You’d be hard-pressed to find a traveler less prepared on the day of a trip than I am today. Regardless, I fly out this afternoon. I spent a lot of time last night trying to decide what clothes, and how many of each, to bring.
For so many reasons I am so looking forward to changing my life starting today.
Today’s Daily Challenge
Learn about virtual volunteering opportunities.
Volunteering can bring great benefits to communities near and far, but it can also be a big help to you. People who give back have reported better self-esteem, personal growth, and overall happiness. If you can’t get out of the house much or stick to a regular schedule, lending a hand online or over the phone gives you a flexible way to become a volunteer.
Virtual volunteering? That’s probably as effective as the virtual relationships in which I’ve been over the past decade.
By This Time (My Time) Tomorrow
By this time tomorrow I will probably have just landed in Brussels. Though I’ve packed as miserly as I possibly could for a (near) two-week journey I will have to check my new Osprey backpack and hope for the best. Dangen, I just realized that I forgot to bring a TSA-approved lock for the backpack, not that there is anything of value, but for the security theater of it. Upon retrieving my bag on the other side I’ll search for the nearest train ticketing agent and get on a train to Frankfurt, Germany. Oooh, it sounds like I’m on The Amazing Race!
This is where my pre-hash planning grinds to a halt. It’s not that I didn’t try to plan, it’s that I failed at it. Spontaneous, yeah, that describes me to a tee! 😉
Don’t Call Me, I’ll Call You
Or not.
I investigated many overseas options for my unlocked iPhone 5c and in the end I decided that I am going to stick with my AT&T SIM card and only call people using the Skype app. Given this there are really only three people in this world from whom I will answer a call while I am away — my mother, my brother, and ITP-Reader Martha (who would only be calling to give me bad news about the ITP Estate).
I contemplated buying a local SIM card and getting calls/texts that way, but then my number will change which opens a whole new set of problems.
Someone pointed me toward T-Mobile’s international plan, but this happened too late in my planning cycle and I just didn’t have the time to investigate this option.
Who knows, I might just change my mind upon arrival.
ITP Flickr Pic
Nothing, but if all goes to plan there will be some over the next few weeks.
I Hope Nothing Goes Wrong At Work
I’m a solo developer on the project that’s occupied my time since February. I’ve given the keys to my kingdom to the Software Manager, who is more than competent at developing for iOS, but still, this is my creation. This morning I will be attempting to make last-minute fixes to make sure that, in the unlikely event a beta release needs to be compiled and distributed, someone else can handle it.
About This Blog
Even though I will be six hours ahead of the most important time zone in the world, imho, I make no guarantees that there will be daily posts. For one I cannot guarantee that I will have convenient internet access. For two I cannot guarantee that I will be so busy having fun that I am willing to take necessary time to write a post. If this space contains nothing but photographs, you should expect that the latter is occurring.
Today’s Personal Project
Be calm.
Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – nervous
Current Music – silence at the moment since today is an unusual Tuesday rest day for the Tour de France
Website Of The Day – .
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing
Morning Weigh-In – 216 pounds. Hoping that a shitload of walking over the next two weeks will help me start to bring this number down.
Monthly
Foot Mileage – ~13.0 miles
Wheel Mileage – ~22.0 miles
Gym Visits – 4 (4 cardio)
Marta Rides To Work – 0
Bike Rides To Work – 0
July Goals
– be prepared for, and have fun on my European vacation
2014 Goals: Measurable
– Get my weight down to 190 pounds so that I can wear a 36″ waist pants comfortably
– Completely read ten books, audio books permissible
– Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
– Completely run at least one 10k
– Fix all (or at least most) of the things which are wrong with the ITP Estate
– Sell the ITP Estate (tentative)
2014 Goals: Unmeasurable
– Continue to simplify, simplify, simplify
– Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
– Do not create a solution for something which is not a problem
– Eat smaller portions
– Start, and continue, to make my own bread using my bread machine as well as using the technique outlined in Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking
– Read and discard magazines during the month in which they arrive (even digitally)
Books I’ve Read/Heard In 2014
- “Johnny Carson” by Henry Bushkin
- “Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative” by Austin Kleon
- “Chaos: Making a New Science” by James Gleick
- “What’s So Funny?: My Hilarious Life” by Tim Conway
Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]
Reality check-
Airline ticket?
PASSPORT?
Chargers for electronic devices?
After those 3 things, everything else can be easily obtained, and should be part of the adventure. I know the one thing that came in handy the first time I was in Germany was a little booklet that translated menu items. I’m sure there is an app for that.
And while I don’t expect daily entries, there still better be something on the blog, even if it’s a selfie with the city limits sign.
Please have a wonderful time!
-FP
Safe travels Paulie!
Have you thought of picking up a disposable pre paid phone while you are there? Might be an option to get in touch with others that are there.
That’s all the spies in the movies use- untraceable phones
Passport — CHECK
Wallet with credit card and Euro — CHECK
Checked into flight electronically (took photo of QR Code) — CHECK
International outlet adapter and switching power supply — CHECK
I’m ready. 🙂
Argh, getting sucked into an 11am meeting that will last at least an hour because someone else called in sick. Not the way I was hoping to relax before skipping out of the office. 🙁