Kathy said around mid-morning on July 20, 2007
With about 7 days until I get on a plane to attend BlogHer, I am already starting to feel that pre-packing anxiety. It’s a 3 day trip, surely I can manage. But I know I’ll end up bringing more than I need and inevitably be overdressed as usual. I have a tendency to over do it. At my 10 year high school reunion I wore what I thought was an appropriate black cocktail dress to a catered hotel function. Black dress, heels, a pink wrap.. I looked nice. I even made my husband put on a suit. Then I arrive and some of the weird girls are in dresses that looked like they were staging a prom revival dance off… and found myself talking with a bunch of people who thought jeans were appropriate.
Luckily I am only packing for myself rather than packing for me, my toddler, and two dogs… so I can focus on what I need for a change. I can obsessively research what I can bring on the plane and pack everything down to an exact “underwear tucked into a pump” science. I can check and recheck and pack and repack all week until I am 100% satisfied with the contents of my suitcase. The best part, I don’t have to worry if I have enough diapers, extra tiny t-shirts and I don’t have to go back and forth over whether or not to bring an ear thermometer. I can bring an actual BOOK to read… a real fiction book that doesn’t have step by step instructions on baby proofing your kitchen.
But still, I feel it. That inevitable anxious pit in your stomach travelly feeling. I’ll have to steal some of Y‘s neck meds when I get there. All I know is I am not bringing my $26 lip gloss in my handbag this time so that airport security doesn’t get any freebies. That sucker is going in my suitcase next to my knives, weapons, porn and box cutters.
from your moms.
I’m excited (please don’t tell my family) about traveling alone for once too! Although I’ve opted to leave my porn at home. Only being gone a few days and all...
from your moms.
Homeland Security hasn’t banned porn on airplanes yet? Don’t they know that the terrorists could be communicating through porn?
from Midwest where it's actually pretty decent today
I have the same anxiety! What is this about? For me I always worry that I won’t have the right thing and for the BlogHer trip I feel like I have *no* grasp on the dresscode, not that it matters anyway. The whole packing thing is a huge ongoing joke in my house anyway - Dave constantly makes fun of me (I always have several large heavy bags) and it didn’t help when I had to pay $25 because my Belize suitcase was too heavy...he took a photo of the huge, bright orange tag American Airlines attached to my suitcase that said “Warning! Heavy Assist Lift!” I was going to a second world tropical location for 7 days afterall…
from your moms.
OMG!!1! Is this the first non-toddler trip?
Underwear in a pump...greeeeat idea. Will steal that.
Here’s a tip back atcha. Put the lip gloss in yer pocket. Unless they are planning to body cavity search, you’ll be good to go. Has worked at Philly airport for my multiple times.