Launch is just a tad over three weeks away. That's quite an impressively long yet subtly long distance away. I worked my last shift at my day job running a bandsaw at my dads business on August 2nd, and this past week I went with my brother and his wife out to New Jersey, so just now its starting to sink in that this is where the rubber hits the road.
I spent a good chunk of today, the 14th, at a fur farming convention (for those who don't know – I raise mink). Besides checking out the latest technology of the domestic fur industry, my goal has (as is) to find an auction house to sell my pelts to come December. The big three were there (NAFA, ALC, and Kopenhagen), and I visited each booth and conversed with the sales reps. Talking with them, it dawned in me: this is it. Something I (along with others) had put a great deal of time, effort, resource, and money towards is coming to an end. After a myriad of things I at least half attempted but all failed to pull through, I really thought this is what I was going to do. I was gonna raise mink. And really, it is something I have enjoyed. Who doesn't like working with cute little beasts that wish to tear you to pieces regardless of all the things you do for them? I guess I am not/shouldn't completely rule out the possibility of raising mink when the World Race is complete, but I do honestly find the chances to be bleak. I firmly believe that God has other (synonymous with better) plans for me and my life. Besides, if I would want to raise animals, I think I would rather raise fox.
So with this being really my first day at home since leaving my job, and now talking with buyers of my animals, it has sunk in much more that the World Race is literally right around the corner. And yeah, I still got stuff to do. I have a few things that I want to purchase yet, and I have to get my finances all in a row. I haven't really attempted practicing packing, but that's not too high in my priorities. However, I just bought packing cubes. I didn't have any at training camp, so I quickly realized their importance.
I still have one more shot to get, the second one for Hepatitis A. I got my first dose on March 4th, meaning I have to wait at least until September 4th to get the second dose. Of course, my parents plan on leaving on the 4th to get to launch in Atlanta on the 7th, so we will have to swing in the doctors office on the way down to get it. I also just got my malaria medication, I'm taking the weekly pill mefloquine.
I am also at 90% funded at just under 14,000! The generosity that people have had is incredible!
So now I have three weeks to get prepared. I have books that I wish to read and sermons that I wish to listen to before I leave. In the last 24 hours I read C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorce, which was awesome and I completely recommend! My preparation has now become full time, and besides taking care of my mink, it is all that I have to do. Lets hope and pray for a good next three weeks!
