Here, there

Sure enough, Saturday's blizzard in Ohio caused my flight to be canceled and afforded me an extra day at home. “Found time,” a friend called it, and it was lovely. All the stress I’d been feeling on Friday dissipated and l pretty much just relaxed. No need to stress about packing for a month: I was already packed! No need to stress about wanting more time to study: I had another afternoon! And of course it’s never any use stressing about the weather, because there is absolutely nothing I can do about that! So I ordered in from my favorite Thai place and alternated study sessions with episodes of LOST.

Streaming TV episodes online, my new indulgence. But alas - no internet at my home TH! (Temporary Home, in case you missed that its first time around.) So my addiction to Facebook and Bloglines and checking my email obsessively is facing judgement day. I expect the shakes and sweats of withdrawal to start any moment now. But thank god for coffee shops with free wifi! I’ll have to find one tomorrow. (*Updated: It took an extra day, but I found a great coffee shop across the street from the theater. I’ll likely become a regular…)

This time around I’m in a lovely green-walled room with a Florencia en el Amazonas poster above the bed and sweet white bedding with pink and green flowers that reminds me of sheets I had when I was a kid. I’m sitting in the chair in my room with one of my magic travel tricks: the rice sock. I pack a (clean, never worn) soft cushy sock, and then fill it with two pounds of Jasmine or other scented rice when I arrive at my destination. In this case I didn’t even have to go out and buy it; my hostess had an extra bag. Pop that baby in the microwave for two minutes, and voila! A balm for tight neck and back muscles. I think LR back in Seattle first introduced me to this wonderful innovation. I have one that I keep at home, but figured it didn’t make sense to lug around two extra pounds when I could just buy the rice at my destination. I tried it out on my last trip, and can’t imagine I’ll leave it at home ever again!

Other comforts of home: my favorite picture of my grandfather, my “good-luck” ladybug beanie baby, my perfume (by the time I get back to NYC, it’ll be time to switch back to my spring scent! yay!), beautiful new stationery (a birthday gift), and probably more pairs of shoes than I really need. Tomorrow: get my rental car, get some groceries, find some internet, and then meet the cast! We have a “table work” session tomorrow afternoon and then Act I musical tomorrow night. Here we go!