I hate waiting. A few weekends ago, my dear South American snapped at me because I was running about 5 minutes late to meet him. What all my friends found funny was that the American was late. I may be, perhaps, the only American on the planet who is consistently late for everything...except work. There's a reason for this. Reread the first sentence. I have worked diligently to be as prepared as possible for my upcoming trip, and I am very surprised to be able to admit that I'm even packed...except for some incidentals that will go in my carry-on. My homework is as complete as possible. The laundry is done. I will soon load up all the dogs' stuff for the kennel so it is ready for me in the morning. This, my friends, is something new. And now I wait. I did all this because I have a very special surprise for someone, and I wanted to make sure that I didn't ruin the chance to experience it with some last minute, frantic flurry of activity to leave for the airport in time.

I've been busily preparing for my upcoming trip to Spain. In doing so, I have been frantically working on a project for work, completing homework assignments, and packing. In what has been uncharacteristic behavior for me, I am almost finished with a little time to spare. I just finished updating the playlist on my iPod shuffle, and I chuckled as I searched for just the right songs to accompany me on this trip. This is perhaps my most important decision...more so than clothing options. Last summer, in Peru, I found myself feeling a bit homesick, and the only thing that cured it was the sound of one of my favorite Spanish bands. I cannot tell you how many times I listened to the song, Estrella Polar. To this day, the moment I hear the opening chords, I am transported back to the streets of Lima. As excited as I am about this trip, I'm also a little nervous. It has nothing to do with traveling overseas by myself and everything to do with the repercussions of the date I chose for

I'm a bit giddy today. Jokes with one of my dearest friends. Compliments about my work from co-workers. Decent looking hair. Lots of laughter. I like this feeling.