Complex Numbers

A Day in the Life

PROMPT January 10th

What are some of the routines you follow in your daily life? Do you typically stick to your routine, or do you prefer more spontaneity?

Bit of both.

I've said before that there's nothing I do on a daily basis. For example, while I try to write in here every day, there's a glaring hole in my December records that represents my trip to California and recovery therefrom.

The closest I get to a daily routine is about as basic as stuff gets: eating and sleeping. My current meal plan involves six small meals per day - but I skip occasionally, again due to travel. More, smaller meals works for me for weight loss; it keeps me from getting too hungry. If I manage to hit my goal weight, and I'm under no illusion that I can be any more successful at that than I am at anything, that will probably change. And while, like most people, I tend to sleep every day, it's not on a fixed schedule; I have the luxury of going to bed when I feel like it, again with a few exceptions.

One thing I have managed to do on a daily basis is language lessons on Duolingo. In an attempt to keep up a streak, I've managed to at least do a few lessons every day since late August. Until I've been at that for a year, though, I can't say I do it every day.

And then there's exercise. I try to hit the gym every day, but some days, especially when traveling, I just walk for half an hour or more. Rarely, I just don't have opportunity for any dedicated exercise. But I'm determined to not make excuses, so probably 99% of the time, some sort of exercise gets done. Someday, I will fail. Today is not that day.

As for spontaneity, I find that difficult on a daily basis now, but it manages to crop up sometimes. The problem is that most "spontaneous" things I want to do involve calories (e.g. food or beer), so I've forced myself into a schedule to help me stay on track. But when I travel, I often pick things to do and see at random.

Contrary to popular belief (one that I, admittedly, foster), I don't drink every day. Well, water, yes. And Crack Zero, certainly too much. But alcohol consumption is maybe once a week at most.

So, when I'm home, and there's nothing particular scheduled, it goes something like: Wake up whenever; shower; breakfast; cat feeding; language lessons; second breakfast (thanks, J.R.R.); exercise; lunch; other obligations; nap; cat feeding; snack; entertainment; blog; light dinner; reading; late-night snack; sleep. Repeat as necessary. Somewhere in there, I find the time to hang out here and keep up with other things on the internet.

You'll note there's no "work" involved; being retired has its benefits, and besides, work was interfering with my video game time. When I was working, I barely had time to get anything else done. You think it takes 8 hours, but it always ended up being way more than that, especially when I was running the show.

And yet, I never seem to have time to do everything I want to do, or "should" do. I find this frustrating. But I guess that's what life is: compromise.

Woke up, fell out of bed
Dragged a comb across my head
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup
And looking up I noticed I was late
Found my coat and grabbed my hat
Made the bus in seconds flat
Made my way upstairs and had a smoke
And everybody spoke and I went into a dream