Packing the Gear

"My orders are to weed out all non-hackers who do not pack the gear to serve in my beloved Corps."*

Packing is either a tasty preamble, a way to set sail before actually leaving or.... A nightmare of missing buttons, meaningless checklists and a gnawing up-at-two forgot-my-freakin'-head sensation. Since all the big-boy and big-girl bloggers occasionally do a random thoughts post (I can dream, can't I?).... This might be a random crash and burn, but it will be something to do while I'm trying to decide whether two pair of cargo Dockers will be enough...or too much.

- Guidebooks will tell you "Don't let the dogs see the suitcases." One says put the suitcases in a room a week before, another says bring them out randomly so the dogs don't associate suitcases with separation. Really? I sling my work gear carrier (it's not a man purse, it's my Go Bag) and the dogs get that just-ate-a-dead-mouse-I-found-out-back look. Honestly, they are too intuitive anyway. I get spooled up to get the hell out of Dodge and they know something's about to happen...to them.

- Some of the coolest articles of clothing I own I bought after forgetting to pack something.

- No two Hawaiian shirts are alike. I need them. Seriously!

- Along the same lines, print and camouflage are perfectly acceptable combinations on vacation.

-So why am I bringing only plain and plain?

- REMEMBER THE BINOCULARS!

- Pack Grandpa, he deserves the vacation.

- Looking for a picture to post with this, I Google "Funny packing pictures." There aren't any.

*Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, Full Metal Jacket, 1987