Rocket Woman

She packed my bags last night pre-flight
Zero hour nine a.m.
And I'm gonna be high as a kite by then

OK, some edits:
I packed my bag and it was bag not bags, pre-flight and zero hour is nine p.m. not a.m. I will however, undoubtedly be high as a kite by the time I board that flight. Airport bar and Sapphire gin martinis -- godsends to the claustrophobic and flying impaired.

Uh yeah, that'd be me thenkewveddymuch.

Jen and I leave tomorrow evening, after work, for a real long weekend in Reykjavik, Iceland. So, tonight is packing night. I’m always so totally focused on packing light that I often miss a thing or 5. Mind you, if I forget a pair of under-drawers I can buy ‘em. If I need tissues, I can go to the local apothecary. Thicker socks -- well, boy-howdy, I DO believe socks are obtainable in Iceland, Scotland, Poland and a whole mess 'o' other places.

The Must-Pack-Lighter-Than-Butterflies thinking is what’s led me to pack, for a January week in Eastern Europe, a very early spring week in Tuscany and an early winter week in Northern Scotland, no more than a slight backpack worth of, em, essentials.

Yes, that pack, at your right --18 inches in height, is what I've toted on those trips and, INDEED, it's smaller than what a Boston Latin Student needs for daily classes.

You see, I HATE toting all this damned, glorious impedimenta. I just don’t want to be weighed down by STUFF. So then, when I have to fly to my destination, I pare down to the absolute MOST basic minimum. This means I’m rinsing socks and undies in available sinks (wut? TMI?) but, hellfiredamnation, that’s better than lugging crap through airports or on my endless journeys from foreign airport to B&B/hostel/apartment/comfy looking meadow.

Traveling anywhere by car is a supreme luxury. This means I can bring crap for all emergencies and possibilities. Yeah, it’s August but we’re goin’ to Vermont -- surely a light coat wouldn’t be wholly unwise, eh? I’m headed to P-town -- I MAY just need those 6 inch platform wedgies! Takin’ the train to New York? I totally do NOT need more than a small purse. If you can’t get what you need in NYC it ain’t worth having. (snark...sorta, kinda)

Point of the story -- if I’m driving to my destination, I don’t think. I just load up the car. If I’m flying? Every item is scrutinized. Each inclusion is the result of research, deep thought, extreme pragmatism and, what the hell, geometry and a wee bit of string theory or something.

Hi, my name is Donna and I’m a packing extremist. I swear there's a 12 step program for me somewhere. Or a religious cult. One or the other.

Now, s’cuse me while I go obsess over my rucksack.

Rocket Man -- Elton John