Not So Easy

Allow me to begin this rant with the night before I left New Jersey for West Virginia:

The last of the items that needed to be packed all pertained to the kitchen.  Thus, I was neatly packing my beloved Ninja Blender so that it would efficiently fit between my protein powder and wine glasses when my right hand became enveloped in bright red blood. (Apparently the Ninja is more stealthy than I anticipated.) I naturally walked myself to the bathroom to drown my blood in the cool water of the running faucet.  (I cut myself way too often to be too severely alarmed by gushing blood. Here's a fun fact: I wasn't allowed near the scissor wall in 5th grade because I stapled my shirt to my arm.  So that's that.)

Our travel day was interrupted by frequent re-bandaging and thunderstorms so severe that I probably would have had blisters on my hands if my wounded thumb hadn't prevented me from gripping the steering wheel tight enough to cut off circulation. 13 hours later, we arrived in Huntington.  

12 hours after that, my Mother was on her way back to NJ after helping me move-in illegally (Loverboy had the keys to the apartment even though I technically did not check in for my key.) Three hours after that, the leasing office for my apartment complex asked if my mother was available because they lost her signature as my guarantor.  They wouldn't give me my keys until the next day when she was not in a moving vehicle and was able to fax her signature once again.  Off to a good start, right?

Saturday morning, I got my keys to the apartment.  Saturday afternoon, I locked my car keys inside my car.  My spare set is at my parent's house in NJ.  

After a reasonably smooth-sailing Sunday, I was pumped for an agreeable first week of classes.  I decided to make a hot dinner for Loverboy and I to enjoy when he got home from work.  I preheated the oven, and before I even got to put anything inside, the fire alarm went off.  I tried again ten minutes later, same thing.  No problem, I had chicken in the fridge I could cook on our George Foreman.  Well... as soon as the raw marinated chicken hit the pseudo-grill the fire alarm went off.  Sorry Loverboy, no hot supper for you tonight.  

I'm having trouble accepting the fact that the transition to total independence and adulthood isn't going to be easy.  

Ten on Tuesday - Travel Style

1. You’re packing for a week long vacation, do you pack ahead of time or wait until the last possible minute to pack?
Considering it takes me for.ev.er. to pack - I am compulsive about trying on every single outfit before it goes in my bag - I start packing a couple days ahead of time but usually don't end up finalizing until the very last minute. Neurotic, I know.

2. Are you a light or heavy packer?
Anyone that knows me can answer this question.  C had his family buy me mid-sized Vera Bradley luggage bags for my birthday this year so that I would stop bringing a large rolling duffel bag to go visit him for less than an entire weekend. (I've since kept my rolling luggage for only longer trips, but that doesn't mean I don't bring all 3 of the bags I got for my birthday. Sorry I'm not sorry C.)  So yes, I am an over-packer.(And yet somehow I still never have exactly what I want to wear...)

I'll never get rid of my rolly. 

But I LOVE my new tote, use it for everything!

3. What are your favorite road trip snacks?
Pull and peel twizzlers, diet coke, and some monster trail mix (preferably with an overwhelming chocolate to any other ingredient ratio.)

4. Do you take any reading material along?
Yes! Usually light reads like Glamour or People mags if I'm driving. My heaviest reading of novels is usually done while traveling by plane, however. I definitely prefer reading over listening to my ipod on flights. 

5. Do you prefer to drive or fly to your vacation destination?
Fly, please! 

6. What is your favorite time of the year to take your vacation?
Let's be real here, I'll take a vacation any time of the year.  Although I think a trip to a warm sunny beach in the middle of a frigid mid-atlantic winter is ideal. Too bad I never do that...

7. Where is your favorite place to vacation?

Hmm..again, not picky. I love Disney World in the fall.  And I obviously love the Jersey Shore in the summer. But I think the ultimate vacation was during my study abroad trip; a long weekend in the beautiful Mediterranean city of Costa Brava was breathtaking, exciting and totally relaxing. I almost didn't come back. 

With my beautiful friends in the crystal clear waters of Costa Brava

8. You are vacationing in the mountains, what is your favorite thing to do while there?
In the winter? Snowmobiling and skiing! And snuggling with hot chocolate afterwards...ha. 
In the summer? Water sports on the lake for surrrre. 

Hunter Mountain 2010

9. You are at the beach for your vacation,  do you like to take it easy on the beach or play all day in the water?
I do my best to lay out as long as possible for ultimate bronzing, however, when I'm with my cousins I could play in the water for HOURS. 

10. While your on vacation do you prefer to eat out every night or cook some of your own meals?
We usually eat out for dinner but pack our own lunches.  This past summer I went to Cape May with loverboy for a long weekend, and if you know my boyfriend, you know our first stop was at the grocery store.  We got enough food to make sandwiches and snacks for lunches on the beach, fixings for a gourmet breakfast on our last morning, and then ate out every night for dinner. :) 

Now that' you're all off day dreaming about vacation, enjoy your Tuesday! 

Link up!

Flying to Savannah - Mini-Vacay part I

I am generally anxious over all modes of public transportation, flying alone being the most anxiety-inducing.  

I lost sleep over worrying about flying by myself all on my own for the first time. I was nervous about driving myself to a long-term parking lot and then finding a shuttle to bring me to the right terminal. I was nervous that my luggage wouldn't fit in the over-head bin (which it barely did.)  And I was nervous I would miss my connecting flight in an anxious run through the maze of the Atlanta Airport.  I'm neurotic. 

Surprisingly, I got myself and my 2 Vera Bradley bags onto both planes with time to spare.  Only one of the silver studs I was wearing was left behind due to a three-way battle between me, my rolling luggage and the over-head bin. I guess I came out on top, although the luggage came in close second with an earring K.O. 

On my first flight I had a window seat. The crystal clear day made for a heavenly view.  The window not only provided me with a scene at which to cast my gaze, but also a supportive structure upon which to rest my head.  I was passed out within minutes of take-off.

My own heavy REM-style breathing woke me up. Startled, I sat up and finished my book. Was it rude to fall into a head-back, mouth-open, deep sleep on an hour and a half flight with not even two inches separating me from the business-man next to me? Je was wearing a blue button down, reading something obviously heavier than "Heaven is for Real:" a four-year-old's account of his "visit to heaven."  

The rattling of the beverage cart interrupted my sleepy internal debate, and a new debate developed. ToDiet Coke or not to Diet Coke? ..Maybe some sleep would do me good.  Did I really need an extra can of fake sugar and caffeine after the diet coke and a generously sized iced coffee I consumed earlier?

I decide Yes. The answer is always Yes when the question is "Diet Coke?" 

With my new jitters I got bored reading my own novel and glanced over to see what Business Man was reading. 

I'm not exactly sure what the type 8 font read, but I do know it had a header of "EXECUTIVE SUMMARY"on every page, a title that stated something along the lines of "Blah blah Civilian Protection, blah blah blah." 
Oh, and it was signed by Hillary Rodham Clinton. 

I'm glad I decided not to drool on my aisle 17 neighbor.