I get stressed out for no real reason. Exhibit A: I have some things I need to do before the Fairfield U. MFA winter residency.
My past experience is that if I write it down in list form, it's not as intimidating. So, here goes. I have to:
* Take my binder, empty out my workshop samples from last summer and put in the samples for the coming residency. This is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. It should take roughly three minutes, yet it's really bugging me.
* Go to Wal-Mart and buy a pair of sweat pants, a couple of pairs of jeans, socks and a bottle of olive leaf extract.
* Finish up my revisions from being workshopped in last summer's residency. (Third-semester critical essays have a way of delaying this 'til semester's end, particularly when they're nearly 50 pages long.) It's not like I HAVE to do this, but I am writing a novel and there's no reason to put it off, especially since the novel is my thesis and will be due next Dec. 1. Plus, whoever my mentor is this semester will probably want to see at least part of what I've written this far.
* Pack. When it comes to packing, I'm a notorious minimalist. There's nothing I can't get at CVS if I forgot it.
* Make a final decision on whether to bring my laptop.
So there it is. I have a few days left, it should be easy to knock each item off the list. Unless I stress about it.
Oh we have very very different lists my friend.
ReplyDeleteMine is like 67 pages at this point.
I love that you are a minimal packer. I'm a maximum packer. It makes me want to drive some of my stuff to you and put it in your suitcase, just kidding.
Can't wait to see you!