I just got back from a weekend with the girls in Philly.  It was nice to be able to get together with them one last time before I leave, even though everyone wasn’t able to make it.  Thanks so much for the great weekend!

It’s weird, I don’t know how I feel about the fact that I’m leaving.  I feel like I should be excited, panicked, scared to death, anything, really.  It’s almost like I’m in denial that I’m leaving.  The whole situation doesn’t seem real to me.  I’m going through the motions of getting ready to leave, like packing and saying goodbye to people, but I don’t really feel like I’m about to embark on this great adventure.  I’m guessing that the emotions will kick in when I get on that plane. 

Now that my braces are off and I’m wearing my retainer, a few of you have told me that I sound like a “special” person.  Of course you didn’t put it so nicely, but I didn’t want to offend my sensitive readers.  I just wanted to say that I appreciate it.  Thanks.  A lot. 

The braces are off, only to be replaced by other hardware – a horrible retainer, which I’m supposed to wear 24/7 for 6 months – that gives me a serious speech impediment.  How embarrassing.  I’m told that I’ll get used to it, and the lisp will go away in a few days.  But I do have beautiful straight teeth now.  This time around I vow to wear this retainer religiously, since not wearing my stupid retainer was what led to getting braces for a second round.

I also got a brand new haircut to go with my new teeth.  I got close to a foot of my hair chopped off, along with some pretty short bangs.  It looks like the haircut I had when I was 21.  The cut is great, but I don’t like it.  I loved my long hair, and I almost cried when I saw all my hair on the floor.  It wasn’t something that I wanted to do, but I went shorter than I normally would.  I have visions of getting my hair butchered by some Bulgarian hairdresser, so I want to put off getting a haircut in country for as long as possible. 

So now I’m a lisping, (still) metal-mouthed neurotic mess with too short hair.  What a pretty picture.

Today was my last real day at work.  I will be popping in a day here and there (for a price, of course) to help out and to train my replacement, but this phase of my life is over.  Three years I’ve given to this job, and though it was a great place to work, I will not miss it.  I must say, though, that it did drive me to finally take the plunge and make the changes that I’ve wanted to make for a while, so something good did come out of it. 

Exactly four weeks from today I will be boarding a plane for Washington DC to start the next phase.  Now that all I have left to do is preparation for my departure, I have entered full-blown panic mode.  I’m having serious doubts about my ability to do what I’m supposed to do.  Please tell me these feelings will pass.

I also found out today that one of my closest friends is pregnant.  I look at our lives and see what different paths we’re taking, and I find it all so crazy.  But we’re both doing what we want to do, so it’s great.