An Advanced Degree in Life (Or, Travel Planning)

I suspect that the lesson I'm supposed to be learning here is "Read everything. Research everything. Plan ahead (Really)."

- I moved to London. It took my mother and myself two full days to pack, and then my two brothers and various other family members jumped in and contributed to the final result, which was: two suitcases at 50 lbs, one smallish extra-bag fee (and not one big one I was expecting), and no overage charges. Sweet!

- Met the coolest future roomate EVER, found a place to live. Not so excited about the location, at least now have someplace to stay while searching for something closer to the school.

- Blind dumb optimism FAIL: you may not, in fact, get an international student visa while you are already in the country you're trying to legally move to. Doesn't matter how nonchalant or encouraging school staff are, either - it's still not going to work.

- Packing a suitcase less than a week after you've unpacked it bites.

- It's slightly depressing to meet lots of fabulous people who are official members of your MA and know you won't see them again for a week. You hope, pathetically, that they will remember you (and that you'll actually get back. Please please please!!!).

- Being squished into an inside seat on a chintzy airline that you did NOT sign up for with no room for your feet or carry-on under the seat also pretty much bites. The funny vegan neighbor who's impressed with your bladder control is at least a small plus.

- It's a mental and emotional blow to arrive at your destination knowing that the whole thing is riding on a wing and a prayer (shut up, I know) and discovering that an otherwise forgotten Federal Holiday is going to cost you a rather important day, knocking off half a wing and at least quadrupling the intensity of the prayer. A flight change and the attendant fee, plus the expense of loitering in New York for yet another useless day is likely. The credit card can't take much more of this.

- The late-night desk attendant at my old but perfectly acceptable hotel in a fairly scary area is a font of useful, though nearly unintelligble, information. I used to be good with accents.

- A PSA: LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS. FOOTLESS TIGHTS ARE NOT PANTS. MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE - WEAR PANTS.

My bed in the hotel room is nearly as big as the room - but I'm willing to bet just from sitting on it that it's going to be more comfortable than my bed back in London. So, there is that. I should have lots of down time in the next few days, and if I can get an Internet connection I might be able to get my journal entries from the last week or so posted. Plus pictures. And maybe get a T-shirt made: KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON. Just for fun.

Notice

Exactly two weeks from today, I will be moving to England.

I am now, officially, FREAKING OUT.

You may return to your regularly scheduled program.

(And I will return to blogging - I have a few days from my "30" to make up, which I will do as soon as I am FREAKING OUT a little less. Or have a big pile of chocolate to take my mind off of things.)

Here's Your Sign

I documented my 14-hour drive today with lots of photos from my phone. Hey - at least I wasn't texting, right? Hopefully tomorrow I'll get them down/uploaded... believe me, the Green Goblin is worth waiting for!

On the drive I also saw some pretty... interesting... signs, and I'd like to recreate them for you here:

Burns, OR - a store that advertised "Antiques, Furniture, Appliances, Junque". Someday, I will own a store called "The Junque Shoppe."
- a billboard that read "Big Tobacco is full of spit. Don't take their spit. Quit." I'm not kidding. And I applaud their marketing person.

Sisters, OR - the road sign that said "Deer - Next 1 Mile". I have to wonder, how do they enforce that? Is there Deer Police or something? "Look, punk, you can graze between mile marker 738 and 737. DON'T PUSH ME."
- "Scenic Byway Interpretive Area" - I was looking for emo musicians and performance arts dancers along the road for MILES. Nothing.

Pictures tomorrow!

Trippin'

I was looking for a picture of someone packing/loading, and instead I found a photo of a naked backpacker walking barefoot across a beach.

The Internet can be a scary place.

"NERDY!"

Four times.

* * * * *

I don't JUST watch movies - today, for example, I built a Swami snake-charmer pipe (no, that is not a euphemism) out of a bagpipe chanter, a broken carved mariachi shaker, a dowel, gold paint, trim, and rhinestones, as well as working on finishing two safari parasols that I had made out of domed picnic food covers, heavy wood handles, finials, and fringe (originally intended for Pirates of Penzance, now given a second chance with The Drowsy Chaperone) ((also, NOBODY makes safari parasols. What is up with that?)) all while listening to and snidely commenting on Dr. Laura. (It was on, and we didn't bother to change the station. Don't judge.)

I was going to offer up this activities list as proof that I am actually "deep", but the mention of Dr. Laura kind of ruined that idea. Poop.

* * * * *

Someone asked me today what the strangest prop was that I had ever made, and the answer then was "dead body". I think I just might change that now to "Swami snake-charmer pipe".

Beverly Hills (ZIPCODE)

If you somehow missed it, and are from my (or a nearby) generation, let me bring something amazing AND terrifying AND wonderful to your attention:

Today is that day! Today is the encapsulation of all things Brenda, Brandon, Kelly, Dylan, Steve, On-drea, David, Donna, and the beloved Peach Pit! Today is all about choosing YOU, and still realizing that friendship can, indeed, outlast 80's fashion!

It's 9-02-10!

It's a once-in-a-lifetime moment, people (unless you happened to be in Europe 8 or so hours ago) and I urge you to CHERISH IT. REMEMBER IT. LIVE IT. Break out the bangs and the denim. Bring on the catfights and the love triangles and the folksy wisdom of your local graying soda jerk. Put your house on the market, leave Michigan (right?) forever, and set up shop in Beverly Hills!

To help you further get into the spirit of the day, the following links are from a fashion-mockery website whose purveyors also happen to be HUGE 90210 fans. My kind of people.

The Girls

The Giggles

The Despair

The Snarky Subconscious Messages

The Steve

Donna's Dangerously Hopeless Hair

The Um... Er....

The Accessories Drama

The Cautionary Tales*

Brilliant! Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant! In all the worst ways!

And finally;

Enjoy, and then be glad we made it out.

* In reality, they're all cautionary tales. Awesome ones.

FAIL

Not one person mentioned (good, bad, or other) my haircut today. That would normally inspire me to start hacking away with the nail scissors, or adding blue streaks and a perma-updo. Apparently, I crave attention. Who knew?

Also, it's September. I'm a little shocked we allowed that to happen already. In protest, I need to go dye something.

You can color too, while you wait.