48 and under

There is only so much one can do when one has only two days to prepare for the adventure of a lifetime:

First: One must bust out an iron and ironing board, six crumpled shirts and a sweet set of tunes blasting from a Boulder radio station. The shirts must be ironed, hung and, later, folded. The shirts must be piled with the other shirts and pants and shorts and books and papers and cameras and computers and pillows and shoved methodically into the following: two (2) suitcases, one (1) backpack and, finally, a rectangular (1) laptop case. The latter two will be carried onto the plane; the former two will be checked in to meet said one (me) in Nashville. I may not have been everywhere, man, but Johnny Cash would be proud of the spitfire, it's-now-or-never approach I take when collecting my goods for the trip across the country.

Second: One must panic about money. How much does one have? How much does one need? How much will one be making? To what extent will one be indebted to dozens of kind family and friends putting up with one by graciously providing travel funds, housing and the like?

Third: Realizing that money cannot buy happiness (though it comes in very handy), one ceases worrying about it, appreciates the kindnesses and says thank you.

Fourth: Again, panic. This time, about whether one has remembered everything one should have packed. Have all stones been overturned? If not, why not? Overturn them immediately!

Fifth: Relief. And anxiety. How will everything go? Will one be successful, or fail miserably? One hasn't studied enough. One has studied sufficiently. One will learn. One should have learned more before going. One will be fine.

Sixth: (Breathe)

Seventh: One packs the car and drives to the airport. It is early in the morning, but not too much so. It should be enough to see the sun make its slow ascent toward its zenith in the sky.

Eighth: One checks into the airport and flies away to Kentucky, where the grass really is greener on the other side. It's probably green on the side where one is standing, too.

The adventure begins.