Preparing for Vacation

April began a two-week push to finish projects once and for all times. My deadline was the start of vacation; my purpose gave urgency to the removal of clutter of ambivalence and postponement. Yes, again, my office looked worse before it looked better. I donated 3 boxes of books to Goodwill. Some books represented projects I finished before and no longer needed as reference. Some represented projects that I no longer wanted to do.

When I pack for a trip, I spend as much time considering my reading materials as I spend considering clothes. The reading material has to be light enough to carry in my backpack because time available in airports and in the airplane is a minimum of a 2+hours block. My unread subscribed magazines are usually my first choice. I cut off the address label before leaving so I may discard them as I finish them. Two issues of both National Wildlife and National Parks and a book from my library, Nine-Headed Dragon River by Peter Matthiessen were my final selection. As I removed clutter of ambivalence and postponement, I planned reading projects for my return after vacation, and I have many to pleasurably anticipate.

I spent more time on clothes selection since 2006 was an anabolic year. I postponed shopping trips because I did not want to buy clothes a size larger. I wanted to wait and buy them a size smaller and I wanted to wait until I had money that was not earmarked for other payments. In the meantime, I kept eating whenever and whatever I wanted until my "current size" was stretched beyond reality. Finally, Host gave me an urgent deadline and his help. Host and I shopped at Kohls, Elder-Beermans, JCPenney and Dillards for shorts, skirts, sundresses and new formal wear. I enjoy shopping with Host because Daughter has him trained to carry packages and pull out his charge card. He tells me which clothes he prefers to see me wear without responding to provocative questions such as, "Does this make my butt look fat?" And then he likes to eat out when we are finished!