I’m a total slacker. I’ve missed posting twice this week. I made a vow to write two posts per week and I’ve now missed that.
What can I say? I’m not offering up some lame excuses – I just suck. Life is getting in the way at the moment – between work getting busier, my trip to see my family and continuing to prep for my RTW, I’ve been a bit overwhelmed. So, rather than killing myself and writing some posts that are half-assed, I’m just going to give a quick update on what’s going on. I’ll be back with posts on schedule starting this weekend.
My to-do list is about 2 pages long and has a ridiculous level of minutiae in it, so this is just an overview.
Milestones I’ve hit:
- My savings goal is achieved, more than 2 months early. Doesn’t change my start date, but a few extra dollars to travel with is nice.
- I’ve told my family that I’m leaving to travel the world (more on that one this weekend when I can put together a real post).
- I’m writing almost daily, even if I haven’t posted this week. Part of the issue is that the more I write, the more critical I become of WHAT I’m writing, so I have to get over that. One of the reasons I struggled in my early attempts as a screenwriter was “re-write paralysis.”
- A highly successful yard sale, which also made me realize that I have a lot more stuff I still have to sell.
- Started my Facebook Fan Page (even though I won’t promote it until I give notice at work). Please become a fan so I can get my vanity URL!!!
- Received Freedonia Post business cards. I like the look, but not the text & layout. Going to do a revision and new order before I go.
- Got an offer to write a regular column for a website while I’m traveling. Still need to put together a proposal and decide if I’m going to pursue that, but it seems like it would be fun (if not a ton of money).
- I’m fully packed. Yes, I know that’s insane since I don’t leave for 10 weeks. I’ll actually probably trim down a few things that are just excess weight.
- Bought a netbook (HP Mini) and loaded it up with software. It’s really too small, but I’ll adjust. The 6+ hours battery life is worth the trade-off.
- Had my first real life meet-up with a fellow RTW traveler via Twitter (no, I can’t call it a tweet-up, I just can’t). Great conversation over coffee with Keith of Traveling-Savage.com
Things to look forward to:
- First travel meet-up with other Los Angeles based travel bloggers – tonight!
- Breaking the news at work – early May, this will be hard. Unlike many, I’m not leaving a job I hate, I’m leaving because this trip is too important to me to let linger in my mind.
- A very, very long to-do list.
- Doctor, dentist and eye doctor appointments. My shopping list includes unbreakable glasses.
- A lot more cycling – I need to start training a bit more regularly. I’m not too concerned, because I know I’ll get whipped into shape quickly when I start touring, but I’d rather be better prepared (and frankly, I need the stress release that riding provides)!
- Book my accommodations in France for July. I’m 95% decided that I’ll be starting in Lille, France due to its proximity to the first few stages of the Tour de France.
- Start spending time writing fiction. I’m not sure how much time I can devote to this right now, but I’m going to start so I can let my mind wander in this direction as I’m doing all day cycling excursions. I do some brilliant writing in my head while I’m off riding in the wilderness.
- Language study – fortunately my first couple months will be in France, which I need a refresher on. I speak it -poorly, but at least I know the language.
That’s the state of things at the moment. More to come as I work through all of those steps. I promise not to miss any more deadlines.
You forgot your first tweet-up in your milestones!
.-= Keith´s last blog ..The Importance of the Quest =-.
Ah, shoot, how could I forget!!? This is why I don’t regularly write posts at 6:30am and post without editing!
Fixing…
.-= Joel´s last blog ..Where You At? April Updates… =-.
I totally feel your pain. My to-do list is SO long that I had to bit the bullet and hire a personal assistant for a couple of months. But, it seems like everything is going really well. I’m so excited for you!!!
.-= Andi´s last blog ..India: Day 1 =-.
Thanks Andi, one step at a time. Sometimes 10 weeks seems like plenty of time, sometimes it feels like it’s coming way too fast to get everything done.
Your to-do list is making me tired! But I can understand you. I have a long to-do list and there are simply not enough hours in the day but your to-do list is also exciting. Just attack it!
.-= Joya´s last blog ..Where Am I Traveling to Next? It’s Closer Than You Think =-.
It’d be great to have a couple weeks free from work to knock all the stuff out. Most of it isn’t that time consuming when I can actually focus on it. But the great thing is, my “done” list is longer than my to-do list.
Just over a month to go for my RTW trip and after reading this post I think I really need to get myself organised!
Good luck with telling work, I have 9 days left at mine but resigning has been the hardest part so far. Not just the reactions of colleagues/clients but then all the self-doubt, anxiety, fears etc all come flooding in x 100.
So what’s on your to-do list? I know I’m forgetting something major … or four.
.-= Globetrooper Lauren´s last blog ..Travel, Explore, Discover the Globe Together =-.
Hey Lauren – I sometimes think I’m spending too much time organizing and not enough DOING. My list is seriously 2 pages long – everything from installing new brakes on my bike to moving my 401k to an IRA.
I doubt there’s anything on my list you’d be missing – I just add in minute details.
The one thing that a lot of people don’t do is upload the contents of their computer to an online back-up service. Particularly with blogging, I would never want to depend solely on the files I have physically with me!
Yes good tip on the online backup, we use idrive, and lucky too because my mac just committed suicide
And I’m down with the minute details of things to do before leaving – it helps relieve stress later (well that’s what I’m telling myself!)
.-= Globetrooper Lauren´s last blog ..Travel, Explore, Discover the Globe Together =-.
So exciting! Question: how many fans do you need on Facebook before you can get a vanity URL? I haven’t quite figured that out yet. And good choice starting in France
.-= Christine´s last blog ..And this, my dear, is what they call an adventure =-.
Hey Christine – you need 25, so I’m covered now. And so are you, if I remember correctly!
I might actually be spending my first 3 months in France, in various locations – North, East and South, positioned near borders to make it easy to see that region and the neighboring countries.
No immediate plans to head toward Nice (love it, but already spent some time there), but I’ll definitely let you know if I do!
Are you planning to take language classes while in France… or just brushing up before you go?
.-= Brooke vs. the World´s last blog ..Learning Like a Child: Host Family Flashback Part 2 =-.
Just a little brushing up. I worked my way through most of Coffee Break French last Fall to help remind me, but I really don’t wrap my head around a language very well until I’m surrounded by it.