First Post: Preparation Ach

Day -1 of my trip. Packing.
Packing for trips has become somewhat of a common ritual for me. I am certainly no jetsetter, traveling the world and starring in films opposite Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick, but I have had the good fortune of seeing more than a few countries in my few years so far.
The ritual has evolved over the years; my mother used to make my sister and me packing lists (don't forget that Plucky Midwestern Can-Do Spirit, they would often remind us,) or simply pack fore us, long ago. But those days are gone and now the task of preparing for a trip falls solely upon myself, albeit with the occasional prod or reminder from a parent or other loved one.
I like packing.
It seems that no matter how many times I pack for a trip, no matter how big or small, there's always something that I forget. Of course I am not the only one to have this happen to them, it's a common occurrence. I don't fear this forgetting of something, as I have long since come to grips with it. There's always going to be something that doesn't make it along. It's my job, though, to make sure it's as few things as possible (well, ideally none, and to be honest I've made more than a few trips without forgetting anything, but I don't want to brag or anything) and as non-vital as possible.
That, I feel, is the essence of packing for a trip. Make sure you've got everything you need, and forget something forgettable if you can. Kind of like expecting the unexpected, just more tangible.
Anyways, as I said, I like packing. It's a game I play between myself, my brain that loves to look at it in a Big Picture sort of way as I try to force myself into a narrower scope to check individual things off, and the things I am trying to pack that try and hide to their best ability.
I already know one thing I forgot for this trip, and I haven't even left yet. My favorite light jacket. Can't find the damn thing. Does that count as forgetting it? It won't be coming with me, most likely. I want it with me. I think that gets to count as forgetting it, even if I know dang well what it is I want to have with me.
I like packing because you have a three-dimensional Tetris game at your hands, of stuffing as much as you can into a humble box, all the while trying to get it under a certain number of pounds. (I also have failed in this regard, but I'm going abroad of a long time, give me a break.) There are infinite combinations and space-saving techniques and so on, but it gives me a small pleasure to finally close the suitcase, finished. After which point I usually open it right back up and chuck a few nearly-forgotten items inside. And do so at least another two times before finally leaving.
Where am I going, though? Well, that's a bit vague. I have an address in Berlin, Germany. I have an itinerary. I have a program I will attend for the next 8 weeks, learning German as fast as I can. I also have no idea where I am staying. Sure, the physical location, but the instructions are a bit vague. I may be staying in a dorm, an apartment, or a house. I have no idea. And I am fine with it.
Some people need to know exactly what is going on, what will happen, at every moment. I do not. I like to think of myself as a kayaker, kayaking down an unfamiliar river. I am skilled at maneuvering and enjoy the challenge of something new, and so I plunge headstrong into situations that require the ability to be flexible, to adapt to new situations and irregularities. They say the best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry. (Well, They being Robert Burns, and They actually said "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft a-gley.") I could not agree more, and decide that a plan is all well and good, but one must have contingencies and flexibility to succeed if anything goes a-gley.
And so I lay down my plans as well as my clothes and toiletries and various electronics and cords and keys and papers and my passport and some Euros and so on, knowing that there's something that might not make it, regardless of how much I plan, and yet sleep well knowing that everything I need, everything absolutely vital to my survival is with me. Should my plans go a-gley in a bad way I will not be fazed, but instead pick myself up and continue onward. For I am headed to Germany tomorrow as one of the most exciting trips of my life and cannot miss it for anything. I will succeed in my trip, I will succeed in my mission, and make this worth while. Years of other trips have prepared me for packing. My parents have prepared me for interacting with other cultures and peoples from their gracious dragging me along to places as a child. My family and fiancee and friends and more have prepared me for this with their support and kindness.
Now it's time to sit back, sleep, and await a heck of a day tomorrow.
-Daniel