As I was brushing my teeth, completely exhausted (emotionally and physically), it occurred to me that I hadn’t written my post for Monday (today). Oops. Not that FTTDWYW isn’t my top priority right now, but there are understandably other things on my mind. I have three awesome post ideas that I wanted to write this week… and none of them deserve the lack of eloquence my brain is putting out right now.
Before I started packing, I thought that this whole experience would be rife with opportunities to drop some helpful-hint bombs on how to move… but, if you’ve ever moved, then you know that NOTHING you do will make the process any kinder. I’ve color-coded boxes, kept detailed manifests, and tried packing a little everyday for the past few weeks hoping that it would ease the stress of moving. But if I know anything, it’s that tonight (the night before the movers arrive) I will be sweeping great swathes of junk from the counter into a box labeled, “STUFF.” It is just inevitable.
But there have been many things that have kept my sanity in check… and although they aren’t helpful hints, per se, I did want to give a shout out to the two things that have been of most value to me during this experience: friends and breaks.
- Friends: I have amazing friends whose love and kindness never cease to amaze me. A few examples- my dear friend Marlene has driven all the way up from Indiana to deliver 2 SUV loads of boxes and packing materials to contribute to the move- those things (and gas) are super expensive. And, to top it all off, she’s coming today to help me pack. My friend Sheila also helped with the box situation saving crucially sized book boxes to help pack Jojo’s library. And how did we get all those boxes up from Hyde Park? Our friend Zach was kind enough to deliver them! I got some mixed CD’s from my friend Erica which bolstered my spirit and came at precisely the right time. My friend and bridge mentor threw a lovely party in my honor… what I’m saying is, I am overwhelmed– not just by the packing and moving process, but by the generosity of time and spirit of those whom I deeply admire. And, like all things, friends make packing easier.
Marlene’s beautiful St. Bernard
Miss Henryetta likes to help! - Breaks– It is important during all of the craziness to take breaks and completely remove your brain from the situation at hand. Netflix, for me, is that panacea. Well, Netflix, naps, and running. Rewarding myself with the next episode of House of Cards kept me a little more motivated while sorting through junk. Not much… but a little… and sometimes that’s all it takes. Find a show (or a book) and grind on it until you are ready to join the world of packing again. Along with House of Cards, I’ve been burning through Psych and Neil Gaiman short stories.
So, that’s it. Nothing revelatory or earth-shaking. Friends and breaks are some of the keys to life- not just moving… not a bad thing to find while packing…
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