Dat Boy Trippin (to Chicago and China)

If you know me, you know I don't travel often. I hate flying, and would rather take my car to any destination, regardless of distance. In the past I've been totally content to spend my free time locally doing the usual, because it's in my comfort zone and just generally enjoyable. This summer however, I somehow became the stereotypical college graduate who travels a ton after receiving their diploma. I plan to diary/review both trips in my blog, although I'll be honest, who really knows if that will happen...

Tomorrow, I'm riding Southwest to the Midwest, and a week from Friday I go across the world to China via Air Canada. I mention this not only because it's uncharacteristic of me but also because I will clearly have 15 people who are totally oblivious to where I am, and since the world runs through cellphones and facebook, two things I will not be using in China, this may be my only means of letting people know where I'm at. I will be posting pictures in the aforementioned diaries so I can bore everyone with my journeys' happenings.

Okay, I must get to some sort of point in this post and mention a few things happen when I'm about to leave for a trip:

1) I overthink everything. Not that I don't do that in many other parts of life also, but it's extremely noticeable when I'm in packing mode. Every electronic item has to have 8 chargers or sets of backup batteries. I pack my clothes as if there will be mudstorms everyday and as if every meal out could turn my entire outfit into a bib (are straight guys allowed to say "outfit"? It felt really unnatural to type it)...in other words, I plan for the worst case scenario, even though it never happens.
2) I get really excited when I'm packing and I get up and pace aimlessly around. The actual process of me packing what I need to takes 20-30 minutes tops but it happens over a 3-hour span because I get so giddy I can't focus. This blog is actually being typed as my open suitcase lies unfilled and my to-do list remains incomplete.
3) I convince myself I'm not going to worry about my fantasy sports teams, but ultimately text a friend with my login info so they can monitor them like a pet I'm leaving behind. Wow, that is especially humiliating to admit in this context...I need a life. Maybe I will discover one in Chicago or China.
4) I start attempting to estimate how much the trip will cost me in total, not because I'm concerned about it, but because it's just another mental technique to procrastinate while I'm packing.
5) I debate on what Philly sports apparel I'm going floss while I'm in whatever foreign land it is I am venturing to.

In unrelated news, I am pretty excited for Memorial Day barbecues, one with H-town and one with peeps from work. I have not had the chance with my busy schedule to hang with my coworkers at all, and will certainly relish the opportunity. They are incredibly fun to be around in work, so you can bet I'm excited to see them during some chill hours. Memorial Day is an extremely underrated holiday because you simply can not overstate the importance of any holiday that officially kicks off the summer.