On the road again...

I'm packed and ready to go to Staten Island, NY tomorrow morning. What did I forget? Here's what I have so far:

• Clothes for Tuesday and Wednesday
• Camera
• Camera Charger
• Itinerary
• 2 books from the library: A Murder She Wrote mystery and Paid Companion by Amanda Quick (thanks for the recommendation, Raven!)
• My iPod with pirate music and the Wiggles overwritten
• Earbuds
• Hairbrush
• Travel sized toothpaste and deoderant in a travel zip lock
• Make up and toothbrush to be packed in the morning
• Comfortable shoes to train in
• Phone
• Phone charger
• Wallet with driver's license
• Band-aides
• Business cards
• Travel pack from work
• Xanax

That about covers it. I will print my boarding pass from work and pack up my work laptop tomorrow morning. I should have everything I need and I don't have to check my bags because it all fits in my duffel.

Everytime I go on a trip via airplane, I always have this sensation of doom. I worry that I will sleep through the alarm and miss my flight. Or, that I will realize as I buckle my seat belt that I didn't bring any underwear. When it gets into the wee hours of the night, I will probably dream that I will be trapped on a plane between Lemmy and Carol Channing, worried about whether I packed underwear or not when the pilot announces we are on our way to Guantanamo Bay, where you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.

I think the trick to travel is imagination. I pretend that I'm just getting on a bus. When I look out the window, I imagine that it must be a NASA trick. I take my 2/3's cup of Diet Coke from the Attendant and use it to wash down the three fingernail sized pretzels in a ritualistic fashion. When I arrive in the Newark airport, I know I will feel disoriented but I will buck myself up and perservere, knowing that I can go through with this. I will do my job and enjoy my hotel room. I will cruise around Staten Island, looking for things that will be of interest to you.

Wish me luck as I step away from my lovely little home and my beautiful family so that I may see the world and help some people make heads or tails of their paperwork. Also, please let me know if you think I've forgotten anything.