Pre-Traumatic Stress

I warded it off until now. Now it is here. It is... Christmas season stress. Travel stress? Moving stress? Say to yourself Isabel: you will not exaggerate this tale. Again.

So I pretended I didn't need to buy anyone Christmas presents... until now. Now I realize of course I have to buy people gifts, and now I don't have time to. But my mother came up with a bright plan for saving $$$ and time, so I'll be spending some time at Pharmaprix...

I came in late to work today. I was out until 5am, my only partying of the season so far. It's amazing how much money is spent going out and I re-realized this precisely because I haven't been going out to save. But last night was trylu exceptional. It all started simply enough, with Hilary's dad's annual cocktail party. I just had some white wine but I could tell, by the way I was talking to Tara, that I was over-excited and THIS could be dangerous. I was right.

This boy Chris who was also there last year was telling me he plays in a ska band that just toured Europa. Kind of funny since I saw the prior encarnation of this band -the Kingpins- play at Metropolis during Jazz Fest 2000, the year all I saw was ska. Chris seems like a very nice boy of a non-specific age. He's actually turning 23 the day after Christmas, but I found that hard to believe. I mean, one of the first things he was talking to me about was how much he wanted a baby and as soon as possible. Not very 23-year-old of him, I guess. But, hey, he's a Capricorn, what do we flaky Aquarians know about them? Nothing! :)

After the cocktail party I took a cab (see where the money goes?) to Honey Martin's to see Shane play and meet with Anna, Fred, Button and Nick, basically for the last time before my trip. You know what? It's definitely when I don't have a plan that things tend to get out of hand. And I had no plan. So I ended up staying until 4 and then we went to Dad's Bagels and ate and then took a cab and I got home at five.

I left a stupid excuse email on my boss's voicemail but this morning I felt so terrible about lying to her that I told her the truth. Eventually I felt a lot better. She said I could have just told her I'd had a big night out and would be coming in later. Which is cool. This company is clearly more relaxed than Events...

So tonight I have to finish packing.... this is neverending. The movers will be here tomorrow at 9am. Thank goodness my dad is helping because I don't know how I would pull it all together otherwise. Tomorrow after the move I go to Jenn & Nick's old apartment for the days before the trip. I can't even fit everything into my suitcase and I still have more coming... I might have to actually use both cases instead of carrying one inside the other. Muriel, you're terrible.

What else? Aside from this pre-traumatic stress I'm happy and excited about visiting Chile and seeing everyone. It should be a great time. My positive reinforcements to myself seem to work. i'm ok, you're ok. Self medicating therapy. Tra-la-la. I'll be having fun in the sun, where will you be?