It's Just Another Day…

Every day she takes a morning bath she wets her hair,
Wraps a towel around her as she's heading for the bedroom chair.
It's just another day…

There’s a clock on the wall in the living room. Something is wrong with it and it’s always an hour ahead. It’s one of those Atomic clocks but for some reason it’s confused. It’s consistent but not right. It also tells you the temperature outside. The battery ran down I guess because the silly thing quit working. I cannot tell you how many times I have looked at that clock only to see nothing. All of the numbers are gone. I know it’s not working yet I still look at it. It’s funny how we do the same things, over and over.

The alarm goes off at 5:17 am. It’s set that way so I can push snooze one time then get up. Supposedly! It’s on buzzer so I won’t keep sleeping. If I have it on music the songs seem to weave themselves into whatever dreams I’m having. I’ll hit snooze once then the radio will come on again and I’ll hit it one more time. If I’m really tired I might hit it yet another time after that, just for good measure. When I do finally drag out of bed I do the same thing every morning. I’ll hit the bathroom of course, and then wander down the hall to see if the coffee is ready. My DH is very nice to me and makes coffee every morning, even though he doesn’t drink it. If it’s ready I’ll grab a cup, head back to the bathroom and start the water for a shower. If not I head back for the shower and get the coffee after the shower. If the coffee isn’t made it messes up my routine.


After the shower, it’s the same thing every day; Lotion, clothes, deodorant, hair, makeup, jewelry, shoes, perfume, in that order. Pick a sweater or jacket for work and I’m ready. Unless of course there’s a wardrobe malfunction and the first set of clothes does not work. Then it’s start again.

Slipping into stockings, stepping into shoes,
Dipping in the pocket of her raincoat.
It's just another day…

I take my medicine, pour a cup of coffee to go, load the laptop in the bag, grab my phone and purse and anything extra I have to take that day and head out. Occasionally I’ll grab a frozen dinner or maybe some leftovers for lunch.

There is basically one way to work; head north, then east. I could choose a different road but I won’t. First, there’s not a lot to choose from and second, it would put me out of my comfort zone. I know how fast I can go and how long it will take when I take my usual way. I listen to the radio while I drive and I sing. The radio has two levels to set satellite channels and I have them in numerical order from lowest to highest. I like the air-conditioner or heater on dual unless someone else is riding with me.


I want the Kleenex in the passenger seat so I can reach them should I need to. I tend to spill coffee a lot, especially if a white shirt is involved so I need them handy.


I get to work, park in the same place every day, find the building keys which are always in the same pocket in my purse and go in, to my spot. I plug in the laptop and turn it on. I am very boring.

At the office where the papers grow she takes a break,
Drinks another coffee and she finds it hard to stay awake.
It's just another day…

I wonder how I got in such a rut! We are all such creatures of habit. Our habits run deep and finally one day we are in a rut. The difference between habit and routine is how often the task is repeated. How can you tell your routine has become a rut? You’ll know it when any change in what you do brings about anxiety and frustration. It seems the older we are the more set in our ways we become. The rut becomes so deep it is almost impossible to climb out.

Maybe I’ll change something. I’ll set the alarm for 5:20 am. I’ll get up right away without pushing snooze. I’ll have tea instead of coffee. I’ll put my shoes on first instead of last. I’ll listen to a CD instead of the radio. I’ll set the temperature at two different levels and put the Kleenex in the backseat. Then I’ll discover, since I didn’t do things in the order I’m accustomed to, that I’ve forgotten my medicine or don’t have any jewelry on or I left my phone. I’ll wonder why I just didn’t do it the way I know it works in the first place!

My knitayear is coming along nicely. Maybe I like to knit because it’s repetitious. I can make something different every time but the basic action is the same, and it’s comforting. Or maybe I’m just a tad Monkish—OCD! Tuesday, May 4, was a busy day. I had to get some things ready for a workshop, catch up on paperwork, things like that. I can’t say why exactly but a bright purple yarn called to me that day. Wednesday, when only nine people showed out of the seventeen who signed up, I was feeling a little ambivalent. The wind was blowing as always and I chose a dull green yarn that has little bits of ribbon hanging off it. The hanging strings reminded me of the wind blowing the grass. Thursday was hot. It was triple digit hot. It’s too early for it to be that hot. I got a lot done, caught up with paperwork, took papers out of notebooks to stuff different papers in the same notebooks and got ready for another workshop. I chose yellow for getting things done, like a gold medal of sorts, and for the hot sun bearing down on me. It’s a flag yarn I think and the little flags of ribbon remind me of the wind blowing on a hot sunny day…always the wind. Friday was a TGIF day. After work I met a friend and we had a happy hour snack and talked. But before you think I broke my routine, we went to the same place we always go when we meet. It’s such a routine that the bartender knows the drink when I come in and just brings it to me without asking! I chose a blue yarn that has a red thread around it. It’s wrapped evenly then every so often it’s wrapped tight causing a little spot of solid red. It reminded me that sometimes I step out of my comfort zone but not far and not for too long. Then I’m back how I was again. Boring.


It's just another day…