Kharada

Tr:  Anxiety  (FYI: When you see the KH, you need to pronounce it in that way that sounds like you're clearing your throat or about to spit).

Photo Credit:  Nancer  THANKS, Nance!  I love them.

Tomorrow we're going to Istanbul for a week.

I'm having a bit of my pre-travel anxiety this morning.  What should I pack?  What if I forget to pack something?  What will it be like in Istanbul?  What if we can't find the university guest house and we are left on the streets with our luggage and our chilling fear?  What if I like Istanbul so much and then when I get home I feel a sense of longing?  What if I miss out on something fun in Istanbul that I should have seen? When will my heart stop pounding?  When will this tight feeling in my stomach ease up? Why didn't I read more about Istanbul before now?

I've come to accept the pre-travel anxiety as part of my interesting mode of being.  Still, it's not the most fun thing in the world.  Yesterday we saw Blue Jasmine, the Woody Allen movie.  If you want to see it, you should.  I think Cate Blanchett will win the Academy Award for her performance.  I don't think Woody should make a movie in San Francisco though.  Aside from the beautiful Cliff House scene, he really didn't get the feel of the city.  The Bachelorette Ali has a little 30 second role.  That's worth the price of admission alone.