Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse... the children were nestled, all snug in their beds, while visions of sugerplums danced in their heads!
I wish. Actually, I'm tooling around emailing, IM-ing, and generally trying to keep my mind off of the jillion and a half things that are going to happen tomorrow. Namely, four different flights. Also: rechecking my bags in DC onto IcelandAir, the people who have the sweetest accents in the world. Really. I've called IcelandAir maybe...three times recently? And every time, some sweet-sounding young woman gets on the phone with an accent that sounds British but more crisp and sweet (kind of like Iceland itself) and every time, I just want to pour my soul out to her as she reassures me that everything will be fine, that my reservation is affirmed, that my bags won't cost anything, that I will have enough time to go through customs. Oh, IcelandAir lady. Would that you could just have everything arranged for me the same way you've arranged my flight details. "Yes, ma'am, of course your graduate school application has been accepted. You'll be granted a full teaching assistanceship, effective immediately. We're also giving you a sweet little house nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains! Enjoy!" And then she would ring a bell like the Icelandic fairy princess she actually is, and it would be DONE. Beautiful.
As it so happens, I have to make those things happen for myself, which I suppose is alright by me. For now, having the flight details worked out is good enough.
I got my hair cut today, and the lady who was cutting it (she owns the salon, so it was one of those really relaxed hair cuts where you're just like, "You're going to do an excellent job, and I don't have to worry about it at all. Hooray!") was talking to me about traveling, and she asked how I manage to be so calm about international travel. I told her that it has a lot to do with experience, and having some crappy things happen to you (like the time I got stopped at customs in Houston for my 1 oz. bottle of moonshine) that you learn from (whooo-day, I'mma nevuur bringin' muh moonshine through this here gate no muur, galdawnit, that's fo sho'!). In actuality, though, here is how I manage to be calm about international travel: I wear nice clothes, I'm polite, organized and patient, and I pretend I'm a wood-elf. Yes. That's what I said. A wood-elf. Wood-elves are strong, brave, and graceful, and can effortlessly leap from boulder to boulder across wide rivers. If you think I am kidding, think again. Pretending to be a wood-elf means you are constantly aware of your surroundings, formal, but not easily pushed-over, strong and capable. When I am a wood-elf I am also at the top of my game for all my taekwondo self defense, I move quickly and efficiently through all security and airports, and I am the master of foreign train stations. See? Wood elves are boss.
I will let you all know how traveling goes (in actuality) tomorrow, as I embark on this two-day long voyage abroad. I am young, and full of life , and I am getting paid to move to Europe! Egads.
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