Ready, Set...

Go!

So the day before the great adventure has finally arrived, complete with last minute anxiety over a haircut that is ... possibly far too lesbian for my preferred heterosexual look... but all in all I think I'm well prepared.

Weighing the luggage, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I have 13 pounds to 'play' with in terms of souvenir shopping on my way back, and that will likely be flexible, since I'm very good at strategizing my carry-on luggage to smuggle all the extra bits that would otherwise herniate the backs of the luggage handlers.  

As I type I'm comfortably propped on a chair in Jo's livingroom, watching French hockey commentary, and all the while running through the list of things I need to remember to do tomorrow.  Oh yes, me and my lists.  There's no way to deny that I live for my lists.

The normal anxiety that was stressing me out earlier in the week has since passed, and a sense of peace has finally settled; there's something to be said for fantasizing about a life full of Xanax - what a miracle drug it is that without even taking any, I feel completely at peace!  This is one of those times when I definitely appreciate the placebo effect.

Today's huge anxiety, as previously eluded to, was the hair-cutting event of this evening.

Ever walk into a salon, expecting to see your favourite stylist, only to find out that the 95 pounds of tattooed goth has now moved on, presumably to a gig with the Suicide Girls?  That's pretty much what happened to me - and instead, the replacement was a strange cross between my grandmother, and a girl I used to know in school.

I had hesitations - I confess, I had many, many hesitations.  I liked my edgy goth tattooed freak who was so hysterically funny that I feared decapitation as her scissors navigated the area around my neck.  Alas, no bliss - she's gone, and I'm not about to go stalking after a random mystery stylist so, I settled into the chair and said the words I thought summed up my request:  'just cut it to shoulder length'...  She could do anything else she could ever want, but that was the length I wanted.  Bangs?  If she thought it best.  Layers?  Ok.  My only request was shoulder length...

I may not have adequately relayed my requests.

Instead, the result is strangely short hair that terrifies me.  I have NEVER had short hair - in fact, the shortest my hair had been (before this) was  - wait for it - shoulder length.  Give or take one bad accident in highschool when I'm convinced I took leave of my senses and did a harsh jaw-line cut, that is.

If this hair debacle is the worst that comes of my pre-trip jitters, than I figure all is well.  I have actually received a couple of compliments on it, and I can roll with it otherwise (I've considered a wig, extensions, and big-ass hats, all of which have both upsides and downs...)  I had initial angst that I might be looking far too Rosie O'Donnell like, but I have been reassured numerous times that I still have a ways to go before reaching that point - *whew*  I really was worried there...

My first flight leaves Ottawa tomorrow just before ten am.  I arrive in Australia Saturday morning just before eight am, and at every point in between I have a various adventures laid out.  My fabulous parents are venturing from London to come visit me in Toronto and we'll have lunch (and possibly find alternative hair-solutions...) and a visit before we all take off for parts unknown.  It's funny: only in my family can we routinely be on three different continents at once, and never think anything of it.

Love it.

So, it might be a few days before I get to swing back in, but certainly I will be looking forward to hearing from you, and updating very soon!

Adios!