And it's not like I knew I was going to throw up. I didn't get that lovely throat-coating slime that comes with impending doom. It was just plain nauseasness. Just lovely. So instead of packing, cleaning and getting my butt in gear from Friday's departure. I laid in bed, speaker phone to wook, "I feel like barfing," overall wonderfulness.


And like anyone who's sick in our family, you get the 'barf bowl' experience. This is the recipient of family up-chucks since the dinosaurs cooled. And we still use it to bake double batches of muffins in. Gross? Nooo...silly. There's washing machines with extra hot water for a reason. Hahahhaaha...

Seriously...2 days...

So it's still unbelievable that in 2 days, well technically slightly less than that now, I will be on the move East to visit that boy of mine. Unfortunately there's still lots to do before I leave. Okay, not lots, but still some stuff.

I need to pack first off. Yes, this should be Goal Numero Uno, and it is, I've just had other things that have been in my way. Like work. But a girl will go crazy if I'm left with just my thoughts the whole day. That's why I have the phones and some accounting. To make my mind go crazy in other varieties.

Oh but first, the excitement during yesterday's lunch. So I went into the dentist for a lil touch-up to the outside of my teeth. So you know how you have enamel on the outside of your teeth? And if that enamel breaks down, and the destruction still occurs...ya got yourself a cavity. Well because the enamel on the teeth was beginning to be dangerously close to the cavity portion, well...it was decided to fix up the very back molars.

So on goes the gas mask.

I remember staring at the light, getting black spots in my vision, getting incredibly warm. I think I'm going to pass out. So I tell the ladies I'm really light headed. They *brzzzz* (that's my noise for when they un-recline you) me back up. Ahhh, vision. Turns out I can't handle the "adult quantity" of gas. Why even have the gas you ask? Ashley + needles = slightly anxious Ashley. And fun stuff...I get to go back again today for the lower half of my very back molars. Yay.

Tonight I have an ongoing list of things to do just because I don't want to have any responsibility tomorrow except get my hair-did. That includes cleaning up the downstairs bathroom, packing most of everything up (except those daily use items), paying my car payment, reading more of Milk, Eggs, Vodka :), and whatever else is on that to-do list of mine.

So as it narrows up on 7:15 in the morning, I should really get my butt outta bed and moving onto getting ready for work. I wish I had the life of leisure, Victorian era mainly. Although there wouldn't be blogging, I'd have nothing better to do than read. And walk my dog Mimsy around my fabulous compound. Life's rough married to a doctor. Big house, wait staff, husband who I don't really like that much but is rich, ups my nobility, and is constantly away. Bring on the corset.

Literally, poor Ashley

So today marked a monumental moment in Future Ashley's history. I opened my retirement account.


Here's my voluntary giving away of $4,000.00. Painful. But Future Ashley will enjoy it.
And I realize the cap is 5K. I'm holding out on that last thousand just incase I need the cash flow early next year (I have till April 15th to add. Kinda cool.)

I did have much more to ruminate about this evening, but I've seem to hit a wall in my thought process.

I do know that I don't have to cut off friendship to a certain person since I received her most excellent present in the mail this evening.

Things are coming together for my early morning departure on Friday. While I'm not packed yet, I have the list written up. I texted with an old college roommate this morning (she lives in Chicago, going to grad school), and she informed me it was 10 degrees there, wind chill at -18. Ugh. I will freeze my @$$ off. One reason why I haven't packed is because I'm not sure I want to see if I can fit all the layers into one suitcase. It just seems like a lot to pack when heading into Artic conditions. Am I going to Nashville or B-15? (Quiz. What's B-15? Dos puntos!)

I'm also attempting to train myself in sharing a bed. Now that I have my queen bed back, I've learned to love the sprawl action associated with military separation. Last time wook and I were together, we stayed on our own half. And we were only apart 3 months. (That seems like such child's play now, lol).

And I'm soo looking forward to my surprise in Nashville. I've informed wook that we're getting real pictures taken of us, because after 5 years...it's about time. :) I've posted her blog to the side, but if you're too lazy. Here. Part of my dilemma in packing is choosing a wardrobe that is travel friendly and photog friendly. Now you understand.

Thankfully my week (which work-wise ends on Thursday) ends with a hair appointment. Nothing relaxes a lady more than a salon shampoo (unfortunately I won't be receiving any complimentary scalp treatments. But a cute 'do is all I need). I worked it perfectly where I'll get my cut Thursday evening at like 6pm and be able to work the blowout the next day. Muahahah. Good planner, I am. I won't be getting much sleep anyways as I'll be up at 3am getting myself ready. Why 3am when I don't leave until 445? Hello, a girl likes to lay in bed and blog. :)

And on that note of being in bed and blogging, good night.

Medford, snow?

Medford, Oregon. Population: 70,000 (within city limits). Elevation: 1,500 (ish).

Number of snow days received growing up in Medford, OR: 2 (once in 8th grade, and again as a Senior).

Anyways, last night took us by storm (haha) as the valley floor got a couple of inches.

Pretty dang cool.

I wasn't about to walk out from the door's lip as I was still in pj's and slippers.

How can someone not like the look of snow? Now I realize that places in the Northern half of the States can sometimes receive more than they can deal with. That's unfortunate. But it still looks cool. :)

This is the view from my dad's office. I took a picture through the window, because I was still half asleep and my hair was still wet from the shower.

Still not a bad view from our house to the Siskiyous. (Those big mountains that are way out).

Obviously this doesn't look like that much after just waking up at 7am. Ya, I was running a little behind in my sleep schedule. What do you expect with Nyquil? No, I'm not sick. But I have the feeling that I could become sick and I want to ward off any bad juju. Anybody know the number to the big black guy off of Major League who can rub my baseball bat and kill a chicken on my health's behalf?

An addiction to feed...

It's no secret that someone who spent their collegiate career reading literature and writing papers has a secret crush on books, in general. Well that crush has transformed into a slight addiction. One where I don't think about where I'm going to put the books, just that they seem interesting or full-blown blow my skirt up.

Well last week as I was working my volunteer shift at the Rogue Valley Metaphysical Library, I had to cover the Media Exchange also which is right next door. (Same entity, different principle. The library has a membership and the Exchange is a non-profit free exchange.) Well since there weren't any patrons around to assist, I took to perusing the shelves for myself.

One book turned to two...which turned to four...which turned to the 11 that I brought home.

As you can see the topics vary wildly. The Heirs of the Fisherman is about the manner in which the Vatican goes about choosing the new Pope. There are some history books there, because no one can ever read too much about the past. That and my history skills kinda suck (thus wook's existence). So hopefully the books on Russia, fallen dictators, and global history to 1500 will enlighten me.

And in previous posts, you know that all my literature is in boxes in my storage unit. Sad, but where's a girl to put it? I'm going to have to keep looking for my sugar daddy with his Vodka empire and enough shelving space to house my growing collection.

Besides, since my shoe collection has slowed to crawl (which my dad can't complain about), I don't feel too bad about acquiring more reading material. Shoe fashions come and go. Literature is usually here to stay. Unless burning books comes back into style. But then you'd have people on you for environmental pollution. Or something like that. But I'm not planning on that. So books are here to stay. Yay. And what else do you do in the winter when the weather has turned to the white variety and there's a crackling fire nearby? Put on a pot of water and crack open a book. Ahh...

Out with the old...

So I decided that I was getting tired of the pristine white background of my blog, and opted to change it up. I'll call it blog-color ADD. And I'd like to make note that this is the first change-a-roo in color since it's creation. That's not a bad run in Ashley's world.

I like the grey background. A fun change, but not too emo.

How'd I do it? Just a little "Shuffle blog colors." (It was just too hard to try and redo what I had done before. That's an undertaking Future Ashley will just have to worry about).

Oh ya, and I don't know how but somehow my watch didn't keep up with change in months and I've been technically a day behind in my schedule according to my watch. Don't know how. But it happened. But not like I mind having the my world move up 24 hours right now.

Curious? Well it's 5 days and 6 hours till I board my flight outta Medford.

Thanks for asking, haha. :)

*UPDATE* I've changed the background once again. I liked it last night before going to bed. But then wasn't in love with it again this morning. Well Britney Spears and I have a lot in common. Let's annul the union before it's too late. So now it's onto a raspberry color. Until I change my mind again.

A sidenote...

Grrr for Blogger's Countdown not functioning as a Gadget. Don't they know that people need to know how long they have left until a certain event??? Gosh!

Well thanks for some other website for letting me download a Ticker that keeps me updated to the second on when I start my journey back East.

And incase anyone is wondering, it's a little under 6 days until I board my first plane, in a series of 3 aircrafts, next Friday. I can't wait, but I can. I have lots of stuff to do before I jetset across, okay nearly across, the country.

All I can think about is Europe's "It's the final countdown!!"

The end of the tunnel...

What's a girl to say about living with her parents? Lots. Loads. Mucho.

The good: FREE (saves up quite the cash stash)

The bad: The stigma of living with your parents...

The ugly: Going from 900+sqft of your own apartment, to 120sqft. Not easy.

So my goal since moving back for the umpteenth time since visiting wook was to finally get the important stuff out of storage. I was tired of having my feet hang off the bed, the closet was just not working for me...I just wanted my stuff again.

This weekend marked the official end of my lamentation/despair/depression. This morning I woke up bright and early with one thing on my checklist: Get the rest of the stuff along my wall (i.e. summer camping clothes, summer shoes, etc.), out to my storage unit. Now while some people see a storage unit as a waste of money, I see it as a necessity. There's no way to live with all my stuff in 120sqft. Especially since the unit was packed to the brim. Thankfully that all changed this morning as I rifled through stuff asking myself, When's the last time I used this? And while it's hard to let go of somethings, it's also easy. Cute lil knick-knacks that are only for decorating in college apartments, gone. I've done my Undergrad. I had a blast. Memories galore. But it's time to be a big girl and let go of the wall art I made in high school. Purple and pink. Who's really going to decorate like that in their 20's? Even Punky Brewster let go.

The day was an eventful one. I took equivalent to about 3 trunkloads of stuff to Goodwill and Saint Vincent DePaul, total. It was relieving. I figure the stuff might as well get used by someone and not just sitting around never to be used again. Plus, karma's always a good thing to have. I give, therefore I receive a fabulous trip back east to see that boy. Okay, so the trip was planned before I unearthed my unused possessions, but it's the thought that counts.

Anyways, since I haven't debuted my new room, I'll do the unveiling now.

So without further stalling...

This is the room. In all it's 10'x12' glory. Small, yet effective. It kinda reminds me of a nun's room. You get a bed, a clock, and a dresser. But when you live at home and all you need is a bedroom, there's not room nor need for excessive possessions. I do still need to bring in the headboard from the storage unit (which is accessible now, finally!) and hang that picture that you can kinda see on the floor. Then the room is seriously finished. And then comes the task of keeping it clean. Ugh.

This is a cross shot from the other side of my bed to the other half of the dresser and my coat rack. And now I realize I have a slight pattern of blue jackets, sweatshirts, sweaters. Hmm...

While this closet is by-no-means Oak Park standards, it's a vast improvement from what it was. I don't care how many people lobby for the typical shelf and full hanging system, I just can't do it. They drive me nuts. So for future reference, if you want to be my friend...just keep your closet doors closed. :)

I'm thoroughly impressed my mother actually accomplished this task. (Now I hear you now, Why didn't you put it up yourself if you didn't want the hassle? Because if you delegate and people do wrong, you're allowed to demoralize them. It's my way of a.) getting what I want, b.) and not having to do the work. Muahahah).

So what's next on my list? Packing for back East. I've never been to Nashville or Ohio, in the winter, so I'm packing everything I own including the toilet seat. Okay, maybe not everything I own. But enough to stay under the 50 lbs. limitation. I have a feeling I'm going to be in for more than I bargained for (i.e. White Christmas, new family members to meet, freezing my cha-chas off).

This is sad...I know...

So what's a girl to do who lives mucho miles from her boyfriend and only has a couple awesome friends left in the same timezone?

Well, adopt a vicarious couple!

Mine is Jim & Pam. Yes, them. I'm an Office junkie (thanks Collin and Katie, I still blame you) who even watches the webisodes and stalks their fansite. What else is a girl to do when that boy of mine is busy hosting a cocktail party?

Anyways, not to get detoured...but I saw this and couldn't think that a.) how awesome, b.) someone actually went to this length, and c.) I can't wait for Andy and Angela's the come out (that is...well after last night...*no spoiler alert*...but seriously, C&K...get with the program!, lol).

So what's a girl to do on a Friday night, with the weekend ahead of her before she flies outta town? Organizing, cleaning, and packing...that's what. I know I haven't blogged regularly in awhile but I've been busy attacking that downstairs bedroom that I now inhabit. The big bed is moved in, closet organizer up, so now I need to continue cleaning out my storage unit until only the important is left. That's what on my weekend plans for tomorrow. Once my camera battery is charged I'll post the new fabulosity in my life.

Here's to progress, a dwindling countdown, and a electric mattress pad...ahhh...heaven.

Edging closer...

So for those blog-stalkeratzis (I applaud you), you know that next week counts down, rather ends, the dreary, long separation that wook and I faced for...well your freedom, his schooling, my boredom/slight depression. Can I get an amen?

Incase people need a refresher on D-Day (departure day), I leave Medford at 6am on the 19th. Praise the Lawd! This means that I have to show up at approximately 5:59am to the Rogue Valley International Airport. I joke you not. This is the formal title. Ya, there's one Korean behind the counter, that's how they get away with it. Suuuuper excited to just have progress in getting back east.

And so for your entertainment-slash-slight irrationality on my part. I came up with a theory/concept that you will understand (although one will probably give me the "that's not the same" talk. Haha.)

So ya know how when you're sooo pregnant, and soo close to your due date that you just wanna crap the kid already. I've heard this from multiple sources, so I'm claiming it as truth. Anyways, last night I was about on my last nerve for waiting out the next week that I just wanted it to be next week already. Quit with the funny busines. I'm tired of texting, emailing, calling, harassing, stalking that boy. I just want to be over there already. I'm throwing in the towel. Ding, ding, ding. End of the round. Where's my cookie?

I mean, I have no other understanding of being on this side of the ball. Or, this side of the 2,000 miles. It sucks. And I've been as patient as...well a 2 year old before a nap. Sometimes I go with it, sometimes I revolt. Well, Che, this is a revoluation. (And I have no idea if Che actually assisted in a revolt, I just thought I'd make a history lesson. And I'm way to lazy to Wiki him. So suck it Trebek.)

Okay, enough with the rambling. Tomorrow will be a day of relaxation. At least after work. I've sheduled my birthday facial for tomorrow at 5:45pm. 80 minutes of divine serenity. 80 minutes to turn my mind off and enjoy being a year older, a year more fabulous, and a year where I don't mind resembling a baby giraffe when I run. It resembles heaven in that room. The lights, the music, the angelic touch. Shhhh...ahhhh..........

Make sure Mark gets the memo to not interrupt me please. ;)

Mark, mark, mark...

So this evening as I got off work, I decided to give Mrs. McDaniel a call. The conversation is as follows...

*ring ring*

Mark: "Hello."

Me: "Good evening Mr. McDaniel, is Mrs. Clause there?"

Mark: "Ya, she's in the bath, want me to get her?"

Freeze frame: Mark. She's in the bath. A sanctuary away from children and husband. A place to experience serenity. To unwind after a day of screaming offspring. To recharge the batteries of sanity. A place to not be interrupted.

Me: "No, no, no, no...she's in the bath."

I don't think boys really get the idea of a bath. Besides the fact that you can fart in the water and make a jacuzzi. I sure enjoy the baths I take where I can close my eyes and pretend I don't live with my parents. Where I have my own place, a chic apartment in Greenwich Village. Okay, maybe not New York. I'm definitely a West Coast girl. But you get the idea.

Executive Decision...

So after much deliberation. Well, more like...There's no way I can go without Internet for a week and a half. I have to bring my computer with me back East. Well this morning I had an epiphany.

Ashley, you silly girl, you've been without a boyfriend for 8 months and you're still alive. You can handle a week and a half without non-stop computer contact.

Besides, I don't know what I would do with myself knowing I spent valuable time blogging about my experiences rather than having more of them. Also, saving blogging until later gives me something to do while I'm in the post-wook depression phase that happens for a week or so. Sometimes more. Just depends. So while I'm not looking forward to lacking connectivity for a week plus. Just think. There's going to be this boy I get to hang out with. Yay me. Too long waiting if you ask me. :)

T-Minus 18 Days...

...and counting. And continually getting shorter. And I'm increasingly stressing about it.

Oh, "why?" you ask.

Well here's my compiled "To Do" list before I jet-set on December 19th, 2008 (in no particular order).

• confirm Christmas card list, buy eco-friendly cards at Target, send out cards to awesome peoples
• go to the dentist tomorrow for a cleaning
• shop for family and friends (parents are the only ones done)
• buy wook's family's gift (will definitely be a So. Oregon item)
• tell temp agency of date additions
• tell big boss of date additions
• whiten teeth with Rembrant kit (perfect timing, right after a professional cleaning)
• continue running (don't want to be less than a Marisa Miller look-a-like)
• move bed into downstairs room (it's about that time people)
• transfer possessions to other room/storage unit (new room = minimalism)
• get hair cut and work the blowout for the next couple days (cheating, kinda, hehe)
• make a list and pack!! (don't forget underwear, toothbrush, deoderant!)
• go to yoga (to maintain my sanity...which I'm slowly losing the more I live away from wook)
• tell wook about the Nashville surprise/gift (just don't know how yet...)
• fix upstairs room with made-up beds for kids (aka the sisters)
• laundry (always a good thing)
• charge batteries for camera/mp3 player (gotta have solitary confinement for the plane and documentation of my travels)
• tape tickets to wall so I don't lose them (always a worry)
• shop for more Christmas surprises (muhhaha)
• make sure luggage is under 50 lbs. (I don't want to pay more than the $15 for my first bag, thank you)
• pay car payment...ugh (goodbye money)
• pay off credit card statement...ugh (...and again)
• pay gym dues...ugh (okay, this one I don't mind)
• do toenails (hehe)
• wrap & deliver/mail presents (before I leave, mind you)
• help family make cookies/treats (if there's time)
• ORCA Fire dinner on December 13th (with the family)
• find phone charger! (I have to use my mom's 'cuz I don't know where mine is)

So ya...I'm internally knowing I should become frazzled at any moment. I'm hoping that by making a list, I can ward off any of the internal stress that can ruin my excitement of going back east. We'll see. At least the dentist will be crossed off tomorrow. I guess I could pay my bills now so the money's gone. Ugh. Money...gone. So sad. Oh well. I guess my real focus should be on what to get people. And getting out those Christmas cards. Bring on the handcramp.