I am slowly letting myself go back into the habit of talking myself into an extra five minutes of sleep here, and extra ten minutes of sleep there while trying to wake up in the morning. It is only in the haziest moments that I remember what TV show came online during my solid slumber that jolts my brain back to a somewhat functioning mode and my eyes flutter open so that I can start getting ready for the day and catch up with NCIS or GG or ANTM.
Today was no exception. As I let my groggy mind win me over to "resting my eyes" until 9:20 (a whole 35 minutes after my first alarm goes off) I realized that the NCIS season premiere was waiting for me online and I got myself out of bed in a split second; not letting my brain wake up fully enough to make a decent first step and stumbling over my little step stool that I use to get in and out of my awkwardly tall bed.
My morning consisted of a shower, math homework, frosted mini wheats, and NCIS, followed by a nice walk in the late AM sunshine to the Romney for my Origins of Life class. All my classes went by smoothly today. I lost a little bit of my attention during church history; my mind was wandering between dreams from the night before and daydreams from the walk between classes. Math required all of my mind power that I could possibly muster and History was, as always, a thrill for me. The industrial period and Urbanization of the major cities and the Jewish Ghetto's and Little Italies and China Towns and Boss Tweed and the Far West have all been bouncing around my head and I can't help but get a small thrill of excitement when I think of how happy these stories make me and how relieved that I finally seem to be reconnecting with my major.
A long walk home to a favorite band in the now late afternoon sunshine followed by a brief stint on the couch in my apartment covered in a favorite blanket and clutching an endeared teddy bear while waiting for a tummy ache to pass; listening to the sounds of HGTV and the cars pass outside our window, brought me back to the days of New England comfort and security.
Tummy ache gone, I continued into the afternoon with a small plate of sliced cheddar Tillamonook Cheese and Original Triscuts as I started compiling a list of ten learning experiences for a class project. Faced with a roadblock after number five, I placed a phone call to home and talked to my father for a good, long while. I love my dad. There really isn't anything else to it. He is just so great. We caught up, talked about home and school and work, and then he mentioned hope for Hamilton. Dad placed a few phone calls to our mechanic, who is on the look out for a new computer for my car. If one is found, then we might be attempting to make the trek across the country again after Christmas break. Dad was followed by a brief stint of conversation with Mom, who gave me more than five learning experiences. A quick conversation with littlest sister Katie and a little bit of a longer one with brother Jakey ended the forty minute connected call to "home."
Homework hour continued, sporadically interjected with music, comments and text messages. Vicki picked Jillise and I up around 8:30 for a run to walmart and Albertsons in which I purchased a variety of things: make-up foundation, bread, two cans of soup, strawberries, four sweet potatoes, and cookie dough ice cream. The adventure ended with self-checkout machines that have a vendetta against me, plans for the Grey's Anatomy season premiere tomorrow and a possible Yellowstone adventure as October approaches.
Home once again, I finished the time line, printed out the study guides to the Epic of Gilgamesh, and chatted briefly with Chloe as she walked home from her five hour date with the school's library. Gilgamesh homework continued as I curled up with my computer and bag of Bugle Corn Chips.
Another random but appreciated and humorous phone call from a old friend gave me a well needed break from the Mesopotamia period and now I am faced with the decision to continue on with Gilgameshes epic journey tonight, or to sleep now and read tomorrow.
Whatever I choose, I will end my day with a prayer and a content agreement with myself.
Today has been okay.
not my typical okay. the okay but not really okay. the okay that I've been using for the past five months. Today has been okay. The real, the right kind of okay.
I want to be home to watch the trees turn and the feel the warm fall sunshine on my face and walk through apple orchards and pumpkin patches and breathe in the smells of fall.
