i suck at packing

So, theoretically, I just finished packing.

My flight leaves at 11 in the morning. I’ll stop in Pittsburgh and board another plane for Albany. A couple of days in Albany and I’ll go to Rochester. A couple of days of light work, hotel beds, and good food, and I’ll get on a plane and fly to LaGuardia, catching my first glimpse of NYC through the airplane window, or so I hear. Then it’s onto another plane and home. A five-day trip.

I’m good at putting stuff in my suitcase but I’m terrible at packing. That probably doesn’t make sense. I agonize about packing. I always wait until the last minute. I theoretically take WAY more shit than I’ll need, and miraculously fit all of it into one big suitcase. I take eye shadow I haven’t worn for a year. I take pants I know goddamn well I won’t wear on this trip. I take brown shoes AND black shoes AND sneakers AND flip-flops, always.

But I’m so fickle about my clothes that when I get there, I’ll find myself with nothing suitable to wear.

Right now, for example, I’m eyeing a couple of sweaters I left on the shelf and I’m thinking about rearranging to make them fit. Because it’s going to be colder than it was supposed to be, and I’ve only packed two sweaters. And I didn’t take a suit, because the nature of our work seems very casual and I figure dress pants and nice sweaters ought to be okay. But what if everyone else is wearing suits? Maybe I should pack the hanging garment bag with the suit and the blouses and put the sweaters in the suitcase. Maybe that’s what I’ll do tomorrow before I leave. But then I’ll have an extra bag to schlep around, plus my coat (which is unnecessary here and necessary there), and my JanSport Office Envoy with the laptop and my purse and the big suitcase. But the big suitcase is on wheels, and anyway once I check it all in I should be fine, right?

Maybe I should pack the suit, and the sweaters. Because it’s supposed to be cold. Very cold. Maybe one of the chunky turtlenecks or the pink cowl neck. But the pink cowl neck pills and that bugs me. And the chunky turtlenecks get linty. But I NEED sweaters. And maybe I shouldn’t have packed the pajama pants I picked up off the floor. But they’re my favorite. But they have a small hole in the leg. But the gray ones are way too big and hang off my hips and look really unattractive, and I’m sharing a hotel room with my boss.

Maybe I should just go to bed.

I may or may not update before the middle of next week. We’ll see if I get any free time on my trip.

But those sweaters – maybe I should –

ahhh, fuck. I’m going to sleep.

7 Replies to “i suck at packing”

  1. i think i've said this before, but it's worth repeating: i could read an entire book of you describing your clothes. you make it sound like jazz.

  2. Try to have fun — I'm sure ABV has lots of recommended NYC sites, if you have free time in between working!

  3. and i thought i thought too much about such none-sense. :)

    have a great trip. hurry back to your pc, your mac, whatever it is and oh yes, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!

  4. …if only you'd stopped in NYC – oh, the places you would have been welcomed.

    That reminds me, I should post about a friend of mine and his recent trip to NYC and all the places/people I love.

    Rule of packing – pack what you want then reduce by half – then reduce by half again and add back One Garment. Sounds harsh but makes things a lot easier once you arrive.

    /like even I'm able to do that…no.

  5. OMG I do the same thing…with the shoes….even the flip-flops! I pack half of my closet and once I get to my destination, deem everything “unwearable” and try to hit up the nearest mall…Only to come back home with more shit than I left with…I feel like a tard for it, but oh well…

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