What just happened?

After Nebraska I made my way to Utah to visit the family. I was there for two weeks, playing with my niece and nephew, swimming, riding the Alpine Slide and visiting friends. I felt like I never had a minute alone. I was so excited to get to Texas and have some peace and quit. Peace and quite for me usually turns to depression. Well, my unmedicated ADHD older brother makes sure, that does not happen. Although he was gone for 3 to 4 days at a time we were always running around crazy for the short time he was home. Texas was the last major pit stop before Cairo. I need to get my affairs in order and make a list of all the items I would be taking with me. I don't know how it happened but for some reason, I found an extra box of stuff that I thought I needed to take with me, so we had to go to Walmart and buy and extra bin. My first intention was to take 2 bins. Do you know how hard it is to pack up you whole life into four bins let alone two?  I basically limited myself to clothes, a few small pictures, blankets (so I would not get too home sick) and some toiletries.  I would pack my bags and let them sit for a few days, then I would open them back up, go through the contents again and eliminate unnecessary items. Luckally my mom was able to make it out to Texas for a weekend and help me finallize my packing. We went to a movie, that freaked me out, about the mildle eastern culture, and then spent the night at the ER.  It was stressful but by the end I was feeling good about what was left for me to take. The day before I left Texas my brother took me to a spa and bought me a pedicure, manicure and facial. I was relaxed and ready to go. My bags were packed and bills were paid.

I left America from Newark airport. My brother was going with me on the first leg of my trip. We wanted to have one last adventure before I left so we stayed at a freinds house in Manhatten for two days. We went to "The Adams Family" musical, got a milk shake at Ellen's Diner, saw the Ground Zero Museum, and spent the evening at Don't Tell Mama.  We got to the airport extra early to make sure we had enough time to deal with all of my luggage. There is a company in the airport that will hold your bags for you for a minimal fee, it is a great idea and a life saver but only one  man works the booth so if he is not there when you need your bags you might have to wait and hour or so.

For some reason we had heard that it was $50 dollors a bag and the first 2 where free, but when we checked the luggage it was $50 for the second bag and $150 for each additional bag.  This was going to cost me $350, I was only getting $300 from the school for my moving allowance. Then when I got  to London, they wanted to charge me again because they said "you only paid for them to carry your luggage not us" My eyes about popped out of my head. I am not sure what happened there??  but she gave me everything back and I just walked away.

My wake-up call just came through so I need to get ready for apartment hunting today. I am going to be out of internet for sometime, but will update my adventure soon.

Omaha is a small town, so small that I get NO cell phone service. I have had fun; shopping, going to small festivals, riding mechanical bulls, and going to the drag races where I saw a car clocked at 140 mph. I will be leaving this place in the morning. Although I am glad I have seen this place, it is not a place I will miss. Two weeks in Utah with the family, what adventure awaits me there?

Saturday was the last garage sale before I head on the road to visit family and friends. The big stuff went, and that is what I was most worried about. It did take 3 trips to Good Will after the sale was over and that, I must say, was very traumatic. I have a lot of commitment issues, I am well aware, but the one thing I have always had is MY STUFF. The stuff I have chosen to surround myself with has been with me my whole life. So, to let it go, even for a price, but even more so for free, left me feeling very open and vulnerable.That is a bad place to be when you have issues. I cried at dinner and called my mom. She made a good point that has been said before that you must first lose yourself before you can really find yourself. Maybe this experience will allow me to overcome my issues and become a "normal" human? Three days later, I have forgotten what I had and why I needed it. Today was the last day of summer school so I am fully focused on packing my car and hitting the road for what I am calculating may be a 21 day road trip. This is the adventure I have always dreamed about. Having nothing to my name; no bills, no commitment, no adult responsibilities. For some reason, I am having nightmares about everything now. It is not quite the good time I thought it would be, although, it is just the beginning so, there is a lot of time to find the fun I am looking for.

Last week I bought my one-way ticket to Egypt. I could not fall asleep after I hit the "PAY" button. Ever since then, mass amounts of adrenalin have been running through my body. As I have been selling stuff I get a little high, which gives me energy here and there. But, the one-way ticket to a foreign country has really thrown me for a loop. As I looked around my room last night I realized I have really made a dent in my packing. Tonight I shredded two big boxes of paper; bills, pay checks, and bank statements, from at least six years. I have really prided myself in the fact that whenever I move (once a year) I get rid of stuff, I throw stuff away, give stuff away, or sell it. So, why do I have papers from six years ago? I love spring cleaning, THIS is the ultimate. I am determined to make everything fit into two boxes. If I still have stuff that wont fit in the two boxes, it is gone. That does not include the few things I will be leaving in my brothers care. Those are things that no one will want to buy, but they are not garbage.