The movers come next week. What should I pack? What do I really, really NEED to live in a foreign country for three years, albeit one that has a stellar consumer shopping experience! We have a furnished apartment. Quite nicely furnished too so we don’t need furniture or basic utensils. I’ll take some clothes, but let’s be honest, I plan to shop. I don’t have any friends there so I’ll need something to do all day while Gary’ is out making money to support our fancy foreign lifestyle.

After weeks of thought (and a little bit or preparation), these are the things that I’ve determined are most important for me to be able to establish a comfortable (okay, spoiled and happy) foreign life:

1. Sonos sound system: Music.  That can be played loudly. Everywhere. From all our devices.  Need I say more?
2. Camera Equipment: My cameras. All of them. Plus maybe one or two new ones that I’ve been thinking about (shhh don’t tell Gary). Plus, I recently bought a fancy photo and negative scanner. This purchase is key to my main goal for the next 3 years: get my photo organizing shit together. Scan all the old negatives. Assimilate all of our videotapes. Make family multi-media presentations of our life. – give them to everyone as gifts! Do something, anything to keep the BCO* from simply burning or recycling the thousands and thousands of photos & videos I have documenting every moment of their lives the day after I die. It’s a noble and lofty goal. And my expectations are high. I’ll keep you posted.
3. Exercise equipment: Paris is not known for its “Fitness Culture”. I know from past experience that whatever genetic mutation French women have that enables them to remain thin and beautiful while eating croissants, macaroons and drinking red wine every day, has not made it into my DNA. I exercise so I can eat and drink. Without a regular gym to visit, at least for a while, our in-apartment fitness facility will be paramount to me remaining the woman I am.
4. Computer Technology: Again, need I say more? Facetime, Skype, Netflix = lifelines + boredom busters + friends.
5. A few clothes.

6. Fewer shoes.

I think that’s it. For everything else…there’s Visa.