I'm getting ready for my annual trek to the Music Library Association conference. This year's meeting is in Newport, RI. If you've never visited Newport before, it's one of those places not served by commercial airlines. I don't know that part of the northeast very well, so I decided to take a direct flight to Boston, and then I'll take a bus. I figured one change for the trip rather than two (the Providence RI route) was enough.
So, packing. Here's the preparations so far:
- As Queen of MLA Chachkis, I'm shipping a box or two to myself tomorrow. The boxes will be chock full of signs for the MLA shop and office supplies. Much easier to ship those than try to carry them in luggage (because there's quite a few items).
- I'm one of the pianists in the MLA Big Band. Assembled my book today. While the other instruments may have two pages of music (single line), I usually have pages and pages. I make working copies of the music, and have arts and crafts time with a 3-hole punch, scissors and tape. Sometimes I can work the page turns out better than others.
- Charge up the MP3 player and upload said tunes for Big Band.
- Hate the Yahoo! player that MusicMatch has switched to. Uninstall both and stick with old favorite RealPlayer (only 'cause I don't have an iPod to use iTunes).
- Download podcasts (Cast On!) to computer to transfer to MP3 player.
- Pick out knitting projects to bring to conference. Items not requiring much attention or concentration.
- Transfer highlighted meetings from preliminary conference schedule to Outlook; synch with Palm.
- Call hotel to double check that they do in fact have my reservation and correct room rate. Some surprises are good, but ones involving hotel rooms are not.
- Get hair cut; hate the current longish do, and get something very very short. Hairdresser from heaven stocks me up with samples for trip.
- Weave in loose ends on very favorite (and now a little shabby) sweater. If I must be on a plane and then a bus for several hours, I will be comfortable.
Yet to do:
- call the two knitting stores in Newport area for their hours, assuming I can sneak away for a visit on Wednesday morning.
- plan wardrobe. Yes, it'll be black. But which black pieces? Can I get away with the small suitcase this year?
- plan shoes. See above. Except, it's winter, cold, rainy, snowy. Wear hiking boots on plane? Not fun for the security walk-through, but I can walk through anything and not get wet or cold.
- Snacks. Must bake and bring snacks. I have a longish bus trip from Boston to Newport (and back on Sunday). Hence the loading of the MP3 player.
- Must remember to bring microphone for conference call during meeting.
- Must remember to clean out briefcase, especially of anything small that might be on the TSA no-go list.
- Must grab several of those quart zippered plastic bags. Just in case.
- Must change purses to much smaller purse.
- Must charge up cell phone and bluetooth headset. Bring adapters.
- Ditto for Palm and MP3 player.
- Must pack FedEx boxes to ship back any interesting brochures or SWAG for staff and students.
Any comments on perceived priorities will be ignored. Except for those about knitting projects.
The knitting projects for this trip are:
- Tulip Baby Sweater in original colorway.
- Sock it to Me Baby Sweater by Black Purl Designs.
- Anne Hanson's That Little Scarf (which requires much more concentration than the others, but...)
- Oh, and a basic garter stitch triangle shawl if I don't get it finished tomorrow night!
Stay warm!
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