Playing tetris

Before embarking on this greatly anticipated journey, I am dealing with the pangs of packing. It looks as though hurricane Gustav has ripped through my apartment rendering my life, for the next three-months, strewed across the carpet, table, bed, couch and I'm sure if I had a chandelier there would be something hanging from there as well.

The task of fitting a tent, 2 tarps, therm-a-rest sleep pad and sleeping bag neatly into my backpack all while attempting to find a home for all of the other "necessities." ( underwear of course, 30-pairs to be exact, a bit excessive?ha) has become a mind numbing experience. Something laughable as I wonder how much I can fit into a 1 gallon zip lock bag and if I'm really going to need all that shampoo (probably not).

Then I look at the mass of cloths I have dubbed as necessary and I know that it probably is not. I will be the stinky kid wearing the same dirty T-shirt for the next three months if it means my two bags are under the 50lb weight limit.

But in reality, who cares, this all seems to be so trivial when "I'M GOING TO MADAGASCAR!" kicks in and I think, wow when I'm looking at that lemur I don't think that smelly T-Shirt will make a difference.

So on that note syanara Long island and all of you New Yorkers!


I'm going to the Red Island

and yes, I will morph into an animated character upon landing.