T minus 2 and counting...

My mom came over and helped me clean out my kitchen today and let me tell you, if that woman wasn't such a cleaning dynamo, I would never have gotten as much done alone as we did today. Mr. Clean has nothing on my mom. Unfortunately, I still have a few more boxes to fill with books tonight before I can call it a day and it's already 8. Yeah, it's a pain in the ass now, but I have to believe it's going to be worth it once I'm settled Portland.

The thing that has gotten me through the packing nightmare so far is music from friends near and far. The 80's mix from Craig got me going again after I was ready to just say "screw it!" and give all of my stuff away to avoid having to pack any more. I threw on a mix that has Patsy Cline's "Walking After Midnight," Guided By Voices' "Picture Me Big Time," and Fleming and John's "Ugly Girl" from a dj friend in Chicago while I was cleaning the bathroom. And Heath said he'd make me a cd of the stuff he likes to play when he's spinning at Diablo's and the Euro-Pop/dance music he was playing in the car Saturday night, so I'm looking forward to unpacking to that. There's just something encouraging about a mixed cd from a friend... maybe it's just knowing that someone who cares took the time to make something for me that I can interact with on an emotional level. Music has always had that effect on me, so a mixed cd somehow makes me feel closer to the person who made it and gave it to me. Now that I think about it, I'd have to say a mixed cd is probably the best present anyone could give me. It's personal and it's got a value to me that far exceeds money. Not that I don't like money.... ;-)