Life in a Carry On Bag

I'm panicked over how I'm supposed to fit a weeks worth of my life into a TSA acceptable carry on suitcase. I didn't think I'd be this worried about it... but lo and behold, the trip is two weeks away and I haven't even considered which BOOK I'm bringing to Europe, let alone my laundry. And early reports are calling for cold, rainy, New York-winter weather in Paris. So that means more bulky sweaters.

Here is my tentative list of needs:

• A pair of jeans
• Comfortable shoes
• My new Lands End coat
• 2 pashmina wraps for scarves, dress up, etc.
• 3-4 different tops... probably in all black or dark colors
• Gloves
  
• Another pair of pants (prefer jeans, but we'll see)
• PJs and underly-things for a week
• Flip Flops for the hotels/train
• Toothbrush and paste
• Insulin pump supplies and basically anything I would need to stay alive for a week without access to a hospital (there is the bulk of my suitcase, unfortunately.)
• My quart size bag of 3 oz bottles - as many as I can fit
• Stuff to keep my crazy wavy hair under control in rainy weather
• Minimal make up supplies (powder, eyeliner, lip gloss... done.)
  
• My IPod
• My camera
• My passport
• My French, Italian and German phrase book (because I failed in the podcast department)
• Copies of the cool stuff to do from my tour books (because Rick Steves' says don't bring all the tour books with you)
• Copies of all our travel docs, important info, blah blah blah
• Our rail tickets
• If I can find it: a used paperback copy of "Angels and Demons"
• If I can fit it: my flat iron. However, this may be a lost cause because of the weather.

Somehow, it's all going to fit. I don't know how. But it will. Right?

Slightly Overwhelmed

This time last year, I was planning our wedding. This task now seems strangely easy compared to my tasks this month. Between, the million meetings to coordinate at work, the MK-O projects I've volunteered to do, and the fact that I'm leaving the COUNTRY in a month: I'm a bit stretched. I don't think it's hit me until now.

I'm sitting here staring at our itinerary for November and I'm completely lost. During the summer, I was all gun-ho about the whole trip. I researched, bought all my tour books, started learning the language, etc. M thought it was too early to worry about this stuff so I stopped and focused on other things/people.

Well, here it is, October 6th and I'm sitting going WTF are we going to do? I don't remember any of my research, let alone the language. And this was supposed to be my department. I apparently love to plan things. But for some reason, I can't motivate myself to do so. Not even my fuchsia passport holder seems interesting. Maybe it's because there is SOOOOO much I want to see that I can't fathom picking what to see. I mean, we're only there for a week. Or maybe I'm terrified of finally venturing outside of the country. Or terrified that I will drown in work back at the office that I won't have time to enjoy the planning process.

I don't really know. All I know is that our flight leaves really early to Paris and we don't get there until the day after we leave. This whole time zone thing is seriously going to mess me up.