-39: Break in times of crisis.

I am quite fucked. I am way behind schedule, I need to churn out A LOT of stuff, I don't even know how much time I've got now (-39 is actually an overestimate because I need to finish it way before then) and I don't actually have a backup plan besides letting the paper write itself - and we all know how that's going to turn out (advice from JK Rowling - never trust anything with a mind of its own).

NERVOUS BREAKDOWN #38342128492.

So what do I do? I happily go on a spending spree buying train and air tickets. I have finished all the connections except one between Verona and St Gallen, and while waiting for the Internet banking statements to register, I estimate a spending of less than SGD1,500 (I think about SGD1,300 1,100 would be just about right) which is really not that bad. In the stack of e-tickets that I have are tickets of train (2, incl. a night train couchette yeah!), bus (2), flight (5) and ferry (1) connections. Too much flying, the flying's gotta stop!

Now what's left to do is to figure out how to pack for 2 months with only a 32litre backpack and a small day pack, since I have like 3 flights that I did not pay for check in luggage. After realizing that it costs a bomb to check in luggage (20 Euros each) I decided that it would make more sense to travel very lightly.

Actually - now what's left to do is to figure out how to write the insurmountable number of words with finesse and coherence and still emerge from all this smelling like roses. *deep self-affirming breath* I can do it I can do it I can do it. If I don't all this money will be wasted and THAT IS NOT AN OPTION. I can do it I can do it I can do it.

-46: Money matters.

LL's birthday wishes to me yesterday suddenly woke me up to the fact that I should probably monitor the currency exchange from now onwards. I'm ashamed to admit that the last time I went to the States I changed the money like a week before I left and had no inkling whatsoever about the currency strength of SGD at that time.

O my frugal Chinese forefathers, I have failed you.

This time I will do a daily monitor on currency graphs. According to XE.com, last October the Euro was at its strongest (relative to SGD), at SGD2.09 per Euro. Right now it appears to be at the weakest so far, since April 2009, at 1.79. In comparison, that's a 15% discount on everything that I buy in Euro! o_O

LL you are truly the beacon of my life, the opener of my eyes.

Skipping dragonboat training today to continue writing. I think I am finally on a roll =)