This time tomorrow, we'll all be on a boat!

I've taken tomorrow morning's 9:35 Amtrak through New York City so many times, but I've never gotten off there... it seems odd to think that I'll be going through there to visit so many more far-flung places, but yet not spending any time in this city I've seen so little of that's so important to our culture, but I figured that after four months of travelling, a relative homebody like me will be more than ready to return to Cambridge.

It'll be a little weird being away from Jesse for so long -- he's committed to Harvard's spring semester, so the cruise isn't an option for him -- but it does mean that he'll take care of our apartment and I won't have to worry about it. I am looking forward to getting to know my shipmates more -- none of them are folks I've hung out with that extensively, and some of them I haven't even met! Normally I wouldn't be up for something this extreme, even considering how unbelievably generous it is, but I've been worried that I haven't been being as bold or independent as I would like to be, so maybe this is just what I need.

I've got two duffel bags packed, which is more than I usually take when I travel, but I'm sure I've forgotten something ridiculous -- I usually do. Mostly I hope I packed enough sketchpads!

When I quit my previous job, one of the things I hoped for was a lifestyle that could be more flexible. Well, here I am! I hope to be able to do some web work and continue updating my comic from the ship, and I left it as "we'll see" with the woof people as to whether I'll still have a job when I return -- it's a fun job, but I won't be devastated if they don't want me back after being absent for four times as long as I've been working for them.

Unless the train is considerably more late than usual, I should be in NY with plenty of time to meet my companions for dinner. Unbelievable!