99 days (or 101, depending)

Today I drop to the double digits of time remaining until my last day of work. On Saturday I drop to the double digits of time remaining until my expected departure for Germany. I think I may be sick. :)


I was reading the Sony Playstation blog post about the intrusion, earlier today, and they mentioned in passing the "I've been mugged in London & need money" scam that follows an email or facebook account hacking. It suddenly occurred to me: people would actually believe it's real, possibly, should such an email come from me in 102 days. I'm going to need to come up with some way to alert people if I do send an actual message of that type ... though probably just for people on email. I figure people I'm in contact with solely via FB can be trusted to ignore such a message. Just another thing to think about.


I lost 2 pounds this week, and am annoyed: I've been working really hard. That said, I've been to two ice cream socials and there was cake this week. So, really, 2 lbs is good! I'm still hoping for better next week: why else am I trying for 15 hours of exercise per week (9 down!) if not to accelerate weight loss? Of course, I really only stepped it up last Friday, did nothing Sat & Sun, and started to get consistent on Monday (so I've done 3 hours each on Mon, Tues & Wednesday).


I'd really, really, really been hoping to have lost 40 lbs by the end of April. Not going to happen (though I'll weigh myself on Saturday, just so I can be extra frustrated. Good times.) I was also hoping to have lost 20% of my initial weight by the time I go to Greece. In all likelihood, I'll be within 2 pounds, but I won't quite hit the target. So close! Perhaps the extra time at the gym will pay off for those 2 lbs. Hoping, but not counting on it. 


This Saturday is the dinner / reception for Stetson Passport Graduating Seniors. I find myself really looking forward to it ... which is pretty much a gte of a bad / boring time, but for now I'm excited.. 


And next week my brother & sister come for a last Florida visit. It's weird to be starting to wrap things up.  I actually turned on the AC last night, in anticipation. Well. In anticipation and because it was ridiculously muggy and I was tired of sweating

Procrastination

Around a month ago, I made an appointment for the honorary German consul, went to the law office and paid to have my signature witnessed 6 times, and my photocopy of my passport validated. I need all this for opening a blocked bank account in Germany. I need to open a blocked bank account (and put $10,000 in it) so that I can get my student's visa. Apparently, should all else fail, the German government believes I can live on $10k for a year. Good to know!

Anyway, I was going to mail it that day but ... something happened. I think I was just running really, really late, because the appointment took longer than expected? Anyway. Didn't get to the post office. Forgot to bring the papers with me when I mailed my dad's birthday present. Post office was closed another time, and the next time, last week, I wasn't positive I had all the pages I needed.

Today I finally, finally got the papers in the mail. Really, they should get there in 7 - 10 days, and then there'll be a couple / few days before I hear anything but I should have an account in Germany by the end of May.

Exciting, and alarming.

Similarly exciting & alarming: 101 days until my last day of work. Eek. Eeeeeeeeek.

Anyway. So, what's a blocked account? It's an account I can put money into, but cannot withdraw from until I've filled out some additional paperwork once I'm living in Germany. Mainly, I think the requirement to get this all done prior to arrival is for the students who will be arriving from countries requiring visas for entry - not a problem for someone coming from the US - but regardless I'll fill out forms for unblocking the account and applying for my residency visa during orientation. 

So, yeah, bit of procrastination there (if you're counting, that's just 3 attempts in over a month). Some other things I'm procrastinating on: buying the health insurance; following up with the potential movers; following up with the apartment people, and the student housing people, contacting the financial aid person regarding 1st dispersement in July and finding out about assistance for study abroad programs; contacting my insurance company regarding the car being kept at someone's house and barely driven ... and, of course, the big one: buying my plane ticket. Though, really, I have been shopping that, just not buying. Yet. Eek.