Procrastinators-R-Us
Posted on 06. Nov, 2007 by Deb in Just.....Me, Just...Traveling
I don’t know when it happened to me - but I’ve become a huge procrastinator. I wasn’t like this in my teens (I always turned my research projects in early). And in my early twenties (pre-kids) my Christmas Cards were addressed and in the mail the day before Thanksgiving.
What brought up this confession right this moment? I have a flight in 5 hours and I’m still not packed - that’s what.
A year ago, I would have been pre-packed, with a bag open, only awaiting my make-up and final toiletries. Today, there is an opened bag and clothes strewn across my bed…. My little zip-lock bag of “under 3-ounces” is laying there…but so is a pair of jeans I need to take back to The Gap.
Let’s be frank here. I travel at least one night a week. My trips are typically one or two nights, so I can easily use one carry-on bag and what I’m wearing on my back. So, my carry-on bag typically stays packed in in a corner of my room…. I just have to put in fresh underwear, a clean shirt or two and voila - ready.
But not this week. This week, I’m doing a marathon travel thing - leaving today and not coming back home until late Saturday night. I’ll be in two different locations - up to Missouri and Oklahoma for the early part of the week, and then into DC for the latter part of the week. And I’m going from one straight to the other - without stopping at home in between. But a big part of me wants to see if I can still do it….in one bag. (I picked up a new bag yesterday since mine carry-on was a little rough looking) I can always have the hotel do some laundry for me when I first get into DC (my jeans at least).
Fall is throwing me, though. It’s going to be in the 30’s for the lows and 50’s for the highs everywhere that I go. That means sweaters…and the need to lug a COAT around.
So, I’d rather sit here and blog….catch up on emails….catch up with my sister….instead of packing. Besides, packing is BORING. So, I’m putting it off. I know I need to do it. And I will. I have to. I have the timer set to signal me that my computer time needs to stop for a moment and my packing time needs to begin.
Someone told me recently that the average traveler spends an extra $200 a month buying stuff they forgot. He didn’t believe it at first, but realizes it’s true. While traveling, I’ve bought clothes (usually warmer clothes than I packed - or else underwear because I got stuck an extra day or more). I am always buying stuff like shampoo or deodorant. More than once, I’ve needed to buy a charger for my cell phone.
Speaking of cell phone chargers, the friend that told me that little factoid called me last night and asked if I was bringing my cell phone charger ’cause he forgot his at home (and our cells use the same charger).
Well, the timer has about 3 minutes left ticking. I need to dress, pack, and go and get my hair done (yes, I’ll explain that one later).
Wow. November 6th. NaBloPoMo is working so far….
