AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

Seriously. I leave NOLA a week from tomorrow.

For posterity's sake, I must impart that I haven't been sleeping well and, some nights, not at all. I can't seem to drift off until about midnight or 1:00am (I usually would be passed out around 10pm), and then I wake at ungodly hours for thirty minutes at a time, in between random panic dreams about losing luggage at the airport or terrorist attacks in Madrid or the roof caving in on my apartment while I'm trying to pack.

In short, it's crunch time. I haven't even moved all my shit to storage yet, and already I'm exhausted. This is so much of a mental pressure than a physical.

Tonight, I'm meeting with M. to book hostel, bus, museum, and train tickets in advance. We have about 14 days total to map out, and (in addition to all the other loose ends I have to tie up) I'm really feeling the weight of all that planning. I can't believe I waited this long to finalize so much, but I also can't beat myself up about that (my natural inclination). I'm taking things one day at a time, and hopefully my (restful) nights will come back to me. Is there such a thing as pre-trip jetlag?? If my sleeping situation doesn't straighten out quick, I will be in for a rough few days after we land in Madrid.

Since I haven't really mentioned my 2-week holiday with M. (before my course starts), here's the list of what he and I have to get figured out before we leave, organized by the Spanish cities we will visit and some of the things we will do in each:

Bookings

Madrid
Hostel (1 or 2 nights, 3/11, 3/12 depending on bus or train ride)
Storage Locker for luggage (or if too expensive, may opt for private budget hotel)
Metro Pass (1-2 days in Madrid)
Museum (advance ticket to Reina Sofia (Guernica) or pass to 3 museums)
Bus ticket to Granada

Granada
Hostel (1st stay: 3/13, 3/14, 3/15; 2nd stay: 3/21, 3/22, 3/23, 3/24, 3/25, 3/26)
Metro/Bus Pass

Alhambra Tickets (3/14) *check travel books*
Bus ticket to Malaga (3/15)

Malaga
Hostel (1 night: 3/16)
Picasso Museum, Arabic Castle, Cathedral
Bus ticket to Ronda-Algeciras-Tarifa

Algeciras
Car rental to Tarifa, or other mode of transportation

Tarifa
Campsite/Hostel (3/17, 3/18, 3/19, 3/20)

Sweet Relief

I did it. It's over. It was pretty much painless, but my hands are still shaking. I've really got to get a hold on this anxiety business. I was taking deep breaths all morning to prepare myself for what I had to do.

The boss was (of course) kind and understanding, saying he understands what an opportunity this is and that I have to take it. He was visibly nervous. I think he was worried that I was putting in my two-weeks' notice, which would mean that he would be up shit creek during the upcoming trial. So, there was relief in his eyes that he has me until March, and this eases my mind.

I even told two of my co-workers. They were really excited for me. It's really happening now. Officially. Oh...my...GAWD.

The home stretch.

Yes, sir. This is it. The holidays are over, it is 2008, and this week marks an official TWO MONTHS and counting. I could not possibly be more likely to pee my pants at any given mention of my impending move to Granada.

For my own sanity, and at the risk of boring readers to death, I am going to list the tasks which I still must accomplish by March 7, 2008:

1. Pay ViaLingua final course fees and accommodation fees (having difficulty with the money wiring system)

2. Find a 6-month home for Freddy

3. Take pictures and put up a Craigslist ad to find a new tenant for my apartment

4. Rent a storage unit/move belongings to a storage unit (1st week of March/last week of Feb.)

5. Tell employer I am leaving!

6. Doctor Appointments: Dentist, Gyno, Allergist, Orthopedist, Optical (new glasses)

7. Settle Auto-insurance Claim with Geico (hopefully for a decent amount)

8. Make a list of what to pack

9. Buy a webcam and make sure it works with Ian's webcam (also download and test Skype)

10. To buy: webcam, laptop sleeve/case, goretex shoes for hiking, bed roll/sleeping bag, luggage lock, toiletry/cosmetics case

11. Study/read TEFL book from cover to cover to prepare for course

12. Research:
a. health insurance
b. traveler's insurance
c. money exchange and foreign banking

13. Detail-plan my 2-week backpacking trip with Matt (taking place before the CTEFL course) - emphasis on BUDGET!

Now, I suppose one might consider these things perfectly do-able within a 2-month time frame. However, I am feeling quite overwhelmed by every little detail PLUS the tiny increments of time and effort that each little detail requires. I also have caught the infamous "winter cold," which is absolutely miserable, but I seem to be reaching the light end of the tunnel, so hopefully I will gain a healthy momentum in these next few days and knock out some of these major tasks.

For the record, I just made a dentist and an orthopedist appointment for next week (!!!). After the orthopedist visit, I can call up Geico and try to harass the adjuster into a quick settlement. At this point, I just want to have the thing over and done with. So, at least this blog has helped me to accomplish those things!

Er, sorry to put you through all that : /