1) Spent the day doing laundry, packing, and cleaning. Can't believe this trip came up so quickly.

2) Packing was actually pretty fast - I'd been putting stuff to the side for months. I'm 99% done!

3) Thank goodness for vacuum sealing bags. 2.5 weeks in one carry on.

4) Dreaming and sc…

1) So tired. I feel like I could just pass out!

2) Slept in a bit, then got up to clean for the Salon.

3) Some say that you shouldn't your goals with others, because doing so triggers the pathways in your brain that make you believe you've already accomplished them. Others say you should, …

1) Late night chatting and wine drinking with a good friend. I'm so thankful for my friendships - they truly make me a my life richer, and make me a better person!

2) Haircut this morning.

3) Spent the day organizing and cleaning. Not too long before I leave!

4) Found the prosecco that my dad …

1) Ideas brewing in my brain, and I am EXCITED!

2) I can't believe I only have one day of work left before I leave.

3) Feeling slightly less stressed now that the big things are done. Now it's just spending time with friends and packing.

4) Eat Purely for dinner. Tasty!

5) Hair cut tomorro…

1) Even though I was super nervous, the MRI went well. I actually found it kind of relaxing!

2) Dinner at a great restaurant to celebrate mom's birthday. Lovely!

3) Seeing a friend's photos from NZ is bringing back so many wonderful memories.

4) Wondering what will happen with this little …

1) Valentine's Day treat from dad - chocolate covered strawberries! So thoughtful!

2) Smuch is subdued tonight.

3) Exactly one week until I leave for Bali. WHUT.

4) I'm exhilarated and stressed and frantic and excited. Emotion overwhelm right now is for real.

5) Ordered film for the trip …

1) Back to work and it was a really long day. And the rest of the week looks to be the same.

2) Mom's dinner is rescheduled! Excited to celebrate her birthday later this week.

3) Trying to figure out supplemental materials to study Japanese. Grammar? Vocab? Writing?

4) Travel on the brain. Joi…

1) Trying to get better at asking for help.

2) Smuch did well at the vet!

3) Lunch with Dad after the vet visit.

4) Trip to Target to buy some things for the trip. Why is it so hard to walk out of there without buying ALL THE THINGS???

5) Lesson tonight went well.

6) I swear there's a magic ti…

1) Trio rehearsal today was great fun, though I felt scattered. We decided not to play the trio that we were originally planning on doing - it was far too weird, and none of us really had the enthusiasm for it. So we're doing something else for the Salon.

2) Mom's birthday dinner cancelled…

1) Snowstorm wasn't nearly as bad in my section of the city as in others. We're still supposed to get more overnight, but the worst of it has - I think - passed.

2) Fun photoshoot today!

3) Tomorrow is trio rehearsal, and I'm really looking forward to it. Only one week until the next S…

1) Snow day!!! I wonder what the totals will be by the end of the weekend.

2) Prepping for photo shoot tomorrow. Hopefully the snow will have calmed down by then.

3) I'm in a state of mind where I can't concentrate on anything, but I'm simultaneously bored.

4) Amazon packages are delay…

1) The entire city is freaking out over the impending snow storm.

2) Birthday lunch for mom was fabulous! Food and company was great, and it all made mom super happy. We were on the 80th floor of a building right on the lakefront, and the lake was beautiful - all blue glass and cracked ice.

3) Off…

1) Tomorrow is Mom's birthday!

2) Found a really cool app called Journi, that will allow me to journal and share my travels with friends while away.

3) Taught my brother how to give Smuch his meds while I'm away.

4) This coming weekend is so incredibly busy. I need to schedule in some down…

1) Lesson tonight. I love seeing my students improve!

2) My eating habits have been horrible lately. Stress is not my friend.

3) Arranged the boat and land transport from Sanur to Nusa Ceningan and return to Ubud. Still a few things left to do, but I finally starting to feel like things are fallin…

1) Came home from work and read all night.

2) Snow snow snow.

3) Have started sending emails to all of the properties in Bali that I need to organize things with. Feeling a little more settled. It's amazing how getting things done and having more information will make you feel.

4) Mom's bi…

1) Trio rehearsal cancelled due to weather.

2) Perfect day to read with a cup of tea in hand.

3) Friend came over and we had a great time talking about her upcoming trip to NZ and other topics. Our trips overlap, so we won't be able to trade travel stories until after I get back.

4) Tried Eat …

1) 17 days until Bali. Holy. Shit.

2) Bought travel insurance, and now have (a little) more piece of mind.

3) Started back with reading "Discovery" by William Hayashi. The writing is a bit odd at times, but the book overall is pretty good.

4) Have fallen back into more of a routine, and …

1) Smuch's prognosis isn't great, but it's much better than what I thought it would be. Essentially, it seems like he may be having tiny strokes, and the sudden onset of loss of motor control - and subsequent regaining - is the result. I'm not interested in traumatizing him and run…

1) Came home to find Smuch isn't doing so well again. Back to the vet tomorrow. In the meantime, just making sure he's comfortable and spending as much time as possible with him.

2) Good advice: "If you're constantly switching directions, scrambling for the quickest way to reach a…