Remember the John Denver song: Leaving On A Jet Plane?
“My bags are packed, I’m ready to go…..”
I wish I could say the same, but alas! I am not ready. Nevertheless, the day will come, Friday, to be exact, when we are leaving, ready or not. I keep having distractions, such as going to the doctor, finishing the gardening, and meeting friends. All wonderful, but not getting the clothes into the suitcase.

Last night I dreamed we were at a train station, in Toronto, which is on our way to China, and we had no bags at all.
Dear Husband asked, “Where are the bags?” and I answered, “They’re in the car.”
“Where is the car?” he asked, and I said, “Back there somewhere.”
The meaning of the dream is clear: I’m NOT ready, and I’d better take action now.
How hard is it, one may ask, to put things into a suitcase? Well, it isn’t easy when there is a weight limit, and a bag limit, and when your journey is for one year, and you want teaching materials as well as clothes, and you are an American and “need” 17 tee shirts, for example, and when you are too large a person to be able to find anything in a Chinese market, so you must bring everything.
I have a long list, so as not to forget anything, and I’m doing laundry, so everything is clean, and I’m moving things to the attic, so as to clear out a dresser for the person staying in our house while we are gone. On Friday, we’ll get in the car with some bags, and we’ll probably forget something after all, but it won’t really matter. One of our friends, a teacher, said, “The most important thing you have is your brains.” They’ll come along no matter what.

We have TEN Days left until we leave.  We have many tasks to accomplish, not least of which is packing up our bags.  I’ve started, but it is difficult.

I’ve been thinking though, that packing is like writing, and writing like packing.  First step, think about what the situation will be and what you need for it.  Then make a list, for packing, or a sort of outline for writing.  Next, put out everything you think you want to pack and look at it.  Then put about half of that back in the closets or drawers.  For writing, free write your thoughts,  do a “save as” document, and delete roughly half of it.

Next step, think some more.  How many pairs of slacks, jeans, shorts, do I really need for the duration of the trip?  Really?   Put some more away.  Imagine a day in the life, and think about each item you use, from your toothbrush, don’t forget that, to your hat for the sun and other weather, down to your socks and hiking boots.   Do you need anything new or specific, better get that now.   In the writing process, do more research, ask yourself, “Am I going on and on and on til the reader is lost?”

OK, now go back to the drawers and make some exchanges, the lighter weight slacks instead of the heavier ones, or vice versa.  Think about dressing up or down, and do you have some clothes for cleaning the apartment?   In the writing project, are you being true to the story, or are you leaving out the dirty work?  Do you want to take a necklace, or not?  How much do you want to dress up, literally, or in your writing?

Start putting stuff in the suitcase, the carry on bag, and the purse.  Get out the scales.  Weigh everything.   Cut, drop and/or add some more.  In writing, review, revise, rewrite.   Count the words.   Ask for advice from other travelers, or other writers, or editors.

Finally the day will come, when ready or not, it’s time to go.  What you have is what you’ll take.  No more decisions, just go.  In writing, the deadline approaches.  The editor is not looking for perfection, but for something on a certain day.

So, that’s what I’m thinking about today.  How about you?