Packing Light

I know I mentioned this briefly a few weeks ago, but the boyfriend and I are officially moving to DC shortly. Shortly meaning less than three weeks. There are a bunch of reasons for it, but it's kind of a weird move in that we're only sort of moving while maintaining ties here in Pittsburgh too. See, a family friend needs a housesitter from January through April, but because I don't have a job nailed down we're keeping the apartment here for a few months until I have something more definite, at which point we may or may not get our own apartment depending on whether the housesitting needs to continue past the beginning of April. Sound confusing? It sort of is, in that it puts us in a weird state of limbo for at least the next few months, which is kind of stressing me out. That, and because I'm kind of a weirdo I feel bad about leaving Pittsburgh, like I'm abandoning it without really giving it the old college try. Not to mention the fact that I really like this city and I'm getting really sentimental about it and doing things like briefly crying in the car because the dinosaur outside the Natural History Museum is wearing a scarf and looks really cute, and the museum with the dinosaurs was my favorite when I was a kid, and I was having a moment.

I can't believe I just admitted that. Moving on...

Anyway, so because the house is already furnished, we're not taking much with us. The question is, what do you take with you besides shoes, clothing, and laptop? It's forcing me to make a decision on what I can't live without for three months, which is hard, dammit! So, my box of stuff so far contains a rather strange group of items. We have, to start:

-The Bon Appetit cookbook, the Fanny Farmer cookbook my mom gave me, my binder of recipes, and boyfriend's diet cookbook. Cooking and baking calm me and make me happy, so I obviously had to include some cookbooks. Oh, and also some magazines with good recipes, which reminds me...okay, have added the last few months' Bon Appetit issues to the box.
- Some random colors of nail polish. Look, I have to have cute toes. One should not neglect her feet just because she's slightly unmoored geographically.
- Jewelry. Basically the same category as shoes and clothes.
- Grey's Anatomy Seasons 1 & 2, Legally Blond - like comfort food in DVD form.
- Life of Pi, Harry Potter 7, Breakfast at Tiffany's, a book on running - a small selection to keep me occupied if I'm having one of those days where I really just want to zone out on something I've read before.

That's all that's in the box so far. To be added shortly are a few trinkets that I've attached sentimental value to, my stuffed animal that I've had since I was a kid (his name is Poindexter, in case you were wondering) and the one that my best friend gave me in the hospital after I totalled her car (um, yeah), my basil plant (all that has survived my poor gardening skills), some photos, and possibly my Kitchenaid mixer. I can't really live without it for three months, but I'm reserving judgment until I find out if there's already one at the house.

So that's my must-have list. Kinda random. Apparently I'm a good cook who watches cheesy girly stuff on TV, kills plants, and likes to be nicely pedicured. I'd ask what's on your list, but I'm not sure if anyone reads this anymore. Comment!