I am Going to Have a Panic Attack.

My son, Will, still doesn't have his passport. Last Thursday I spent 85 minutes on hold on my cell phone with the U.S. Passport Service only to be told they would send an email to Chicago to remind them that my passport renewal was supposed to be expedited. They told me to follow up on Tuesday. Monday I stayed up late, and at 1:30 AM, I decided I might as well stay up and wait until 5:00 and call the passport agency again. I was hoping not to have to wait so long this time. Surprise, I was on hold for 118 minutes, spoke with someone for less than five and was forwarded to an automated system to make an appointment in Chicago. It made me wait forever and after telling me there were no morning appointments, and another interminable wait, that there were no afternoon appointments. I don't even want to know what my cell phone bill is going to look like. So, in spite of my best efforts, I've gotten no closer to pushing the passport forward.

The whole process is like a house of cards, all supported on Will's passport and the company paperwork, which also should have been here by now. Because I started the veterinary paperwork, I have less than 30 days to get my pets to India. BUT, it will only cost another $150 to start the paperwork again... I'm feeling better. THIS WAITING IS KILLING ME. I just want to get on my way!!!!

Who We Are:

I've gotten a couple of emails lately from people that wanted to know more about our motley crew. Here's a brief 411...

I'm an internet marketing specialist. I will be working in Calcutta as the Group Marketing Manager of a dotcom whose business comes almost exclusively from the U.S. I have traveled all over the globe and now my son has been bitten by the traveling bug. Our family and friends are a bit upset that we are moving so far away, but I am hoping they will come to India to visit. I am hoping they will come because India has had such a huge impact on my life. I found this great web site that details a lot of information on living and traveling in India: http://www.indiamike.com/

Will is 13, and just finished up the seventh grade. He's into skateboarding, on-line RPG games and writing. He recently won the Young Author's Award in our School District. He's already discussing plans to build the first skatepark in Calcutta, with a person who built the first skatepark in India, in Goa, India Nick. His park, sk8goa, has been visited by many of the big names in the skateboarding industry: http://www.sk8goa.com/

Grace is a rescued greyhound from the Dairyland racetrack in Wisconsin. Her life was filled with misery, torture, and malnutrition for the first 3 years of her life. We mean to make up for what other humans failed to do - treating her humanely. There is greyhound racing in India, along with just about any other animal on four legs, from camels, horses, donkeys, and elephants: http://www.petaindia.com/cent.html

Because I will be a foreigner living in this country at its government's pleasure, I really won't be able to be as actively vocal on this subject as I have been here. I do hope to provide support to those who can.

Lance is our other adopted pet. He is a creampoint siamese with major attitude. He's never been in a situation like Grace's, but he acts like somebody's done him wrong. When the crate for Grace showed up and we set it up, he was really upset. Grace wouldn't go anywhere near it, but he'd get in it and start howling. I think he's pissed off that she's got such a big condo compared to his - it's all about him getting the bigger piece. Have you ever read the "Get Fuzzy" comic strip? Bucky is Lance's brother for sure: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_Fuzzy#Bucky_Katt

Well, that's us... for now anyway.