Disclaimer: The thoughts and feelings expressed in this post are solely the author's and do not represent the official position of any government agency.
Wow. Nine days.
Last night, I wrote a grocery list and determined to use coupons when I went shopping today. Oh, I do save coupons. But I hate them. They're manipulative. They make you think you need things that you don't really need because you have a coupon. But judicious use of coupons can be helpful, especially to a family who has had a temporary stoppage of income.
So it's grocery day today.
You know, you'd think that I would be really great about cooking elaborate, delicious meals during the furlough, but I'm not. We've been pretty bad about getting meals on the table since the furlough started. Personally, it depresses me to cook because it is a reminder that I'm not coming home from the office to quickly get the meal on the table by 6:30. Weird, huh? But we all have a routine and our routines comfort us in big and small ways. Taking the eight hour work day away has really bummed my food prepping drive, screwed up the routine. But I am resolved to do better. I'm writing out menus for the next few days, just as if I were working, and I'm going to cook meals, bring some normalcy back. (Because, while yogurt and grapes and milk are certainly healthy choices, it's probably not the best thing to feed your kid for dinner every night.)
I haven't been keeping my food diary either. Just can't be bothered. But I need to pick it up again.
I went running this morning. (C25K Week 5, Day 1, 2.30 miles.) Knee was pretty okay, two days after being chased by that boxer, so that's good.
Practiced guitar a couple of times.
Did laundry.
Watched some Coursera lectures on What a Plant Knows.
Random thought: When the hell did I get too old to know who, e.g., Adam Lambert is? I saw his name and face on a billboard. Why? Why isn't he Simon LeBon? Or David Lee Roth? Or David Bowie? Or David Gahan? (So many Davids!) Maybe he is this generation's one-of-those-guys and I just don't know it. Who is this person? I'm old.
I did my first job search today, as is required by the state unemployment agency. There's a pretty well known local law firm looking for lots of lawyers, none of them in my practice area. I suppose I could re-tool and become a corporate lawyer if I had to, but like everyone else who looks for a job, I would rather it be in my practice area. And, anyway, they wouldn't hire me. I'm too old, not pliable. They want a young pup, not a middle-aged momma, for those jobs.
Picked up medicine for my cat. (He's obsessively licking a spot on his belly, and has created a scabby sore. Ick.)
I did my first job search today, as is required by the state unemployment agency. There's a pretty well known local law firm looking for lots of lawyers, none of them in my practice area. I suppose I could re-tool and become a corporate lawyer if I had to, but like everyone else who looks for a job, I would rather it be in my practice area. And, anyway, they wouldn't hire me. I'm too old, not pliable. They want a young pup, not a middle-aged momma, for those jobs.
Picked up medicine for my cat. (He's obsessively licking a spot on his belly, and has created a scabby sore. Ick.)
Did my 15 minutes of BB time.
I found out from a friend today that the courts are remaining open past next week, but without pay. This sucks for the skeleton crew manning the fort at my agency and many other agencies that regularly appear before federal courts. I feel truly bad for them. One lawyer, six judges. Not good odds. You want to know what's cruel, Harry Reid? That is cruel. That is.
Went to guitar lesson. (I played great! Lots of practice has paid off. If only they'd give me 30 minutes a day at the office to do that . . . of course, where would I keep my amp?)
Cooked a healthy dinner.
After dinner, we went outside and looked at stars with the iPad app, Sky Guide, which is a very cool astronomy app. The Boy saw Vega, Antares, Venus, and the Moon. When he's old enough, we'd like to get a real telescope, but this app is plenty fine for now, good family fun. (And great fun for grown ups all by themselves. I love trying to find space junk amongst the stars -- that's an in-app purchase to see satellites and space debris, but worth your pennies.)
And then we did all the things we usually do at the end of the day.
The end, day nine.
The end, day nine.
