Plans Never Go to Plan

Im sitting at the airport awaiting my flight to LA. I arrived at the airport and was informed that my flight was canceled due to mechanical failure. I suppose it's better to wait longer for my flight than to be on a plane that isn't working properly. So now Im being rerouted through Dallas and will be arriving at LA at 7:12pm, about five hours later than my original plan.

But I suppose thats the thing with original plans, life happens and plans have to change over and over again. I think that is the thing I am most excited about with my trip, I KNOW shit like this will continue to happen constantly and I just have to roll with the punches. I get to see where the wind takes me, because I will not always have a choice in the matter. And that's exciting.

I'm glad to be who I am. Which now that I am writing that, sounds quite funny. I dont mean it in a conceited way, what I mean is I'm so thankful that that is my perspective. Because I know tons of people who would be in a rage right now, pissed their flight was delayed and ruining the rest of their day. They would think to themselves, "Oh, of course this would happen to me! This is the very first part of my dreams coming true and it starts out the worst. Just my luck.". I am thankful that that is not me. I think to myself, "HA! Of course this happens, a nice mini reminder that things wont always go right according to plan. And that is perfectly ok."


Anyway my best friend, AKA my non-sexual life partner, Sean took me to the airport this morning. God I love him so much. And here I am! Off to go on an adventure with absolutely everything I am taking with me.

With the most cliche touristy hat and everything!

And here are all the belongings I am leaving behind in storage

I feel good. I feel refreshed. I feel the right decision is happening. No matter what happens from here, I will know I am staying true to myself and doing *exactly* what I need to be doing. 

The Anxiety Waves & Saying Goodbye to Atlanta

Oh man. The less than a month mark happened and immediately my anxiety spiked through the roof! My excitement and anxiety are kind of crashing like waves on me, one after the other, in equal measures.

My emotions are high, and I cant help but think to myself "Why am I just meeting so-and-so NOW? I wish I had more time with them." But that's just my brain trying to hold on to anything to make Atlanta stick. It worked last time, but not this time damnit!

Weirdly my anxiety left me for a couple weeks after that less than a month mark. Gone entirely. Then it came back with a vengeance Saturday at my going away party. I think the thing I have been stressing over so much the last several days is the possibility that perhaps I will embark on this trip, this trip I have dreamed of my entire life, longed over, cried over, felt desperately empty in not currently doing it, a defining goal that is as much a part of me as my left arm - what if it turns out to be something I dont enjoy? I dont want? What if I hate it? If that were to happen I know I would feel utterly lost. Lost in who I am, lost in where to go next. This dream has been so imperative to me as a person, I dont know what I would do without it. I would have to start over entirely, unsure of myself as a person. That thought is terrifying. And this is the moment, finally, where my fantasy becomes a reality and I am going to know the answer. What if it isnt the answer I want?

And all of that was suddenly on me at my going away party, it was almost too real. My chosen family, and some of my blood family, were all saying goodbye to me. Never to know when I will return. Telling me how important I've been to them, how much they love me, how Atlanta wont be the same anymore. That was quite intense. Emotions were high for all of us.

My cousin, myself, and mama at my going away party!

My lady came up from Tallahassee to send me off

The next day James got a hotel room for us at the Marriott on the top floor! It was absolutely breathtaking. I got to fall asleep overlooking the city I love. I kept thinking of Macklemore's song "My Oh My" the line goes a bit like this "My city, my city, my childhood, my life, that's right under those lights. My oh my." To be honest I kept replacing childhood with the word home though. Atlanta has been my home for the last five years and I've found more of a home in Atlanta than I ever have anywhere else. It's hard to be leaving, but I know it's what I need to do. I dont have the desire to settle anywhere permanently for quite some time. There is just too much of the world to see! Getting to spend time overlooking the city I love that has been so so good to me, was such a treat & honestly was quite emotional. It's always cool getting to overlook a place, get the bird's eye view. Suddenly everything looks so tiny and so big all at the same time.

LOOK at that view!

I found a lot of myself in Atlanta. It has been the perfect place for me, meeting the most amazing people who inspired and motivated me. I got to lose myself in every adventure I could happen upon - and wow there have been so many! I will forever be grateful to those in my life who have helped shape me, but now is the time for me to go out alone and put in the finishing touches.

WHAT is in my Pack?!

If you were curious, here is everything that is in my pack:

CLOTHES
3 Shorts √
5 Tanks √
5 Tshirts √
1 Long sleeve √
2 Pants √
10 Panties √
3 Socks √
2 Bras √
1 Bikini √
1 Jacket √
1 Scarf √
1 Buff √
1 Skirt √
1 Shoes √
1 Flip flops √

ELECTRONICS
Kindle √
Laptop √
Cell √
2 Chargers √
External hard drive √
Power converter √
Headphones √

MISC.
2 Hats √
Sharkie mask √
Umbrella √
Cards √
Sunglasses √
Pen √
Sewing kit √
Headlamp √
Locks √
Silk Liner √
Duct Tape √
Ear plugs √
Eyemask √
Travel towel √
Laundry line √
Sink stopper √
Water bottle √
Spork √
Chain √

PAPERS
Copies of paperwork
Cash
Travel insurance √
2 Credit Cards √
Plane tix √
Passport √
Driver’s license √
1 Debit Card √

TOILETRIES
Deodorant √
Toothbrush √
Ibuprofen √
Diva cup √
Mascara √
Concealer √
Eyeliner √
First aid kit √
Hair ties √
Chapstick √
Tweezers √
Qtips √
Travel Kleenex √
Allergy meds √
Toothbrush holder √
Toothpaste √
Dr. Bronnors bar √
Soap holder √
Wet ones √
Conditioner √
Lotion/sunscreen √
Bug lotion √
Anti diarrheals √
Antibiotics √
Jewelry √

BAGS
3 Freezer ziplocks √
Pack rain cover √
1 Pack √
1 Day bag √
1 laundry bag √
1 Toiletry bag √
Packing cubes √
1 bra pocket √


Im actually taking a lot more stuff compared to a lot of the bloggers I have been following online. But I figure there is nothing wrong with throwing things away if I end up not using them and their taking up too much space in my backpack.

A note on packing cubes! Um, they are awesome. Check this out:

All the clothes Im taking

I hope these pictures do them justice. Because holy moly they are wonderful! They pack up sooo much stuff! I couldnt believe it when I first read about them, but then I decided to try them out anyway, because I can always return them if they aren't great, and not only did they make all my clothes way more compact and take up less space but they also provided me with organization in my pack that I hadn't had before. Now when I need to find some shorts I just pull out the big cube, and BAM! there are all my bottoms! I highly recommend them for backpacks and suitcases alike. Also use the rolling system, that helps quite a lot too. Cheers :]

Finding My True Bra Size

So as you saw in my last post, I went to New Orleans recently and had a fantastic trip.

I specifically wanted to talk about my experience in one of the best lingerie stores I have ever been in before - Trashy Diva. I went in and was immediately greeted by Lindsay, the most luxurious of women. She was attentive, friendly, hilarious, and exceptionally helpful and personable. I adore her.

Before talking about my interaction with Lindsay though, I wanted to just mention briefly about how wonderful Trashy Diva itself is. I have never been to a store before, lingerie or otherwise, where I talked with an associate for a minute, then go to the fitting room and just have her bring me whatever she thinks I would like! I felt like royalty with a personal shopper. I was in the store and not ONCE did I browse around to see everything they had. Not only that, but everything she brought me I fell in love with. She knew exactly what I was looking for and I loved it all. I never even felt the desire to browse around, it was pretty wild. Sadly they don't have a shop here in Atlanta, but I know I will be going back to the one in New Orleans again and again.

Anyway, our interaction was as follows:

Luxurious Lindsay: "Hey there, how can I help you today?"
Megan Mayhem: "Hey! I saw this gorgeous strappy bra in the window and wanted to try one on."
LL: "Absolutely, what bra size are you wearing now?"
MM: "36DD"
LL: "Wait, what? Really? Let me size you."
MM: "Haha yeah, really...ok."
LL: "Holy shit. Um, yeah you should NOT be wearing size 36 hun. The fact you have been is absolutely ridiculous."
MM: "What? Why? What am I measuring at?"
LL: "Look, your ribs are measuring at 30 1/2 inches."
MM: "...so what size should I be wearing then?!"
LL: "I don't want to freak you out, so I'll say 34F."
MM: "What do you mean you don't want to freak me out? What's my real bra size then?"
LL: "You're a 32G babe."
MM: "Are you kidding me?!!!"
LL: "Nope."

To say that was a shock to the system is an understatement. The rest of my interaction with her gets EVEN BETTER though. She was a vast wealth of information and knowledge. I had no idea boobs had so much science behind them!

Luxurious. As. Fuck.

Lindsay went on to have me try on 34F bras, and sure as shit they fit great. She then told me how most women really don't wear their *true* bra band size (the number part in the bra size) because it feels tighter than what they are used to so they find it too uncomfortable. But, for information's sake, she had me try on a 32G bra so I can know what to look for, how she knew it was my perfect bra size, and for me to know how it's supposed to feel. I put that sucker on and it felt like I was wearing a corset around just my boobs. It was trippy. But at the same time, my boobs looked great, there were no gaps or weird creases anywhere or even hanging over anything, and it clearly really was my right size. She went through several things about the bra while I was wearing it, showing me how the straps are supposed to look and feel, how there were no gaps or overhanging anywhere, and how the tightness on the band is supposed to feel and how much give there is supposed to be (not much). It was absolutely fascinating.

She then told me that it's so ridiculous that I've been wearing a 36DD because that means that I have been putting all the weight of my breasts onto my shoulders. So, if I've been having any shoulder or upper back problems lately it is probably largely because of that! Well guess what, I had indeed been having major upper back and shoulder pain lately and had been going to a chiropractor for the last month because of it. I mean, I always knew I had large breasts, but I had never thought I had back problem tits! Blew me away. She said a lot of women do that and it actually can cause muscle deterioration in their shoulders.

Alternatively, you are supposed to be putting the weight of your breasts on the far larger and more stable portion of your body, around your ribs/chest under your breasts. Hence why it feels so tight when you wear your true size - because it's suppose to be tight.

All around some of the most interesting information I have learned in quite awhile, especially considering it affects my life every single day. Where is this class in high school?! It only affects HALF the population and can alter our health and happiness. Gah!

Anyway, Luxurious Lindsay is totally wonderful. Trashy Diva is wonderful. And having worn my true bra size the last month or so has been wonderful. So wonderful in fact, that most of my upper back problems are completely gone (thanks to my chiropractor as well of course!).

So my message is a simple one: Ladies, please go to a better place than Victoria Secret to get sized (somewhere like Trashy Diva or Intimacy) where they really know the science behind boobs and bras - it can really alter quite a lot more than you know in your day to day life.

And here is the bra I bought! It's perfect and fun and strappy as all get out, but I am obviously wearing a top thing with it in this picture. I have since found t-shirt bras in my size to wear on a daily basis of course as well, but it is just TOO much fun to have such prettiness like this too!

Mimi Holliday 'Rockhopper Penguin' Balcony Bra

New Orleans

Oh New Orleans, what a wonderful wonderful city. It has so much history and culture compared to most of the United States that it is forever fascinating to me. Not only that but it is one of the only cities I have ever been to that they truly embrace uniqueness and blunt honesty. I could walk into any store and I never once got the sugary-sweet fake smile and forced kindness that I have gotten in every other city I've ever been in. For the record, that doesn't mean they were rude or unpleasant by any means either, they were just themselves and had no reservations about expressing it. That includes dress style, hair style, and having body modifications too. Seemed like everyone there had visible tattoos, and it was great! I loved being able to see so many people being perfectly themselves, even in their work environment - and I would argue that is a luxury most of us do not have. I cannot wait to go back again and again, and dare I say perhaps even live some day.

Now on to the photos!

 Drive Through Daiquiris!

 My sharkie Rufus approves

 Hot Sauce shop

 Yum food!

 The street art performances blew me away. So much talent!

The Rasberry Shnapps Mochas are forever my favorite New Orleans drink at EnVie Cafe!

 In case you were wondering, take all sacrifices to EnVie

 THE best burlesque troupe I have ever seen

 Why yes, she was doing the I Love Lucy Vetameatavegamin!

 Gotta love spicy tarantula

 Cafe Dumond is a necessity on every New Orleans trip

 I couldn't get enough of the art galleries around town!

These wigs were so fabulous. I know several drag queens that would adore these!

 I don't know why this picture of my Hurricanes turned out this way, but it's awesome.

 This architecture never gets old.

 Getting my hurr did

Oh red, how I have missed you so!

Finding the Perfect Backpack

Wow did this hunt take some time for me! Looking for the right backpack was overwhelming, because there are just SO many options out there. But in the end I landed on the one that seems the best for me. I will first go through what your steps need to be to find the right pack *for you* and then I will discuss the pack I landed on and why in my next post.

1. What Kind Of Trip Are You Taking?
Before anything else you need to know what kind of trip you are taking. Knowing what kind of trip you are taking is essential, but obviously since you are reading this article you have already decided you are taking a backpack instead of a suitcase - so I won't get into that particular debate here. If you are camping out then you will need a bigger pack to be able to take camping gear, food, and water in addition to everything else. If you are going to be staying in hostels or hotels then you can get away with a much smaller pack since you wont need to provide your own bedding and shelter. The length of your trip can determine how much you take with you as well, or perhaps the climates you are expecting on your trip will require you to have heavier, bulkier clothes.

So really the size of your pack is completely dependent on you, your lifestyle, the length of your trip, and the kind of trip you intend on having. Only you can determine something of that nature. If you are not sure as of now what size of backpack you should take with you, go check out bloggers who take the kind of trips you intend on taking so as to get the best idea of what size of packs you should be looking at.


2. Determine What Kind Of Luggage You Want
Are you flying to your destination? If so then you need to determine for yourself whether or not you want to have it as carry on luggage or if you want to check it.

Checking it certainly has it's pros and cons. Here are a couple examples:

Pros

• You don't have to worry as much about the size of your pack and how much you can take with you. 

• Once it's checked you don't have to lug it around the airport with you.  

Cons

• You generally have to pay for checked baggage. 

• It is out of your sight and thus could get lost by the airline. 

• Straps can get caught in the conveyor belts.

My point of bringing this up at all is because if you want to have it be carry on only then there are a lot of airline dimensions and weight restrictions for carry on baggage. Be 1000% sure of what your airline's restrictions are, as they vary from one airline to the next. This information will greatly affect what packs will work best for you.


3. Try On Several Packs
I'm telling you, this is by far the best step you can take. Don't look online, don't read the blogs about specific packs. Go get physical with them. I personally went to REI and they measured my torso to tell me what size I am (this is necessary for you to find the best fitting pack), I then picked out several packs that seemed the most ideal to me, weighed them down with the sandbags they had in the store, and then walked around for awhile. This gave me a great sense of the weight distribution - holy shit most of the weight really IS on my hips instead of my shoulders!! Also physically seeing where all the pockets and zippers are will help give you an idea of what kind of organization you can have. Of course, most importantly, it will let you see just how big 30L, 55L, 75L is and how much you will be able to hold in there.


4. Look Online
Now that you know if you have any dimension limitations, what size (S/M/L) you are, the range of sizes of packs you are looking at (40L-50L, 65L-75L, etc.), and what kind of particular features are important to you, you can now go online to see all the different packs available. Knowing these things will significantly help your search and make it go by so much more quickly. No doubt the more packs you see the more features you will discover that you want, and you will be able to narrow your search accordingly.

*Side note, if you are determined to buy in a store, take a tape measure with you and measure when it is packed with sandbags so you can be sure of the dimensions if you are wanting to carry it onto a plane instead of checking it.


5. Buy Several Packs
I know this is a strange thing to tell you to do, but hear me out. There are way more packs available online than there are in stores. If you DO find your perfect pack in a store then lucky you! You can head to the next step. But for the rest of us, please keep reading.

I took to Amazon, as I do with all things, and found so many great packs. The beautiful thing about Amazon is for most of the packs they have FREE RETURNS, meaning that if you want to return that item you can print out your shipping label and drop it off at a UPS store at no cost to you. I cannot even tell you how many times I have done this with them and it has been a flawless experience every time. So go buy two or three of your top picks and compare them side by side. Put your things in there, see how they feel. How's the organization? Does this pack hold up to what you're looking for? Is it good quality? Is this pack realistic for you and your needs?

Obviously once you land on a singular pack, return the others. If none of them are quite right keep looking! You get all your money back so it's really no loss to you, and you're able to see how it will be with YOUR stuff in there instead of just sandbags for weight.


6. Pack It
Once you have found your perfect pack, your steps are not over my friend. The next step is to load that sucker up! All the things you plan on taking, go ahead and pack it. Put things where they belong, make it as realistic to you as if you are leaving the next day. This will not only give you a great idea of the amount of organization it offers, but will show you how easily accessible things are. This part of the process may take some getting used to, and I recommend continuing to play with packing it in different ways until you leave.


7. Walk With It
Once you have it packed up go take a walk - and I don't mean around the neighborhood either, go walk in the park or on a trail, for at least an hour or two. If you happen to have weather similar to your destination all the better - be sure to wear shoes and clothes that you will be wearing while there. Take your water bottle full. Take every ounce of all the things you are taking with you as if you are already there. Play with the straps throughout your walk to get the right weight distribution that is most comfortable for you. This will give you the best experience in getting more familiar with your pack, what straps adjustments feel best for you, how sweaty you get, and how it feels.

If your experience was anything like mine, I was so ready for my walk to be over by the end of it, because MAN that 24 pounds got heavy as hell after awhile. So be sure to do the walk as often as possible before your trip, that way your body will grow more accustom to it.

Also, from your walks, change up how you pack your backpack too, the way the weight is distributed throughout the pack itself can change how it feels on you.


8. You're Ready!
BAM! You are good to go! Once you go through all these steps and are perfectly happy with your backpack you are all set. Generally by the time you complete step 5 you will probably have the pack you're taking already, but steps 6 and 7 are imperative to being absolutely sure this is the right pack for you in every capacity.


I'm sure everyone likes to do things like this a bit differently, but this is the process that worked best for me and I so so wish I had been able to find an article out there with it all laid out simply like this. Hopefully this will help make your search for the right backpack a little bit more manageable and less terrifying than my experience was!

Have any questions? Just give me a holler, I'm happy to help in any way I can.

Southeast Asia Just Sprang Up

I just came across this crazy insane deal that I can go to up to TEN Southeast Asian countries in 30 days for 160 bucks!! So...that's happening. How insane is that?! I suppose with trips like this you just have to go with the flow. Can't hold on too rigidly with particular plans unless you want to pay for it.

This deal includes Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam. Holy wow that is a lot of incredible countries to fit into 30 days. No way will I be able to go to all of them and fully appreciate them all so I figure I'll go to four or five of those places.

After looking further into all of those I found out that Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore do not require a visa - whereas the others do from $100-170 each. So that pretty much helped determine which countries I'm going to. Now I have ALL of the research and planning to do!

I just bought my ticket from LA to Bangkok for $414 for May 18th.

I kinda cant even believe it. This is really happening. And I can feel the freaking out phase coming on. I have two and a half months left in Atlanta before I start on a life changing adventure with no end in sight.

If anyone else is interested in this deal here is the link. I am not sure how long it will be going on for so get it while you can!