trying to try harder

Since many of you have expressed curiosity about how I spend my days, the following is an account of a not a-typical day in October. I hope you find it informative.

Monday, October 27, 2003

12:40 a.m.: Settle in to watch a Discovery Channel special on the Loch Ness Monster.

1:00 am: Fight off sleep, continue watching the search for Nessie.

1:15 am: Fall asleep. Sleep fitfully annoyed by the lamp and the tv. Eventually change the channel to a nice, soft info-mmercial on "Windsor Pilates" hosted by Daisy Fuentes.

3:30 am: Get up off the couch and go to bed. Realize that I didn't turn my clock back yesterday — sweet!. Read about British navy in the 18th century for 15 minutes until book falls out of my hand and wakes me up and scares the cat. Turn off headlamp and go to sleep.

6:00 am: Anna's alarm goes off. Catch a bit of a story on NPR (sounds interesting) before she hits snooze.

6:07 am: Anna's alarm goes off again. Catch more of the interesting story on the radio.

6:14 am: Anna's alarm goes off again. Anna gets up. What time is it for her anyway? Turn on my radio to get important news of the day. Hate Bush, Rummy and Ashcroft.

6:15 am: Fall back to sleep.

6:40 am: Wake to Anna rumaging around in the closet looking for something to wear — sounds like she is tearing down the shelves.

6:55 am: Anna says goodbye to me leaving bedroom to go to work. Feel guilty about not having a job. She used to give me a kiss when she left. I haven't had a job for a while. Continue listening to important news on the radio. Hate Bush and Rummy and Ashcroft. Think about how screwed up the entire world is. Think about how wide awake I am an how I should just get up and get a lot done early.

6:56 am: Fall deep, deep asleep — the deepest sleep I've slept all night.


10:00 am: Wake up. Groan about how late it is. Listen to important radio program on the Seattle City Council election. Decide I really need to hear about this stuff and so stay in bed a little while longer. Hate Bush, Rummy and Ashcroft. Think about how screwed up the entire world is.

11:05 am: Wake up. Groan about how late it is. Doze off and on until 11:35.

11:35 am: Feel bad about myself. Get up. Go to kitchen. Pour some orange juice. Think about having cereal for breakfast but decide it is too close to lunch time. Log on to computer to check email. Wait for connection. Check email — 1 new message. Get mildly excited until I realize it is a "Lost in Translation" Blog post from Pat McCoy. Mild dissapointment. Read post — delighted to see it is party pictures from Halloween party in Japan. Think about how Pat McCoy is a party machine in Japan. Wonder if I would be a party machine if I was in Japan. Surf the net some. Read NY Times online. Hate Bush, Rummy and Ashcroft. Think about how screwed up the entire world is.

12:45 pm: decide I should stop surfing the internet and get something done. Turn on TV to see what is on MTV hoping to catch "Made" (show about some loser high school kid who gets a coach to help them achieve their goal of making the basketball team, becoming a lifeguard, riding bmx bikes, being homecoming queen, doing a triathalon etc.) Think about whether I should make chicken stock out of chicken carcass in fridge. Wonder if 6 days is too long for a chicken carcass to be used for broth. See that "Camp Jim" (show about some guy named Jim who runs a camp for bad cheerleaders trying to turn them around) is on. Go through mild disappointment.

1:00 pm: Throw out chicken carcass and decide to make baked pasta with sausage and tomato instead. Take an inventory of ingredients I have on hand: tomato paste.

1:30 pm: Decide to get some exercise. Find Anna's Pilates video. While putting it on see that MTV's "Made" is on now. What time is it anyway? Realize that I didn't set my clocks back (I was saving it until I would need it). Sweet! It's actually only 12:30. Watch the rest of "Made" about some geeky high school girl who wants to be made into homecoming queen. She gets a coach from Glamour magazine and makes a dress out of duct tape. She becomes homecoming queen. It's all quite inspiring.

2:15 pm (unadjusted daylight savings time): Start following Anna's "Stott Pilates" video. Realize this video sucks. They should have hired a hot spokesmodel. Sure, Ms. Stott is probably in good shape but who cares? Vow that I will buy "Windsor Pilates". If Daisy Fuentes and Danny Glover use it, it must be good.

2:35 pm: Give up on pilates. I can't breath in and out at the right times.

2:45 pm: Decide to do some job searching. Surf internet. Respond to funny emails from funny friends. Read more New York Times on the web. Hate Bush, Rummy and Ashcroft. Think about how screwed up the entire world is. Feel bad.

4:30 pm: Decide I need to get out of my pajamas and take a shower so I can seize the day.

5:30 pm: Ready to seize the day. Decide to get out of the house so I will get something done. Get in the car to go and get stuff done. Realize it is only 4:30. Sweet, plenty of time to get stuff done!

5:45 pm: go to a café to get some java and a cookie and get to work on some cover letters and writing projects. Read a magazine.

7:00 pm: check out the recipe for baked pasta and sausage with tomato. Plan what I need to get at the store. Go to two stores to get the right cheese.

7:40 pm: return home to somehow prepare dinner that calls for 45 minutes of baking in 20 minutes.

8:05 pm: Anna returns home from work. Dinner is well on its way to completion.

9:00 pm: dinner is served.

9:45 pm: Anna asleep on the couch. I settle in for dumb television viewing.

12:00 am: Restart.