The River Called 'Denial' (the nile) (da nile) (denial...get it?)

My understanding of the magnitude of this endeavor, this grant and the moving to Boston, has squarely settled into my life. I've decided that this has been very much like a torrid love affair with all of the excitement, butterflies, and over the moon bliss one expects from falling in love. And, now, about two weeks into thinking and planning, it has become a reality. Suddenly I'm seeing all of the less attractive characteristics of the object of my desire. Like, it is going to be CRAZY expensive to move, and Boston is C-O-L-D, and my friends and family are here (as in not there), and I have a lot of 'junk' that needs sorting/packing/selling/goodwill-ing. I have started a phase of being entirely overwhelmed....to the point of denial. I have now started pretending that I have all the time in the world and that there isn't really that much to do. *Sigh* Would it be bad to just leave everything except Macy, my lap top and clothes and move?

I know that this is yet another phase in my accepting this transition. But here's the deal with me and transition. I *heart* transition, at the beginning when the love affair is all hot and steamy, but then in the middle I like to take a break, cool my jets, until the end when the transition is really just 'normal life'...I *heart* normal life. But alas, I am going to have to just take a deep breath, pull up my big girl under-dunders and get the job done.

So far we have made 5 trips to goodwill and have put the subaru on the market. Two individuals have expressed interest and I think it will sell pretty quickly. We have been looking at rental properties online and are currently trying to decide if we should use a 'rental broker' or not. Many (most?) folks renting property in Boston use (and recommend using) a rental broker. Given that we have never done this we are bit skeptical. These 'brokers', for a fee, will line up apartments that fit your criteria so that you can see many properties as quickly as possible to maximize the chance of landing a great place. We are looking more into this option. It might work well for us because we don't know the area well, don't live near the area and this approach might help us be more efficient while we are there in May for the purpose of securing a place. So, despite my denial and swirly-overwhelmed-ness (sorry for using fake words) we have made a significant amount of progress.

In between all of these denial-planning-mood-swings I have a dissertation to defend. Oh right....that. I have finished (hopefully) my presentation slides for the big day on April 5. I have a 'study guide' that I'm working on to help me be prepared for the tough questions from faculty, and I'll be practicing to the point that Trina will be able to move her lips along with my presentation. Poor thing. How does she put up with me??

So I have one question for you out there. How do you cope with massive life transitions?