Baby Steps

To move my life from Hometown to Small Town is a huge step. Much too big a step for my short legs, so I'm breaking it down into manageable steps:

• Files and books will be shipped via UPS. This involves: buying boxes and packing tape, packing files and books, and taking them to the UPS office.
• Moving: a few long-distance phone calls each day to inquire about advertised places, one trip to look for a place to stay, and making arrangements for living stuff (some stuff I can live without, others I can ship, and Amazon can deliver the rest). Airline tickets are all booked. The only thing that I can' t control or plan in advance is the visa that I'll need, but Advisor tells me that I can get it at the airport when I leave.
• Teaching for a whole year: look at online syllabi, pick textbooks, order textbooks, finish fall syllabi (just two), and work on lectures for September. I'll deal with the winter semester after I move.
  
• Research: work on The Thesis for 4-5 hours each day, on Advisor's RAship for 1-2 hours each day, and Prof. Mom's RAship for 1-2 hours each day.

Somehow, when I break it all down into small steps like this, the huge step doesn't look so impossible.