The Small Beaded Bag and My Jolly Green Giant

"'When you say you've got the Cloak, and clothes...' said Harry, frowning at Hermione, who was carrying nothing except her small beaded handbag, in which she was now rummaging. 'Yes, they're here,' said Hermione, and to Harry and Ron's utter astonishment, she pulled out a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt, some maroon socks, and finally the silvery Invisibility Cloak... She gave the fragile-looking bag a little shake and it echoed like a cargo hold as a number of heavy objects rolled around inside it."

—Description^[src]

The relevance of the need for a small beaded bag like Hermione's is finally clear.  Ah, that there could be such a magic bag in the muggle world!  For weeks my family has put up with scads of papers covering our kitchen table, mountains of indescribable objects with ambiguous and just-in-case purposes littering the floors of rooms in my house, and the back of my head as I work on my computer.  My daughter has even taken it upon herself to tell me when it's time to call it a day and head to bed.  Once my face appears in the bathroom mirror, and I begin to wash away the grime of the day, I could swear I see a faint bluish-green glow emanating from my skin (too much screen time). 

 

 

In my defense, reading the blog posts of my TGC colleagues who have and are currently traveling and teaching in their respective countries takes quite awhile.  It's IMPORTANT!  Call it research.  Moreover, working on my cultural presentations on California and its educational systems takes TIME. 

 

 

Preparing materials without knowing exactly how many students, educators, and hosts I will meet, what resources will be available, AND with the goal of keeping my suitcase within the airline's weight guidelines, is, I'm discovering, a matter of prayer, hours of strategic planning, and diligent list-making.  The first practice packing today revealed that, if I fit all the souvenirs and gifts into my jolly green giant of a suitcase, then I don't have any room for clothes.  Hmmm.  Everything back out.  Tomorrow I'll try packing clothes first.

There are but three and a half days before I catch the first leg of my flight.  GULP.  Must.  Be.  Ready.  Will.  Be.  Ready. 

All of this...

...has got to fit in here.  Sigh.

Jolly Green Giant

I sure could use that small beaded magic bag.