travelin' (wo)man

"i'm leavin', on a jet plane.  don't know when i'll be back again..."

...that's a lie.  i'll be back on march 11th.  but you get the point.  i'm going on a trip!

the boyfriend and i, plus a favorite married couple, are headed out this evening for london.  after london, it's on to barcelona.  and then home.

it's something i've been looking forward to for a while, and i can't believe it's here. 

..i also can't believe how stressed out it makes me!

my boyfriend and i both have professional alter-egos.  there's business boyfriend.  and then there's business amy.  beware the alter egos.

business amy differs greatly from average aQ.  business amy is direct.  business amy is fast.  business amy has very little patience, doesn't appreciate anyone contributing to delays in any shape or form, and is less likely to be flexible.

business amy likes to get.shit.done.

you can tell if business amy has still taken me over if you talk to me on the phone.  the boyfriend calls me every evening from whichever city he happens to be in, and can quickly discern who he's talking to.  is she calm and sleepy?  hello, average aQ.  somewhat snappy and to the point?  alter ego is still in charge. 

while business amy is helpful, even necessary in certain situations, she certainly gets in the way sometimes.  she seems to come out in moments or days of higher-than-average stress. 

preparing for travel is one of those stressors. 

hello, readers.  this is business amy typing.  bwah-ha-ha-ha.

my poor boyfriend.  my poor family.  my poor friends.  those who have encountered my alter ego probably leave my presence with shivers.  business amy can be cold.

the only really great cure i've found?  red wine.

which is exactly what i plan to dose myself with as soon as i hit the plane this evening.   it'll be cheap.  but it'll be red.  and it'll kick the ass of any remnant of business amy left in my system.  i'm really looking forward to it.

and speaking of looking forward to things...i am SO looking forward to my trip.  once my feet are on the ground outside of heathrow, it's game on.  beer:30.  time for fish 'n chips, tapas bars, playing tourist and playing with accents.  even languages!

i will be acting as the group interpreter while we are in barcelona.  and man, are my comrades in for it.

it's been a while since i have really been in need of my deeply buried spanish skills.  they're dusty.  they're rusty.  and my grammar is terrible.

i'm praying that i don't accidentally respond with profanities and a smile.  that i don't order goat when i was hoping for fish.  that i don't call someone a prostitute when i intended to call them a professional.  i especially hope i don't lead anyone to believe i'm pregnant when i had hoped to admit that i was embarrassed - no doubt i'll do something to humiliate myself.  vocabulary is key, and mine in spanish leaves a lot to be desired.

i have no doubt i will return home with many a silly story.  embarrassing photos.  and a hangover.

but until my feet hit the chilly ground of london, i have to get there.  and i have a plan.  here's my itinerary:

1.  leave office. 
2.  get home and pack up the rest of my shit.
3.  briefly freak out that i've forgotten something (underwear isn't necessary..i'm sure going commando is more than accepted in europe.  deodorant and bras, for me, are non-negotiables.)
4.  get dropped off at the airport and freak out that i forgot my passport (jeff will have it)
5.  get my ass on the plane. 
6.  get a glass of wine in my hand
7.  promptly pass out with the help of tylenol pm
8.  feet on the ground in london (hours, and hours, and hours later)

wish me luck.  i'll miss you until then.  hasta luego...i'll be back!