"Always Flexible"
The half-tongue-in-cheek motto of emergency preparedness - - Semper Gumpy: Always Flexible.I liked to think that I was pretty adaptable. Shoot, I still think that I am pretty adaptable: something happens, I can roll with it, understand, make decisions, move forward.
I just didn't think my trip to Vienna would have this many twists and turns to navigate! (at least, not until I got over there at least)
In the last few hours, I've completely ripped up and rebuilt my entire travel itinerary. How I'm getting to the airport, when I'm flying, on what airline, through what city, how I leave the airport, where I'm staying, and for how long.
Piece of cake, right?
Well ... after an hour or two of focused-frantic online searching and information gathering, it wasn't too bad. I just hope that I'm making good decisions throughout this whole process. This opportunity seemed like such an unquestionably GOOD decision at the beginning. Adversities have come up, and I feel like I've addressed them each in turn. From strengthening my resolve to take this job, to overcoming communication and coordination issues at work, it hasn't been easy, but all along it's felt right somehow.
Now yet another set of hurdles with less than four days to go? That doesn't make me feel better, in line with the above sentiment ... it makes me wonder what the hell is going to happen this weekend that I haven't predicted yet?
I don't mean to claim "oh woe is me" amid all of this drama. I've always known that I've liked attention, and I've definitely accepted that as I've learned more about myself over the past few months ... but this absolutely is not a ploy for attention or sympathy or anything like that. This post is just a vent: a way to release pent-up pressure or frustration about all of the crap involved with making a quick turnaround, borderline reckless, major life change (and no, that's not meant as an allegory to anything else so don't bother reading into it that way).
On the plus side, I don't need to worry about the annoyance that is London's Heathrow Airport, I escape needing to make overnight plans at a huge expense there, and I get to cross Ireland off my list of countries I've visited (the Dublin airport totally counts, even if its for only two hours ... don't take this away from me!). These changes should also help to keep my travel stress levels lower than they would be otherwise, which is a big win.
Here's hoping that life in Vienna helps to keep my stress levels down. I could really go for a little slower pace of life right about now ... nothing drastic, but a semi-extended chance to recharge the internal batteries, because they're getting pretty worn out by now.
