Wednesday, February 9, 2011

P.M.S.

Over the past year and half or so, I've found myself in several stressful, long-term packing situations. Namely:
  • June 2009: packed up my life from the US and moved it to Syria (in 2 suitcases)
  • August 2009: packed up my newly-moved life and moved it from my aunt's house to Al and I's house after our wedding
  • September 2009: packed up half of my life and moved it from Damascus to Derezor, Syria (about 5 hours away, where Al was working at the time)
    • two weeks later...packed it up again and moved back to Damascus after realizing I couldn't live on Mars (aka Derezor...to me it was like a barren, different planet)
  •  August 2010: packed up my whole life AGAIN and moved to Saudi Arabia
Now this also doesn't include the countless times I moved back and forth between my in-laws' house and my house in Damascus whenever Al would come in town from Derezor. Bascially, my stuff is currently spread out across 4 different houses in 3 countries. After all that, I have developed the non-curable psychological disorder of P.M.S.-- Packing Melancholy Syndrome. Symptoms include:
  • feeling anxious, nervous, even depressed at the very thought of packing
  • bursting into tears whenever you see a suitcase
  • hiding your suitcases in places you're unlikely to find in the future
  • the word "Customs" automatically gives you an ulcer
  • the words "weight limit" cause you to hyperventilate
  • dreading packing so much that you put it off until the last minute (where it becomes an impossible feat and can cause your PMS symptoms to resemble more of the other kind of PMS symptoms)
  • crying and hugging, and saying a personal goodbye to every piece of clothing, accessory, or shoe that you must leave behind
  • considering canceling your trip altogether just so you don't have to pack for it
So this brings me to my current packing dilemma that's causing my PMS symptoms to surface...my upcoming trip to the US (9 days, people!!) Here's the problem with this one: I have to pack for a 6-month long trip involving visiting 2 countries, spanning across 3 seasons, 2 different body sizes, and an infant on the return trip. Oh yeah, and that's all gotta fit in 2 suitcases weighing 50 pounds each. Better get that Xanax now (dammit...I'm preggo. I have to handle this drug-free).  You'd think after my recent packing-sprees, I'd be a seasoned veteran by now. But alas! This is so not the case. In fact, I think I'm actually regressing to being a worse packer now than I was before all my moves. It just gets more and more stressful each time around, and whenever you've finally gotten over all your PMS symptoms, another trip comes up and the vicious cycle starts all over again.


I have NO idea how I'm going to accomplish this latest feat in packing. My plan so far: pack as least as possible so I have a spare suitcase to bring back all the stuff I'll have with me on the return trip. Easier said than done. I've never been a minimalist packer. I love my clothes and if I could, I'd take every piece with me. But stupid weight and piece restrictions on airlines prevent me from doing so (argh!). So in the next 9 days, I have to figure out how to fit winter, spring, and summer clothes in both maternity and regular sizes (whatever my size ends up being post-baby) AND leave enough extra space to bring back whatever I buy in the States PLUS all the baby's stuff. !@##!^$%#$@!&*&#@!!!


I know I should probably start going through my closet as early as um, yesterday to try to accomplish this, but my PMS symptoms are preventing me from doing so. Instead, I'm sitting here blogging about how stressful its going to be and getting more stressed in the process. Maybe adjusting my habits will help me relieve the stress and prevent future PMS attacks from happening....but if my travel history is any indication, that's not likely to happen.

2 comments:

  1. Just pack anything cute and the rest we can get you here!! Come home safely and everything will be fine darlin'. Love you and can't wait to see you!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. haha thanks for the advice, Hanoon!! i can't wait to be home...i don't think yall are ready for this though lol

    ReplyDelete