"well my bags are packed, i'm ready to go..."

"i'm standin here outside your door

i hate to wake you up to say goodbye"

(i love chantal kreviazuk's version of this song!)

well, okay, i'm not packed just yet, but i have started putting things together, figuring out what outfits to put together to maximize wardrobe potential while minimizing actual stuff to bring with me. this is proving very difficult; i have to dress business casual to meetings being held in air conditioning, while the outside temps range from the high 80's to mid 90's all week. and sadly, all my business casual is black. black dress pants, black dresses...i'm trying to temper them with light weight shirts.

i know i know, i'm obsessing about clothing when i really only have 3 days of meetings and 2 days of flying. but, as i always am before doing something i've never done, i'm nervous (less about the flying and more so about the being in a city i've never been in). my brain is playing the "what if" game whether i want it to or not...."what if i miss my connector in ohio?", "what if my luggage gets lost?", "what if i can't find my hotel, the hotel where my meetings are or meetings rooms within the hotel because it's huge?" then i calmly and rationally answer myself, "you catch another connector, you're packing a small carry on with a change of clothes and there are shuttles and taxi's to take you where you need to go, as well as a ton of hotel staff to ask questions to." i'm still nervous.

well my friends, this is goodbye for a week. since i don't have a laptop, i don't forsee myself getting online at anytime while i'm away. i have my camera and will try to take as many pictures as possible! i hope you all have a wonder-filled week and i'll be back with "tales from tennessee" on the 21st!