Moderate Panic

It dawned on me today, as I sat on the phone with a nice lady from AT&T trying to figure out how to avoid paying my cell phone bill while I am out of the country, that I am leaving in exactly TWO WEEKS! HOLY SHIT!!

The sense of panic that had been lurking in the shadows the evening prior, preventing my exhausted body from falling asleep, chose that moment to pounce, claws extended, and sink its teeth into my jugular.

TWO FREAKING WEEKS!

And I still have so much to do.

The subletter-search is becoming an increasing pain in the ass. Some girl who has been giving me the run-around for the past few days and had FINALLY settled on a day/time to come see the place just emailed me this morning saying she and her boyfriend didn't get the jobs they wanted so aren't moving to NYC after all. FABULOUS! I still have someone coming Sunday evening, so hopefully she isn't a complete freakshow and I can just sign her up and be done with it.

Oh, and before she comes I need to find time to clean this place. I did a precursory straightening the other day, so I could get away with a quick dust-and-vacuum in the major rooms, but the kitchen and bathroom are a disgrace.

Not to mention the MASSIVE cleaning that needs to happen before I leave--gotta hide the irreplaceable booze (Absinthe and Ugandan Gin) and figure out how to give the subletter a few drawers in my dresser and maybe an inch or two in the closet.

I realized that I have done NOTHING about the red-tape surrounding my Fall project, and I really need to get on that--Pronto.

I also need renter's insurance. And travel insurance.

I joined ZipCar so that I could go out and pick up 2 months worth of cat-care supplies (kitty litter is HEAVY), but that won't happen until, oh, a week and a half from now. And I think my $50 of free driving time expires while I'm away, so in addition to running errands I need to make use of that. How does one go about scheduling mandated fun-time, anyway?

Shit. I still need to get another memory card for my camera. I've decided that 3 gigs of photos simply won't be enough.

Yet this looming cloud of doom has a silver lining of sorts. You know, aside from the obvious which is that hi! I'm traveling for two months!

The rehearsals for the staged reading are going really well. It's been a great experience--definitely useful for my project next Fall--and the cast is a lot of fun to work with. Also, working with a Newberry-Award-Winning author and a giant in the field of Ed. Theatre is also pretty awesome.

Short film is--universe willing--coming up the home stretch. Which means I can get a haircut! And a manicure! Hoorah!

I booked my hostel for my first day/night in London--yay! Now I just need to find one for the first night in Lima. I should get on that.

I ordered the awesomest pair of shoes from Zappos.com yesterday, and they upgraded me to overnight shipping for nothing extra! Unfortunately, that's where the good news ends. When the shoes got here they were a.) a little too big, and b.) had a really tight elastic strap that dug into my high instep, which I know would be killing my foot after a long day of walking. So they are gong back. But the shoe itself, aside from the evil strap, was insanely comfortable and I'm planning to buy another pair from the company sometime after I get back from traveling. (All the others that I like are suede, and I can't see wearing suede shoes in rainy countries.)

*sigh*

I am trying to escape this overwhelming sense of, well, ACK!!! that is hanging over my head... but I'm not sure how.

What do you do when you're so stressed you feel like your head is going to explode?