Ironman New Zealand Update: I'm Freakin', Freakin' Out Man!

Judi commented that I was sitting there with 9 days until my flight and I wasn't freaking out. Which she's right I wasn't ....now here it is 4 days before my flight and now I've hit freakout mode.

Reasons:

• Tri Club budget is due I have to get intouch with Jane to see if it's ok if I make Bjoern Treasurer...otherwise I have to use doctrines of executive power..man it's good to be President.
• Get to the shop and pack my bike.
• Pick up shorts from Modells, Sports Authority, or Dicks... any where cheap...I really hope they're running that 2 for $24 sale again....check the website..nope damn you economy!
• Retrieve my suitcase from home, clean it so it doesn't smell like mildew, pack.
• Christina's birthday is on Friday...so a combined birthday/ farewell dinner with her and Melissa.
• Two bills are due while I'm in NZ thank god for online bill pay :)
• 5 page paper due for history of Germany class...thankfully it's only a 5 pager...man in high school that seemed like a lot...
• Shave my legs before flying down or night before the race, that is the question...
• Somehow have to fit two swim sessions, two runs, and a couple of short spin sessions in.
• Jot down all my contacts for this gig.
• Call my bank's ATM department and let them know I'll be out of the country....I wish we had better hold music....alright did as I typed this.. that was easy...
• Price out compression socks... I heard they're good for recovery.
• Flowers for the lady at baggage check...maybe that'll get my bike on for free :) [just kidding on this one.]
• About six billion other things weighing down on me.

I know a lot of these are much ado about nothing but at least spouting them off keeps me from getting even more gray hairs, that and it makes them real to me. It's easy to put off something that's just a thought, it's much harder to put off something you write down on paper.

I've just got to settle down and take care of the list. On a more positive note some of the work that I was going to have to rush in to my professors this week has been pushed back, until after NZ....whew...also my income tax refund will hit any day now... a huge bonus.

I picked up a cold from my Grandfather... I know hell of a going away present...but I've been treating it with cough drops and orange juice...maybe increased vitamin C will compensate for lack of proper sleep and nutrition. ( I'm on the college student diet, where the 5 food groups are caffeine, grinders, pizza, fruit, and whatever's in the vending machine.) Also I don't know why. but I sleep like a baby on airplanes...maybe it's the idea of if the thing explodes/crashes while I'm asleep I won't feel it, maybe it's I'm just an easy going traveler, I don't know but I won't knock it.

So that's all from here

R.D.

Also I have not been put on TSA's DO NOT FLY LIST so apparently Barack Obama does approve of me going to New Zealand ;)