Leaving for New York tomorrow

 And I'm really nervous.

Not so much for the travel, though changing flights can make you nervous too, but for how I will handle the culture chock.

Things that I'm anxious about:

1. Tipping - I can't do complicated calculations every time I have to eat. I am moslty anxious about everything being extremely expensive though. I lost my disability money over a year ago and live on half wages. I could never afford to go to the US on my own, so I'm very happy that this conference and my job paying for the trip makes it possible. But I'm afraid that eating will require me spending money that I don't have.

I'm not so anxious about buying food in shops, though I think that it's weird that you don't get to know what soemthing costs until you reach the cashier.

2. Finding my way out on town.

3. The stress of having so many people around me all the time. I can handle London, because I know my way around and I have my "home" areas where I feel that I belong. 

 

My 2nd chest is finished

 I had intended to work on that application for research funding today, but I just didn't feel well enough to work, and thought that I deserved my weekend ;)

So I actually put in all the hinges on my second take-apart wooden chest for SCA camping. I want to move one of the hinges about a millimetre, but it works as it is too.


The first painted chest that I made  had a variety of courtly couples on it (see it here) For this one I decide to keep to one medieval story, the story of Lancelot and Guinevere.



All sides can be seen over in my other blog.