Tropical storm

Last night, I opened up a fortune cookie that said, "A calm sea does not make a skilled sailor."

Well, if the roughness of the sea dictates the skill level of the sailor, then you can call me Magellan!

After finishing work on Wednesday, the last three days have been a whirlwind for me. I've been running around, trying to collect all those last minute essentials, and making sure to spend some quality time with my family and friends. With my motor running full blast, I really haven't had much time to mentally prepare myself for the trip. Nonetheless, I feel surprisingly comfortable in this state of semi-organized chaos. It's a familiar place. (In my normal daily life, I can't even walk from my bedroom to the bathroom without feeling like I'm forgetting something.)

The bottom line is that anything I forget to pack, I can buy while I'm there, and anything I pack too much of I can either send home, or donate to Gerry's Kids (Geraldo's Kids?) in Costa Rica.

So, here's a (very) rough snapshot of what I'm packing:

4 t-shirts (1 long-sleeve)
2 polo shirts
1 button-down shirt
3 pairs of shorts (1 mesh for running)
2 pairs of pants
1 bathing suit
3 pairs of underwear (so I can shit myself twice a day and still sleep well at night)
5 pairs of socks (toilet paper in a pinch)
1 pair of sneakers
1 pair of sandals
1 pair of flip-flops (for grimy hostel showers)
1 butt plug (for Latin American prisons)
1 bag of assorted toiletries
1 box of sombreros (see post from Thursday, May 20th.)
1 first Aid Kit
1 flashlight
2 combination locks
1 Swiss Army Knife
1 compact umbrella
1 digital camera

...and a bunch of other crap.

I'm hoping to come back ten pounds--and a box of sombreros--lighter.

Anyway, my flight departs at 6:15 tomorrow morning. Tick, tock, tick, tock. I'm off to take care of all those last minute whatnots. But I'll be sure to stop in tomorrow (at some ungodly hour) to make my last post this side of the Mason-Dixon line.

Hasta manana!