Day 5 of What should have been a 4 Day Drive

A few things that I have learned while driving across the country in a 15 foot moving van.
1 - Gas is expensive.
2 - Americans in general are bad drivers.
3 - Missouri has more roadside porn stores than any other state in the Union.
4 - Windshield wiper fluid is very important and almost impossible to find when it is snowing everywhere.
5 - Wind + 15 foot moving van = very, very scary
6 - Cats need to pee after riding in car for 8 hours with no litter box.
7 - Skywest sucks.
8 - Interstates can be closed?!?! For wind?!?! For 48 hours?!?!
9 - Diet Mountain Dew is truly the nectar of the Gods.
10 - It is possible to text and eat cheese and crackers (as in spreadable Laughing Cow and Saltines) while driving a 15 foot moving truck in the snow

1

Help.

2 to go

It would appear that the kitten is ready and willing to move.

3

4

A year and a half ago I went back to school. I walked into a studio without a clue as to why I was there. How did I, Ms. Flaky and Unreliable, manage to get accepted to Columbia University? And furthermore, how in the world could I ever expect to succeed in a program that I knew nothing about?
Yes, I liked plants and gardening and I seemed to have a green thumb... but designing? And drawing? And construction? I was lost.
Then, a funny thing happened. My professors actually started giving me praise. I got hired by not one but two beautiful parks, then I actually got hired by a design firm... And all of a sudden, I had actually succeeded. I, the girl who never really believed in the whole work ethic thing, and who never really cared about anything for longer than it took for the next best thing to come along, was actually working hard at something I was passionate about. After thirty years of just floundering through life I finally found something that makes me happy and that I'm kind of good at. Yeah me.
Tonight was my last class. Monday I will present my final project in front of my peers, my professors, and their colleagues. To say that I am nervous would be a huge understatement. To say that I am scared would be an even bigger understatement. I can hardly breathe, much less sleep.
Monday night will not only be the end of a journey for me, but it will be the start of a new life.
I fly to a land of uncertainty on Tuesday. I have job interviews to go to, houses to look at, paths to find... and I will be leaving behind a success that I never thought could ever be mine. Hopefully I will carry that success with me to my new life, to this adventure that my husband is already living, and loving. And hopefully we will be happy. Just four short days and all of the apprehension and anticipation will be over. It's done.
I did it.

5

Well, one down, two to go.
I presented the first of three final presentations. I think I did alright, but only time will tell if my crazy teacher appreciated all the hours upon hours upon hours that I invested in getting this greenroof just right. But even if he doesn't, well, I know that I worked extra hard and I learned something in the process. I can now say that I am knowledgeable on the creation of greenroofs. And, in the end, isn't that what school is all about? I think so. Oh, and, my drawing was kind of pretty too!

6

Yeah, I know, I missed a day. But honestly, I'm in the final days of my Master's program! Geez, a girl can only do so much. Let's not forget that I have to somehow figure out a way to smuggle cupcakes through airport security and find a way to get midgets and tricycles all the way across the country... Oh wait, am I allowed to say that on the internet?

8 (That's short for 1 week and 1 day!)

Well, only one more week and then one more day. But the last day won't really count because I will be so scared and nervous over my final presentation. And tomorrow will fly by because I am working and I have class, and then the rest of my week is full of doing my final presentation drawings and making multiple trips to the post office and packing... Whew. I will be so glad when this is all over with and I can finally sit down and relax. Maybe I will schedule myself a spa day... or maybe I will just sleep for a month!

9!!!! Yea! For the Single Digits!

Last night I got to do something that I hadn't done since college. I had a sleepover with one of my old flight attendant pals. It was so nice to just sit around and have girl talk and giggle over silly pictures and gossip about our friends and husbands. It was just what I needed to drag me out of my recent funk. Only one more week! And... I am almost finished with my projects! I can't wait.
Ready or not life, here I come!