The Megastore recommends.

1. A wardrobe concept. The people, traveling is stressful. For instance, you need stuff for the plane, like your iPod and your magazines and your pen and notebook and laptop and your book and your other book, in case the first book doesn't work out, and possibly snacks and warm enough but still comfortable clothes. And that's just for the plane, where you'll basically be carrying/wearing all of this. What about the clothes you need for the conference, which you've never before attended, so you don't know about the dress code, as it were? and does such a thing even matter, for a person of your talents and self-actualization? And what about for unknown stuff, like will you be walking around the city like the world traveler you want to be? or will you be holing up in your room like the hermit you are? and do you have walking around/lounging around clothing? You need all of it.

Not my actual wardrobe concept. 

Frankly, I do not understand the minimalist packers. I salute them, but I don't understand it. You have to have outfits, the people, for more than one possibility, and that is where the wardrobe concept comes in.

Sometimes the wardrobe concept is built around a pair of colors, such as navy blue and yellow. That's a good plan, because everything can go with everything. Sometimes the wardrobe concept is built around variations on a theme, like skirts and sweaters.

May I say that I do have a wardrobe concept, and I predict that it will fulfill my every need. But it is nonetheless filling up my suitcase in such a way that I don't appear to have room for my shoes. Or shampoo.

I may need to refine the concept.

The scarf of my dreams.

2. Target scarf. I was just rhapsodizing about this scarf to The Historian: "the colors are so brilliant, and it's silky, and it's a good weight and kind of swishy, and I think it can go with almost everything!" Like most good things, it came from Target.

The scarf may actually be my wardrobe concept. Heaven knows I am taking it with me to my conference, and I will wear it with, if not everything, then almost.


3. Time out.  Travelling in the middle of the semester means I will be missing plenty of things: Faculty Senate, one class and another class, and plenty of other stuff. Now I don't like missing most of this. (I will let you guess what I don't mind missing.) Also, I really hate being away from The Historian. But time away has a certain a freedom to it. I will read and grade (moan) and prepare, frankly, my presentation with my presentation partner, and think and maybe even sleep. And I will come home and it will feel like a reward to come back to my own life.