The Movers

Movers and packers are frankly the only silver lining I've discovered in this whole posting ordeal. When your movers come the first tip I'd give you is be prepared. Prepared means have things organized is order of how you want them shipped. Have piles for sea, storage, and for the love of god hide everything you don't want moved. We had but one ordeal and we now have a telephone in storage that we wanted to take.

The other strange thing about movers is one I didn't expect. If you're not used to other people packing your stuff you may get a strange sense when they show up. I think the sensation comes from feeling useless (since you really don't do much while they're packing) and a sense of violation (because a bunch of strangers are touching your stuff). From what my movers told me:

A. Being around is good, but staying out of the way is also good. It may be boring for you, but at least your not packing and lifting.

B. They don't care about your stuff, it's just stuff and it means nothing to them except a weight and a shape.

C. You're leaving the country, they will never see you again, no matter how many strange toys they pack they're not going to send a letter to folks wherever you're moving to just to make you look like a weirdo.