The Long Goodbye

Don't worry, this post does not end with us in Mexico with Elliot Gould looking for a murderer.

However, the title seemed fitting for my current life. 

Over the course of the last two weeks, I have attended numerous lunches, dinners and two official going away parties.  I by no means wish to sound ungrateful.  The outpouring of what appears to be genuine sadness that I am leaving, is truly touching.  However, it leaves me feeling very conflicted.

A large part of me is beyond excited to move back home to a city that I love which just happens to be near friends and family.  (Another part of me would be to frightened to tell either my mom or Kris that I changed my mind and decided to stay.)  I know that Nashville is the right move for me personally, and I hope professionally.

All of that being said, I currently find myself very sad.  I have truly met some wonderful work colleagues here that have become my friends.  Saying goodbye is hard.  I wish, not for the first time, that when you moved, you could pick certain people to bring with you.  Sure, if everyone got to do so, we could all potentially end up at the same place, but logic isn't the tact to take with me at the moment.

Two days left to work.  Not sure how many more goodbyes I can't handle.

It's October!?!

Wow - is it me or did October get here exceedingly quickly?  I woke up this morning equal parts excited and anxious. 

Excited because my move happens this month. 
       Boots, Sweaters, Jackets, Friends, Fun.

Anxious because my move happens this month. 
        Goodbyes, paperwork, moving, goodbyes

Therefore, I find myself in need of distraction.  This is what I have decided to try.
         Cardio, blogging, organizing


Allow me to go ahead and apologize ahead of time, it's going to be a shaky month.

Countdown Clock

When I first learned that I was moving to Nashville, I downloaded one of those countdown clock apps to my phone.  I would open it whenever I was feeling particularly frustrated or homesick, and it made me feel better.  It gave me the out date that I've been looking for since moving here 4 years ago.

When I opened it this morning, it said 29 days.  Just in case that number is not significant to you - it's less than one month!

For the first time since I downloaded the app, it did not make me feel better.  Instead, it totally freaked me out. 

Don't get me wrong, I am still totally excited to move back home.  However, the magnitude of the life changes that I will be experiencing over the next month feels a little overwhelming today.

Whirlwind Weekend

I honestly can't recall the last time that I jammed so much stuff into a short two day period.  Related, I can't recall the last time that I felt this tired.

Despite numerous trips to Orlando through the years, I had never been to Universal Studios.  Mickey always seemed the bigger draw.   A friend and I had been talking for a while about seeing "Harry Potter", recently we realized that we were running out of time, so a last minute trip to Orlando was in order.

We drove up Friday night, had a nice dinner, and both tucked in early.  Turns out that was a good thing.  The next day, we started nice and early to take advantage of the early admission to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  LOVED IT.  I could move there and be very happy.  (Well except the butterbeer - that was kind of gross.)  Ten hours of non-stop walking and riding later, we stopped for dinner.  We then decided to be brave and head back to the parks for "Halloween Horrors".  I'm not a huge horror person so this was a big deal for me.  It turned out to be scary, but a lot of fun. 

We fell back into bed exhausted a little after midnight.  Surprisingly, we were back in Hogsmeade early the next morning.  Several trips through the Forbidden Forrest later, we finally called it a very full weekend, and headed back home.

Although Disney is still my favorite as far as the diversity of stuff to see and do - I will definitely head back to Universal.  It's much more a straight out amusement park, but those can also be a lot of fun. 

Organization Overload

Anyone that has ever seen inside my closet would tell you that I like organization and order . . .  Speaking of closets, I recently changed out all of my clothes hangers to Huggable Hangers (am sure that is trademarked, but can't figure out how to add the appropriate symbol).  They have totally transformed my closet.  Unfortunate side effect is that I am so fascinated with how great it looks that I sometimes forget why I am in my closet, but I digress. . .   Bringing order to chaos is fun for me.  It's like solving a puzzle that leaves me with a tangible and pretty result.  It also gives the feeling of accomplishment as I make my lists and check my boxes.  Perhaps I also like the control aspect, but I contend it is mostly about the puzzle.

However when speaking of my upcoming move, I may have taken things TOOOO far.  When I caught myself arguing with the cable lady the other day that 6 weeks isn't too much notice for a cancellation date, I knew that I had a problem. 

Why has this move sent me truly around the bend?

Okay this one may be about control.

Historically, moves are not my thing.  That's not to say that I haven't moved a lot, and many of them across many states and long distances.  It is to say that among several things that I do very well, moving isn't one of them.  I have horrid moving luck. I have movers not show, belongings not show, elevators not work, trucks too "heavy" or too tall to gain entrance, my list of moving stories could feel an entire book.  Just typing this I already have that familiar feeling in the pit of my stomach that always approaches on moving day.  It's not a question of if something goes wrong when I move, it is more a matter of how many things will go wrong.

All of that being said, I have a moving plan.  I finish work October 18th.  I have a weekend to organize my place for the movers.  The movers pack up my condo and office on the 21st and they load my storage items on the 22nd.  My car ships out on the 23rd, and I take my flight the 24th.  My Nashville condo is set to move in as of the 25th, and I theoretically start my new job on November 1st. 

It sounds like a straightforward enough plan, but I'm not gullible enough to think it will actually work.

Well at least Gracie is a little older now - last time she had to help me move she was only 2...  

Vacation Giddiness

Do you remember that feeling on the last day of school before summer break?  When you are so excited that you literally struggled staying in your desk chair?  Your mind refusing to focus on any one thing?

I am experiencing those exact same symptoms today.  I don't have a long lazy summer ahead of me, but I do have a week of parental pampering in store.  Ten whole days snuggled in the beginnings of a North Georgia Fall (okay, yes technically it is still 90+ degrees, but a little poetic license if you please).

I will be making a quick dash to Nashville for a meeting and hopefully finding a place to live, but other than that there is absolutely nothing on the agenda.  I walk everywhere these days with a very long To Do list which will be staying on my dining room table.  Real countdown to the move starts when I get back, but I can always think about that later.

Needing Nail Nirvana

I desperately need my nails done.  The kind of desperate that almost had me looking for nail clippers, and for a girl that hasn't cut her own nails in 15 years - that's desperate.  It should be simple enough to get them done.  My place that I use is literally right down the street from my condo.  I am just starting to think it wasn't meant to be.

Was convinced that last weekend was going to be a disaster since I was on call everywhere - quietest weekend ever - necessary to wear closed toe shoes.

Monday night I had a 6 pm appointment - clinic ran long and I had to cancel - chipped two nails.

Tuesday night appointment at 5 pm - nail technician had emergency had to cancel - am now at fear toenail fighting it's way through sock.

Wednesday appointment at 5 pm - in operating room with disaster case - could feel my nails growing through my gloves.

Thursday appointment at noon - after clinic, but before meetings started - should have known better - consults, late patients in clinic, etc - nails currently clacking away on keyboard - I hate that sound.

I have an appointment scheduled for tomorrow after work.  Of course, I also need to pack and clean as I am flying home Saturday morning, but hope springs eternal.  There is also a good chance the TSA won't let me board with these weapons, and goodness knows I'm not taking off my shoes to walk through the scanner.