To-do Lists - I need to "do!"

AHHHH!! That's how I'm feeling this morning. I am mortified (good word choice, huh?) that I have only a week left of summer - well kind of not even. You see, beings my parents have to move my brother into the dorms at Northeast Tech in Norfolk, NE on Wednesday and then move my sister 14 hours away to Michigan on Friday, they are coming up a couple of days early and helping me move back into the dorms on Saturday rather than Monday. Holy mound of depressing realizations of sand-less days! a.k.a. Moving into the dorms means the beginning of two-a-day practices and the end of my lazy summer days at the beach. As much as I miss my friends and even kind of miss a normal routine, I'm just not ready for the exhaustion and pain of two-a-days and the endless studying for classes. Don't worry though, I'm sure as acceptance leaks its way into my soul, I'll gradually get excited as my final week of summer vacation slams its door in my face.

But for now, I'm playing the "crap, I need to get 101 things done before I lose this time" card. At the apartment, my roommate Brittany and I have had this summer to-do list hanging up since the beginning of July. How many things have we checked off of the 12 or so tasks? Well.....ummm....like 2, and what's even sadder is that they only count for partial credit as we didn't do them together. But yesterday I was quite alone and feeling the need to accomplish something tangible, so I ventured out to this trail called south shore with full intentions of hiking in the 100 degree heat. I found the trail (an accomplishment in itself as the one and only time Brit and I tried, we ended up completely overlooking it - well looking on the wrong side of the road - and just sitting by the rocks on the river banks and talking) and started off very much alone and very hot. And I walked...and walked...and walked. And it was beautiful and peaceful and refreshing....and well, after about an hour or so, kind of frightening. I had no idea where the path was leading, and I kept coming to forks in the road and having to chose my path (such pressure!). I had about two swallows of disgustingly warm water with me and began to have fleeting images of myself passing out from heat exhaustion in the middle of the forest and no one would have a clue where I was to come and rescue me. I even contemplated just turning around and exiting the trail the way I had come in. But I suppressed the urge and continued on. The trail eventually led up to an area where I could overlook the river! It was beautiful and calming - at least if I was going to die I would be able to yell at the people down below in the boats first. :) About 30 minutes or so later, I wound my way back to my car feeling very accomplished and ready to be a go-getter this week. "Hike at south shore" - checked off the list!

I woke up fully intending to get some summer adventure time in this morning only to find out it's cloudy and stormy looking. So I'm in the library with a second to-do list - this one concerning grad school applications. If I make it through this list, I might be doing cartwheels of jubilation through the hallways of my apartment building this evening! :)

In the meantime, I have a third to-do list forming in my head. I need to get organized back at the apartment and pack, pack, pack. The prospect of moving back to the dorms for the third time in my life without a bit of pre-planning to make the task less crabbiness-inducing is appalling. Lindsay, one of my other roommates, and I need to get some volleyball stuff organized - freshman care packages and a team bonding project. I also need to burn some CD's for my sister to entertain herself with on her 14 hour drive away from me and plan a last visit up to her cabin to see her and her husband. I finally made it up there last Friday and spent a wonderful day simply playing games, talking, and being lazy with my sister.

And with three to-do lists awaitng some "doing," I need to end this brief ramapge and "do." One today is worth two tomorrows and with that being said, I'm off. Have a great week!