I don’t suppose I am much different from a good many people in my need for order and ritual in my life. I do tend, as I have talked about in these blogs before, toward a slight OCD. Nothing major, I don’t wash my hand obsessively, or have to skip cracks in the sidewalk (although I do wash my hands a lot and if possible I do skip the sidewalk cracks--who doesn’t?). But I do like to know what is happening before it happens, and, as I’ve gotten older, I have lost most of my desire for spontaneity. A little planning--okay, a lot of planning--is a good thing.
I get up at 6:00 every morning. People, especially young people, don’t understand why I get up at a certain time when I’m retired and can sleep as late as I want. But I like to keep regular hours and I find that I get more done in the mornings than later, so up early it is. I check my e-mail, shower, and then head to Starbucks (yes, I wrote an earlier blog blasting what I called Starbucks’ zombies and now I am one) for morning coffee, two cups, no more no less, a banana, and, against my doctor’s orders, a pastry. At 10:30 I join my friend Roger for whatever shopping we might want to do; or, if nothing is needed, we go for coffee, cup number 3. After lunch I usually take a nap, 30 to 45 minutes, followed by coffee number 4 here at home. If I get up from the nap in time, I watch Jeopardy!, just to be reminded how much I don’t know. I’ll use the afternoon for housecleaning, studying for class, watching movies, or reading. Don’t call or knock on my door between 5:30 and 6:00 as I’m watching my 16 minutes of evening news and 14 minutes of commercials. Later, I may watch a little TV, catch another episode of Downton Abbey, or read. I have a bowl of cereal around 10:00, catch the weather, shower (yes, again), and head to bed.
And Jake, my cat, is also a lover of ritual. When I get up in the morning she expects, and always gets, her morning treats. When I nap she usually naps with me. Before bed she expects her 1/3 can of wet food, and will let me know if I’m running late (she hates opera night). She gets brushed before my evening shower and is there waiting--demanding--that I not forget. Then we have this snuggling ritual before falling asleep.
Leave the unpremeditated life to the young; I want my life planned, organized, and ritualized.
I get up at 6:00 every morning. People, especially young people, don’t understand why I get up at a certain time when I’m retired and can sleep as late as I want. But I like to keep regular hours and I find that I get more done in the mornings than later, so up early it is. I check my e-mail, shower, and then head to Starbucks (yes, I wrote an earlier blog blasting what I called Starbucks’ zombies and now I am one) for morning coffee, two cups, no more no less, a banana, and, against my doctor’s orders, a pastry. At 10:30 I join my friend Roger for whatever shopping we might want to do; or, if nothing is needed, we go for coffee, cup number 3. After lunch I usually take a nap, 30 to 45 minutes, followed by coffee number 4 here at home. If I get up from the nap in time, I watch Jeopardy!, just to be reminded how much I don’t know. I’ll use the afternoon for housecleaning, studying for class, watching movies, or reading. Don’t call or knock on my door between 5:30 and 6:00 as I’m watching my 16 minutes of evening news and 14 minutes of commercials. Later, I may watch a little TV, catch another episode of Downton Abbey, or read. I have a bowl of cereal around 10:00, catch the weather, shower (yes, again), and head to bed.
And Jake, my cat, is also a lover of ritual. When I get up in the morning she expects, and always gets, her morning treats. When I nap she usually naps with me. Before bed she expects her 1/3 can of wet food, and will let me know if I’m running late (she hates opera night). She gets brushed before my evening shower and is there waiting--demanding--that I not forget. Then we have this snuggling ritual before falling asleep.
Leave the unpremeditated life to the young; I want my life planned, organized, and ritualized.
