Monday, March 16, 2009

Seven themes for a Monday morning

First: I lost 1.4 pounds, woo hoo! Official weight: 185.8! Yippee skip!

Second: I have gotten into what I think is an excellent habit: getting off the subway (L.A.'s world famous Metro Red Line, in case you didn't know) one stop before my "official" stop and WALKING. I walk every morning through the heart of downtown Los Angeles and it has really made a difference - not only in my fitness level but also in my morning mood. By the time I get to the office I feel awake, energetic, and - hungry!

Third: Which is why it's a good thing I've developed yet another healthy habit: Oatmeal for breakfast - every day! Usually it's the Weight Watchers brand (Maple sugar, 2 Points, with 8 grams of fiber, yum), but if they've made it by the time I get there, I really prefer the buckwheat oatmeal at Organic to Go at California Plaza (near my office). Only problem is, they recently changed their hours and don't open till 7:30 - and apparently don't even start cooking the oatmeal till then either! And since I get into town at 7:20 a.m. for my Big Morning Walk, that doesn't do me a whole lot of good. So, default Oatmeal Option: Starbucks!

Fourth: Still loving my eBook readers: the eBookwise and the Amazon Kindle 1.0. However, the eBookwise dropped dead this weekend, while I was right in the middle of my tenth rereading of "The Mists of Avalon" (that's right! I'm a Catholic and I read "The Mists of Avalon"! What can I say? I like good writing, no matter what viewpoint it comes from).

So anyway, I was just at the point where Igraine and Uther had gotten married and Morgaine took over the narration, and little Arthur was running towards her, crying, with a bump on her head, and WHOOPS! There goes the battery! I thought I'd be able to recharge it, but nope, it didn't seem to be taking a charge. So I've sent an email in to the trusty folks at eBookwise and will keep my fingers crossed that they'll exchange it, so I can find out what happens next.

Fifth: Yeah yeah, I already know what happens next! But I'm a rereader, OK? I like to pretend I haven't read it before, each time. My other favorite rereads: "David Copperfield", "Gone With the Wind", "Little Women" ... and yet I've never been able to read "Moby Dick" more than once, all the way through. I've tried. I get through the interminable list of quotations at the beginning, and the "Call me Ishmael" ... narration, and Ishmael's fun first night with Queequeg. But then, right around the time they're going to that church and that preacher starts in, I lose interest and go on to something else. ("Chapter One. I am born.")

Sixth: It's Monday and I'm happy. That's probably the biggest change in my life. After all the years of being alone, depressed and fat, I'm married to a wonderful guy who, with all his flaws (and he doesn't a whole lot, at least nothing I can't handle, nyuk nyuk), is the best thing that's ever happened to me. And being married is great - nothing like what I thought it was going to be. We're almost up to two years now and I can honestly say that it's better than it was at first - and it was pretty great at first, so that's saying something!

Seventh: We're planning to spend our second anniversary at the fabulous and reputedly haunted Queen Mary in Long Beach. Will let you know if we see any ghosts. I'll just be happy if I can see the ghostly screen of my eBookwise reader by then!