Stuffed

One of the BEST parts of my work is that I get to travel, meet new people, and encourage them.  Today I’m going south to help a group of women get up & running on their writing projects.  It’s a jazz hands/I love my life kind of day…

Except that…

I am a CHRONIC overpacker.  It’s serious.  I’m not one of those people who is super-decisive about clothes, and most of my trips include tons of unpredictables: weather, culture (things are really casual here in Cambridge), whether or not we’ll be going to church/out to dinner/for a run…the list goes on.  It’s so bad that a couple years ago when I was traveling with a group of people to a week-long conference in Texas, one of my colleagues looked at my bag (and the long line to check it) and said (not kindly, with what might have been slight hint of distain): “Clearly, you’ve never been on a missions trip.”

I looked at her, held my tongue, and smiled.  But inside I was thinking, “Lady, I’m from New England.  My whole LIFE is a missions trip.” But I digress…

Overpacking was not a problem until airlines began the whole “you can only bring one tiny suitcase on our plane” business, demanding an extra $50 for round-trip travel of my running shoes and an extra pair of jeans (because honestly…don’t running shoes take up a RIDICULOUS amount of space in a suitcase?  If we are supposed to be serious about fitness, could someone PLEASE invent collapsible running shoes?)  So now my need for options is in a complete collision with my desire to be thrifty and not toss dollars out into the wind behind me.

So while I’d hoped to share a meaty post about deep things of universal import this morning, alas, I cannot.  I’m too busy cramming scarves, eye shadow & earrings into the corners of my carry-on.

Are you an overpacker?