This weekend, my love and I are taking off to Planet Comic Con, which is becoming one of the largest cons in the region. With guests like Stan Lee, Haley Atwell, George Takai, Jenna Coleman and Kevin Smith, PCC has some star power.
As well as art and collectibles and of course the people watching.
Last year I got a hug from Scott Wilson aka Hershel from the Walking Dead. He gives fantastically squishy hugs.
While we’re excited for the trip, sometimes the lead up can make us a little…edgy.
Especially after Planet 2015.
It didn’t start off smoothly. The day we left I was still running around the house throwing random stuff into random bags.
Do we have shampoo? What do we need to bring? I’ll def need 4 pairs of shoes and at least 7 changes of clothes cuz you never know what we’ll do when we get there and oh crap I still need to do the dishes and and and and…
Not to mention the hours we spent looking for restaurants and grocery stores, and the unexpected money we spent.
Or the…uh…conversations we had when we were stressed about making decisions at the last minute.
That’s where the System comes in handy.
The most important thing you can do to stave off anxiety is to have a system in place.
What do I mean by system? It’s just a fancy word for a list of steps you take to get to a outcome. That’s it. And it’s pretty easy to set up and maintain.
Start by writing out all the things you will do to get ready for your trip. Write em all down at least a week before hand. As the trip approaches and you remember things you need to do, write em down.
When the big day arrives; check your list. What else are you doing? What needs doing today? Write it down.
Our System can be broken down into 3 main components:
- Packing List.
- Plan/Budget.
- Prep the House.
Lets start with the Packing List.
Make a list of all the things you’ll need. Don’t forget the phone charger, comfy shoes, and food.
You gotta have food packed for a road trip. Don’t rely on gas station food. It’s often overpriced and stale. Know you like chips on the road? Pick em up beforehand. Wanna pack some decent protein and veg? Do that. I’m heading to costco to grab the deliciously addictive Snapea Crisps.
I get my salty crunchy fix with more protein and less grease.
We actually have two different packing lists. One for vacation, and one for conventions. Cons have a slightly different requirement: Podcasting gear, a binder with sleeves and boards for collectible books, refillable water bottle and such.
Next: Have a Plan.
You don’t hafta know everything down to the fine details, in fact, that can spoil your fun. But having a general idea of what the area you’re staying in will be like, if there’s parking, what food will be available (can ya tell food is a priority for me?) and what you want to do while you’re there. I’m considering trying a float tank while I”m in town, so I’ve been researching spas that offer them.
Know your budget: how much money you want to spend and where you want to spend it.
Traveling with companions? Talk it out. Know what’s most important to them, and make sure they know what’s most important for you.
And then…be willing to be surprised. Abandon the plan. Sometimes the very best things happen when you fly by your seat.
Finally: Prep the house.
I can’t emphasize enough how nice it is to come home to a clean house after you’ve been gone. Make the time to get the dishes and laundry done, the counters cleared, and the bathrooms cleaned. There’s nothing like coming home to a space that’s ready to be lived in, and to be able to relax and recover from your trip without having to hustle your house clean.
Other potential prep ToDos:
Set your thermostat.
Unplug your electronics.
Have someone check in while you’re gone. Feed the critters, take the mail, and the other little things.
Those are the basics. Your System will look a little different, but it can really be that simple!
Remember to take your System on your trip, so you can add and modify as you go. And then review it when you get home.
What would have been useful? What worked? What didn’t?
Every Convention or vacation is different. It helps to have a baseline to start from, to help ease your mind and let you feel prepared for your adventure.
Next week, I’ll be talking about our Convention experience, and how we paced ourselves to avoid overwhelm and burnout. See you soon!
