Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Countdown Begins!

26 days to Scotland, and the preparations are not going ahead as quickly as I would prefer. I like to complete tasks as rapidly as possible, while still being thorough. I also like to be as prepared as I possibly can be when going on a trip. My travel companion is a champion of procrastination, though he would never admit it, and, at times, I think he believes himself to be exactly the opposite. He attempts to structure his life according to lists of tasks and activities to be accomplished. At one time the first item on the list was “write list”. Now, that may be an over-exageration. But it often takes more of his time to write the list, than it would have taken to accomplish many of the tasks. Not that I don’t write lists as well, I’ve been known to do so—usually the night before, rather than on the day of the need.

My task today is the same as that of the previous two. Get a list of camera film types and quantities from my travel companion, so that I can place the order and we will have it well in advance of the trip. Meanwhile, while I continue to wait for his list, I will order my own camera equipment and accessories, film, digital storage cards, and new bag (the old one is shot and I need one that can handle three camera bodies and lenses now). Then I will make a list of items we will need for the trip, such as converter plugs for the laptop. And I will dig out my luggage and clear an area in the back room to use as a staging/packing area.

Tomorrow morning—I begin excavation of the kitchen. Don’t worry, there’s nothing growing in there that shouldn’t be. Over the past few weeks, with all the trips to and from San Diego, it has simply become the quick dumping ground for all sorts of things—packages, mail, newspapers, grocery bags of non-perishables, things the Mom insisted we take back with us, etc…. And so it has become time to pull out the archaeology tools and dig through the artifacts to see what is worth keeping and then figure out where to store it. Of course, I have heard some odd noises coming from the darker depths of the kitchen the last few days. Maybe some unearthly creature has taken up residence in the pile of plastic grocery bags over by the microwave after all.

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Yippee!!

Ok, it means nothing to anyone but fellow members of the OWW (online writers group), but chapter 4 of Kiss of Death made the Editors Choice award of the month for fantasy.