After deciding that I had nothing suitable for breakfast, I walked down to Cindy's Diner (Cindy and John were at their grandson's wedding and the diner was closed, said a paper sign hung in the door). I returned home and verified that I was correct and that, indeed, I did not have any food suitable for breakfast. I decided to hold out for lunch.
I made some more coffee. I called Grandpa Bill. I did the laundry. I opened the windows. I watered the plant (yes, plant--singular).
Around noon, I walked down to the Chinese take-out place. I returned home and enjoyed some dumplings and hot & sour soup while I watched Across the Universe (see review in next post).
I basically did nothing all day. But these things, to me, were significant.
I've been ignoring, or delaying, many of the things I did today. Returning phone calls, doing laundry, opening windows--walking--these are the activities of people who do things. I am a person who merely exists. Many nights, at about 8:30 PM I start to wonder if I would be too ashamed of myself to just go to bed then, instead of trying to come up with something else to do that I probably am not going to enjoy all that much anyway.
So what makes today different? Well, yesterday I had lunch with another guy in the IT department. Our discussion landed on weekend activities. When it was my turn to share, I had to think--"I watch a lot of movies," I said lamely.
I watch a lot of movies. That was all I had.
Here I was talking to this IT guy, a validation analyst--who, based on his job description, should be a pretty boring guy. But this guy, first of all, works longer hours than me. He doesn't usually get holidays off, and his job is way more stressful than mine. He should be exhausted all the time. But his weekend activities include swim meets with the kids, baking bread, CAD moonlighting, and farming. Yes... the guy is a farmer!--a bread baking farmer who spends time with his family. "I watch movies--pleased to meet you."
So, I've decided to do some things. Don't get me wrong; I will still be watching movies--let's not get too radical. But I will also do these little things that people do--go for walks, open windows, chat with friends. And, to my point: I've decided to start a journal--a blog, to use the parlance of our times--and here it is.
Around noon, I walked down to the Chinese take-out place. I returned home and enjoyed some dumplings and hot & sour soup while I watched Across the Universe (see review in next post).
I basically did nothing all day. But these things, to me, were significant.
I've been ignoring, or delaying, many of the things I did today. Returning phone calls, doing laundry, opening windows--walking--these are the activities of people who do things. I am a person who merely exists. Many nights, at about 8:30 PM I start to wonder if I would be too ashamed of myself to just go to bed then, instead of trying to come up with something else to do that I probably am not going to enjoy all that much anyway.
So what makes today different? Well, yesterday I had lunch with another guy in the IT department. Our discussion landed on weekend activities. When it was my turn to share, I had to think--"I watch a lot of movies," I said lamely.
I watch a lot of movies. That was all I had.
Here I was talking to this IT guy, a validation analyst--who, based on his job description, should be a pretty boring guy. But this guy, first of all, works longer hours than me. He doesn't usually get holidays off, and his job is way more stressful than mine. He should be exhausted all the time. But his weekend activities include swim meets with the kids, baking bread, CAD moonlighting, and farming. Yes... the guy is a farmer!--a bread baking farmer who spends time with his family. "I watch movies--pleased to meet you."
So, I've decided to do some things. Don't get me wrong; I will still be watching movies--let's not get too radical. But I will also do these little things that people do--go for walks, open windows, chat with friends. And, to my point: I've decided to start a journal--a blog, to use the parlance of our times--and here it is.
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