Autopilot.

13 days until the end of the term, and even the light at the end of the tunnel seems to be flushing out most of the last-minute stress. Granted, it doesn't cause the work to write itself, but as long as I can buckle down for the next few days and get in some solid work time, I'll be just fine. At best, I'll have some free time to play around with at this point next week. For now, it's all about mechanics. There is rarely any sort of emotion to feel these days, not when I'm in eat-sleep-work mode. Moments of joy are few and fleeting, and anything else is just stress-fueled upset or tears over something that doesn't even make sense to begin with. I'm looking forward to a few restful, carefree days at home before leaving on the trip of a lifetime, which I've been preparing for steadily over the past couple of weeks. I'm admittedly put off by the idea of flying, since I haven't been on a plane in over 10 years (and haven't had to face the post-9/11 security lockdowns). I am also somewhat scared of flying overseas, but that can be chalked up to my own paranoia. I'll be in good company, so that should ease some fears...regardless, I plan on taking many (manymanymany) photos, enjoying myself and the company of the other travellers in my group, and immersing myself in what will prove to be a prime cultural experience. Of course, I'd also like to pick up some nice souvenirs for those not lucky enough to be able to tag along. After I return, a few days to catch up from jet lag, and then it's off to my summer co-op at the architectural firm. Optimally, there will be at least a few weekends for quick excursions, whether with family, friends, or maybe even flying (well, driving) solo. My intuition tells me that it's going to be a life-changing summer for sure.

Until I get to the good stuff, though, it's back to writing papers, doing research, and feeding my love (growing into addiction?) for shoegaze. Cheers.