Priorities in a limited time frame

I'm beginning to think that I misjudged this whole moving strategy thing just a tad. Torsten is steps ahead of me and says I definitely did. The packing is going well, for sure, and that should be pretty much done this weekend. It's not that. It's the social thing.

It's like, I've lived in DC for three years, plus a summer a year before that, and when we realized that we were moving it suddenly occurred to me just how many friends I have here. Which is great, and I'm sure we'll make friends in Denver, albeit slowly. But what happened was, our move that we had been thinking about in the abstract for so long suddenly became this concrete thing with a DEADLINE, and as soon as that happened I had the overwhelming need to see everybody one last time. And they don't all know each other and I want real quality time with them all so it's not the kind of thing where you have a big crowded happy hour sendoff and call it a day.

You know how you always say to various people, oh, let's do this or that sometime? And you both mean it and vaguely keep planning on it but somehow "sometime" never turns into concrete plans? Well, now that we're moving, that "sometime" has become now or never, and I choose now. So I booked our social calendar, specifically mine, pretty much full. Dinner and coffee and shopping and brunch and whatnot with one friend after another. And I'm still missing a lot of people who are very important to me in the process.

And I think that ultimately I won't regret this, and it's fine, but also I am just so busy and have plans like every night between now and when we leave, practically. I mean not exactly, but almost. And I while I'm remarkably unstressed given what's going on in my life right now, this stuff isn't helping. Well, the time with friends is. But the lack of time at home to unwind, or sleep... that's not helping.

I was super grumpy yesterday and all this stuff kept pissing me off, some of it legitimate and other stuff just stupidity that I normally take in stride. And I think part of it is that I am running on very close to empty and I have a long way left to go.

But what am I supposed to cut out? Plans with my sister? Shopping with one of my best friends from college? Dinner with our favorite local couple and their adorable baby? Really, I WANT to see these people and I'm going to miss them all terribly when we are gone, and there will be plenty of time for sleeping later especially when we are in Denver and know no one and therefore have no social life, but OMG SO MUCH TO DO.

I think it would be easier if it weren't for all the other last-minute stuff that has to get done, like the ridiculous car inspection fiasco, and one last haircut from my beloved stylist, and figuring out everything we both need to get our remote offices set up, and oh, I don't know, sorting through and packing up everything we own? I don't even need a to-do list because it's all so obvious that it can't be forgotten, but can I just say that I LIKE it when some of the stuff I need to do is trivial enough that I need to write it down to remember it? That kind of thing implies that if it doesn't get done, it's not the biggest deal. But in this case it would really be awesome if the movers didn't show up to a half-packed apartment, and if I didn't spend our entire road trip feeling sad because I didn't get to say goodbye to half my friends.

So, you know. Priorities. I think mine are in the right place. But this whole wanting to see everyone and do everything one last time thing... well, it's a factor that should be weighed quite heavily in the timeline of any future interstate moves. Of which there will hopefully be very few in our future. But, you know. Just in case.