(Soon-to-be) Ecstatic Songs of Farewell and Departure

In sum: had a condo ready to go, lost the option due to a neophyte obviously not accustomed to full disclosure (much less being a landlord), panicked for about five minutes, called up another option (more expensive, but a beautiful unit), sent same supporting documents to The Condo Store (yes), borrowed $600.00 to be able to wire enough money to settle in the day before my required Orientation and Career Planning Session, wired the funds, waited anxiously for three days, and finally confirmed that it was received, but humorously $10.00 short (as the receiving bank likely added a wire receipt fee that hadn't been disclosed with the wiring instructions), was informed that it shouldn't be a problem, that it can probably be added to a rent check or something.

So, we have a posh condo for a year, where we will truly stretch every dollar, as my school only approved 60% of what I'd requested, with a lowered remainder still to be decided on by Sallie Mae.  With any luck, my credit won't be completely trashed by the time the financial aid funds come through, but for now, I'm just relieved that we have a place to lay our heads at night (and with every amenity we could possibly want or need, save for daily maid service, but in all other respects just like a nice hotel).

Money aside (hell, even with money in the discussion), my stress level has done a serious tank job, so now I can plow through my To-Do List that has a couple dozen items on it.

I drove to Kowalski's to get a couple of late items tonight and the feeling of imminent departure was palpable.  All the places I couldn't make time and/or afford to go to, the roads I'll rarely ever drive down again, billboards advertising events that'll occur long after we've moved to another country, foods with expiration dates long after I'll have sweated out my first batch of final exams in over 15 years.  The sounds of people for whom this will remain home, the cars that will basically stay around here forever, all the nearby brownstones full of people who will never meet - and all of this to greet me in my new home, which has a Toronto Public Library branch right across the street, the Sherbourne subway stop just three blocks away, a seventh-floor balcony with a northerly overlook of part of the massive expanse of Toronto.

I won't see all the people I'd like to see before I leave, but I'll see most of them.  In mapping out the route on Google, I looked at the satellite photos from Sarnia to Toronto and was tearing up in joy as the places I haven't yet seen were replaced by those that I have, such as the Gardiner Expressway along the Lake Ontario waterfront that I've driven on a few times already.  Toss in a few boxes packed tonight, a great chat with Jason (who's in Salt Lake City tonight as Baroness opens the second of several shows with the Deftones) and a clear schedule of goals for tomorrow, and I'm rolling, ready to go, amazingly not worried about money (though that will change, but am enjoying this healthy state of mind and cultivating it).

Things keep on happening as they need to, and the adventure is just a stone's throw of the calendar away, the first fruits of the risk that I decided to take so many months ago.