Pack pack pack...

I am now frantically packing late at night (once again) because I ditched out of my responsibilities to go see John Williams and Stanley Donen at the Hollywood Bowl and to see Tropic Thunder before I left. Woot. It's going to be a looong night. So much stuff...so little space!! I'm almost done assembling everything and then it's the logistics of putting everything in there and weighing it, etc. etc....
Haven't unlocked my phone (couldn't find anyone with a Cingular SIM card!!) so I'm praying that it works when I get there. Found my health insurance, so that was good. Haven't found the envelope with extra Euros that my aunt and uncle gave me...that's for tomorrow morning along with copying maps and stuff so I don't get lost when I get there.
I'm procrastinating packing (taking a break I like to call it) to write this blog and a Facebook note along with it to say goodbye to everyone. There were definitely quite a few tears today as I said goodbye to my horse (possibly never to see her again), the barn, my friends, my dog, etc. I have part of the day tomorrow, but not enough. And it just hit me while driving home that in 24 hours I'm leaving the United States and not coming back for 4 months. I kind of freaked out. The major freak out hasn't come yet, but I'm sure it will...probably around 2AM or so. I've been tenuously holding myself together all day...not long until it cracks I don't think.
But in any case, tomorrow it will all be packed and the tears hopefully will stop long enough for me to get on the plane without incident.
I have the hiccups right now and I can't get them to stop and it's very very annoying.
Alas.
Back to packing!

With the first dream of fire they hunt the cold...

A quote from Trevor Joyce (contemporary Irish poet) as well as the title of his anthology and poem.

This blog is for my experience abroad in Galway as well as cataloging these last few days of preparations before I go. Eep it's coming up soon and I'm so not prepared and I'm still terrified.

I'm procrastinating heavily on Ireland preparations per the usual. I have lots of things to do today, most of them at USC. Hopefully things will work out. We shall see. I'm also calling the woman today for house letting. I'm praying to God that works out or else I don't know what I'm going to do!

Here's hoping.