So everyone snagged an extra hour of sleep but we pay for the additional sixty minutes with an early, oppressive sunset. This annual darkness, which makes me think of vampire movies, is somewhat of a personal legend. I’m combating the blanketed feeling by drinking green tea under the full spectrum light. It’s working.

So I was in a bitchy mood for most of the morning but I’m fine (if discombobulated by the time change) tonight. I didn’t work out early because N and I were up, followed quickly by his brothers and later by his mother and grandmother. Instead I showered and drove down to the office. I graded papers/gcasts, answered email, and cleared a few menial tasks from the back of my mind. The floor wasn’t empty; another faculty member, a staff member, and a stats study group (poor bastards) were all working. I turned down my music and finished what I could before leaving around ten. Since M and her mom were still at home I decided to stop at Michaels and pick up a frame with a 40% off coupon. Some poor girl working the register couldn’t figure out why one lady’s loot wasn’t discounted, and I, fourth in line, wasn’t in the mood to wait so I put back my frame and left. Thirty minutes after inhaling some Indian food and rice I closed the doors between the living and dining rooms and lifted while watching the football pre-game shows. I tried to run outside and failed, but returned and managed a solid hour on the elliptical while watching the Pack/Titans. Goddamn I needed the exercise. All the weekend’s stress and business could have spiraled me into previous habits (e.g. eating everything under the sun, avoiding workouts) but I gritted my teeth trough the first ten minutes of cardio and I’m glad I did. A quick shower later and I felt much better than two hours earlier. I suppose M’s mom’s departure lifted my spirits as well. She wasn’t horrible this time around. But I feel like she wants the boys to be something other than what they are; she tolerates rather than loves them. I cooked an early dinner (pasta and vegetables) than snuck upstairs with the travel book.

Ok, I haven’t done bullet points lately. Here we go:

1) I’ve had “The Band’s Visit” from Netflix for close to a month. I also have “La Dolche Vida” (did I spell that right?). Both are draining my account, but I usually watch films later at night and my workout/reading schedule has me in bed fairly early. I’m not sure what I can do differently. “Get Smart” comes out Tuesday, too, and I want to see that, of course.
2) We have symphony tickets for next Saturday, then I’m in Chicago for The Hold Steady/DBT concert the following Friday. And I’m in the Dells for state meetings Thursday night and Friday. I’m leaving the house. Hold on to your hats.
3) Should I drive into work tomorrow? Not sure, my friends, not sure. I’ll probably work at home, at least through the morning.
4) I feel guilty getting my iced tea from Starbucks instead of the local coffee house, but sometimes the local coffee house takes too goddamn long. But I don’t trust the smartass kid working the Starbucks window not to fuck up my iced tea. What’s it going to take to keep him from adding sugar? At least he has a sense of humor. He fucked with me last time by saying “Sweetened, right? No, I’m kidding.” The little fuck had me going.
5) My ear feels more or less better.