A Day in the Life

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

I saw this "day in the life of" post several weeks ago and thought it would be fun-ish change of pace from all the knitting talk to give a glimpse of what I'm doing when I'm not knitting or talking about knitting.

So here was my Monday, yesterday:

A Day in the Life Of: morning joe7:15AM - 9:00AM: I am not a morning person, by the way
Morning wake-up call from Duck as he leaves for work. I stay in bed for 15 minutes to 1 hour longer. If I don't get up by 9:00am, then I either have no gigs or I am not caring much about the gigs I do have, heh (shhh). I really really wish I were the type of person who gets up at 5am, jogs a hundred miles, finishes writing a novel, and bakes a wedding cake from scratch before the sun breaks. But ALAS.

Today I get up at 7:45am, and the first thing I do is fire up the laptop and brush the teeth. Sometimes I will even start surfing before I brush. I am so addicted to the Internet that I would choose surfing over brushing my teeth after a whole night of drooling.

Depending on whether I will be seeing people other than Duck during the course of the day, I may or may not shower. But I will get dressed, even if the tempation to remain in one's pajamas is overwhelming. I do have standards. Despite the fact they are very sub-standard sort of standards.

I will definitely make a cup of coffee though. This is our coffee maker. For the last five years, we (as in Duck) buy raw coffee beans, roast them by hand (in an orville redenbacher popcorn maker), and use this fancy pants coffee maker to grind and make the perfect cup of joe with just a push of a button.

A Day in the Life Of: morning breakfast 8:00AM - 9:00AM: Breakfast
I have the same breakfast everyday: coffee, juice, and a bowl of yogurt with granola and fruit, sometimes bananas, sometimes peaches.

The yogurt has to be Brown Cow brand vanilla yogurt with cream on top (actually, we can't get it any other way). The granola must be Honey Gone Nuts from Whole Foods. The banana must not have any bruises.

I take my coffee with two spoonfuls of sugar and half 'n half, and I have to drink them from the mugs I bought in Santa Fe.

I take my breakfast upstairs to the office and officially start my day...

A Day in the Life Of: Office Space Office Space
I work from home, and this is my office. We painted it several years ago and I am rather regretting my choice of color. I wanted something bold and unconventional, but did it have to be so orange? We didn't even paint the trim a contrasting color to break up all that boldness.

One day this house will be futon-free.

The cats hang out with me here most of the day. They sleep in that comfy plush-filled wicker basket when they're not on the lookout for the neighborhood black cat who likes to visit our backyard.

A Day in the Life Of: Office desk Office Desk
We only put the shelving units (from IKEA) up this past weekend. There will be another long shelf that will run below the cubbies, and hopefully when that's in place the blocks won't look so goofy and free-floating. I also plan on "wallpapering" the white backs with some pretty Japanese silkscreen paper. And add a lot of plants. I also want a beta fish.

The desk, chair, and rolling cabinet I bought from my former company when they were liquidating an office they shut down. I like it. Spacious and ergonomic.

A Day in the Life Of: Howard on the radio Office supplies
I listen to Howard everyday. He's totally my cup of tea...but not always. Sometimes the on-air shenanigans are too distracting, too annoying, and when that happens, I like to flip to over to the jazz/standards channel.

When I really have to zone out, I pop in the iPod earbuds and listen to Mozart. When music is directly plugged into the ears, I'm able to concentrate more.

I can't concentrate when it's quiet.

A Day in the Life Of: BLT for lunch 1:00pm - 2:00pm: Lunch
You know, I love to eat but I absolutely hate lunch. I will gladly spend 3 hours preparing dinner, but more than 10 minutes for lunch is a pain in the ass. More often than not I don't eat til 2 because I'm just too busy stop, or too lazy to figure out what the hell I want to eat.

In any case, lunch is either leftovers (I've been cooking dinner for 12 lately to ensure leftovers) or a sandwich. Today I make my favorite sandwich, the BLT. Depending on how busy I am, I will eat lunch in the office, or I will take it to the basement and eat it while watching a recorded television show.

Female cardinal View outside the window
I look to my left and, hi bird!









Sunset from our front door 5:00pm Sunset
Must break for sunset. Sometimes they're eh, sometimes they're spectacular.







DSC_0883 6:00pm - 9:00pm: Clocking out
Today I don't clock out til 9pm. That doesn't stop me from busting out the nightly glass of wine while I work. Duck gets home at around 5:30pm and today he makes dinner for me: another BLT sandwich that I eat while working.

I have had six to seven slabs of bacon - extra thick - and two avocados just today. And I have barely moved from my seat. Shoot me.

When I finally do get up from my desk, I mosey downstairs and spend another more couple of hours sitting on the basement couch while knitting and watching TV.

I sit until I have to haul myself up and go to bed, usually around 11:00-midnight.

It's been a tough, relatively immobile day. But my brain, my big big brain, it's on the move constantly.

Comments [31]
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Tuesday, February 27, 2007 9:17:36 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Looks good to me. I'm an editor, work at home, can stay in warm robe much of the day though try not to too often, have only one cat to keep company, no Duck to make me dinner, but Whole Foods very close. No one situation is perfect. I'm happy with my compromises; sounds as though you are with yours.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007 9:30:06 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I totally hate you that you can eat that shit and weigh 50 pounds. HATE you. But hey, I can get green chile, fresh, whenever I want. HAAAAA.

Thanks for sharing your day. I like seeing other OCD people like me.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007 9:58:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
i'm very jealous of your commute
Tuesday, February 27, 2007 10:15:42 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Loved that glimpse into your day. Your photographs are excellent. The one of the cardinal blows me away - so cool!
Tuesday, February 27, 2007 10:43:41 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Your coffee makes me VERY jealous, but I loved to see that Howard's part of your morning too. I'm on the road a lot & he makes it easier. Him & plain ole boring coffee.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007 11:24:25 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Ooh, a lady cardinal!
Tuesday, February 27, 2007 11:27:21 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Wow you are SERIOUS about your coffee!

Thank you for sharing your day. Maybe someday I will share one of mine too!

As much as you might be having second thoughts about the orange paint, I'm liking it. I used to have an orange living room and I deeply miss it.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007 11:41:16 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I put my headphones on today when I needed to concentrate. I didn't listen to Mozart though; The Sundays are my thinking music.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 6:18:12 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I wish we had sunsets like that in London!
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 9:41:15 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I've always wondered what it would be like to work from home...I just don't know if I would have the dicipline!
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 9:44:41 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I love brown cow cream top yogurt!
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 10:33:10 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Brown Cow Cream Top is the beeeest. I agree. I'm want to go get some for lunch now
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 11:08:22 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I really enjoyed reading this. And I really love your orange office.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 11:21:56 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I love peeking into people's days. :)
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 11:50:23 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Your office is pretty, thanks for sharing.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 11:55:28 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Hi,

I love your blog, and this post is very fun! I hope to work from home someday soon.

I think I remember you writing some time ago that you swap patterns...would you be interested in swapping two Rebecca 27 patterns for two Rowan 36 patterns? There are some great designs in Rowan 36 which look pretty consistent with what you've knitted before. I also have tons of Elizabeth Zimmermann. Let me know if you are interested...
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 12:50:14 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I love your orange office!
Your typical day sounds wonderful.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 1:01:16 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
this is such a cool idea. i'm so jealous you get to work from home and hang out with the kitties all day!
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 1:11:24 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Fun to see how you spend your day. I am not a morning person either--I would get up everyday at 9 if I didn't have to be at work by then. I so wish though that I would get up at 6. Without an alarm clock. I so wish I was that girl.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 4:47:27 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Silence distracts me too. I work from home half the time, and there is no way I could have that futon in my office - I'd be so distracted by the possibility of a NAP that I couldn't work. I loves me a good nap.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 6:13:15 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
While everyone else compliments your orange, your commute, your figure and your cats I will add Haha we have the same radiators...check out my bathroom radiator http://saltwater_purls.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/02/bathroom_goes_s.html#comments
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 7:52:19 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I'm all about the Greek Style Honey Yogurt these days...so tangy and sweet! And can I come over for coffee? Looks amazing...

And I know what it's like to have a day where you don't move but your brain never stops moving...that's pretty much my daily routine. Being an engineer doesn't help your figure at all... ;)
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 9:55:32 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I love this kind of post, and I love it that you eat the same thing every morning. I'd like to do this as well, but I'd be tempted to clean my house first - it's a freakin' wreck!
Thursday, March 01, 2007 8:53:02 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I <3 how you use that huge book as a footrest at the desk! :-p
Thursday, March 01, 2007 9:56:07 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
The orange is very bold, but I still love the space. I love BLAs - I hate raw tomato so I used to always order BLTs w/o the T... Then they started selling BLATs. Yum (w/o the T of course).
Thursday, March 01, 2007 5:05:11 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
such a fun post! i can never eat the same thing every day, except coffee. love your coffee maker. i hate getting up in the morning, too.
Friday, March 02, 2007 12:11:14 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I too adore your orangey office! Now I want to paint mine a super-bold color...
Friday, March 02, 2007 9:46:26 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
wow, ur coffee machine puts mine to shame. i love working from home. i sometimes watch tv while i work but that all depends on what i'm doing. then i mute it when a client calls (sssshhh). i don't work well in silence. so i have my stereo hooked up to my ipod for play. anyhoo, thx for sharing your day! :)
Saturday, March 03, 2007 12:21:54 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Very cool...I might have to copy!

I dig the orangy color...reminds me of my 2nd grade classroom's closets, my first car and a sweater I once had that always garnered me many a compliment when I wore it.
Sunday, March 04, 2007 5:52:05 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
this is such a fun post! I've also never thought about roasting my own beans, which I will now have to look into :)
Tuesday, April 03, 2007 6:37:13 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I know I'm late commenting to this post; I've been reading your blog for awhile, but don't think that I've ever commented before - I saw this post and was intrigued by the coffee roasting.... Linked over to Sweet Maria's - a couple weeks later sitting here drinking my freshly roasted coffee - YUUMMMMM. Something that never would have occurred to me before reading about it here. Bless the internets! Thanks for sharing the info :) By the way, I do read your blog for the knitting - and very much enjoy it!!
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