Passport, check.

One of the things I want to do more of this year, along with writing and attracting people, is travelling. I haven't been out of the country for 18 months, and so on Thursday I'm heading off for five nights in New York City. I haven't been before and I've wanted to go for a while, so when my friend Jenn accepted an off-the-cuff invitation during a tea-run at work back in December, my mind was made-up. And that's pretty impressive, given how indecisive I can be.

In truth, the actual booking process was littered with vast amounts of indecision (not least over the flights and hotel), and despite both of us working in a so-called Planning department, I sense there's going to be a good deal of seeing where our feet take us once we get there. But I quite like the idea of that. Not knowing a great deal about the immediate future used to freak me out slightly, but these days I'd like to think I'm a little bit more carefree. Others that know me may disagree.

Of course, we're not completely hopeless. We've got tickets for a Broadway show sorted, we've earmarked the sights we want to see, discount passes for attractions have been purchased, and Jenn has politely insisted we visit a particular club one night where the clientele lounge about on beds and all appear to be hideously good-looking and well-groomed. Being neither of these things, I intend to compete with my charming British accent.

I do still feel a tad disorganised at this late stage, however. Possibly because procrastination has reared it's ugly head and I find myself - amongst other things - updating my blog instead of, I don't know, packing. I think it's fair to say, in James' world, there will always be something more appealing than the actual task in hand.

Out of curiosity, and also to waste some more time that could be better spent figuring out how to fit x number of clothes into an undersized suitcase, I flicked through my iTunes library this evening to see what sort of New York related playlist I could create (and undoubtedly not listen to, ever). The result is eclectic, to say the least...

1. David Gray - Last Boat to America
2. Ryan Adams - New York, New York
3. Blur - Magic America
4. U2 - Angel of Harlem
5. Belle & Sebastian - Piazza, New York Catcher
6. Simon & Garfunkel - The Only Living Boy in New York
7. Counting Crows - American Girls
8. Stephen Fretwell - New York
9. Jesse Malin - Brooklyn
10. Goo Goo Dolls - Broadway
11. Death Cab For Cutie - Marching Bands of Manhattan
12. The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York
13. The Drifters - On Broadway
14. Ben E. King - Spanish Harlem
15. Everclear - The New York Times
16. Fountains of Wayne - Hackensack
17. Idlewild - American English
18. U2 - New York
19. Five For Fighting - The Last Great American
20. R.E.M. - Leaving New York

Obviously I've cheated a bit with the inclusion of some slightly more vague titles. Also, Hackensack is in New Jersey, but it's never a proper playlist of mine if there isn't at least one Fountains of Wayne track.

Oh yeah, I like music. I should've said that already.

Okay, it's late, and I feel I've procrastinated enough for one night (yet another worthwhile training session in my bid for Olympic gold). I shall return next week with stories aplenty from across the pond. Or, at the very least, a photo of me falling on my ass whilst attempting to ice skate in Central Park.