A Day in the Life: April 2014

This post is another entry for Manda’s (musicalpoem.me) A Day in the Life linkup.

I’m doing A Day in the Life today instead of tomorrow. I have a fun 2 minutes and 40 seconds interview lined up for tomorrow. I have been posting those every two weeks and want to keep that on schedule, so this post is on a different day to the one scheduled by Manda.

At 4:59am I am awake for some reason, 31 minutes before my alarm. Initially I am concerned whether I have gotten enough sleep, because I recall sleeping a little later than usual. I check my phone to find a handful of snaps on Snapchat.

Snapchatting (snapping?) people is fun...
Snapchatting (snapping?) people is fun...
Just past 5am. Hmm.
Just past 5am. Hmm.

I open my email to check it, and unplug my phone from the wall charger. I roll over on my stomach and contemplate sleeping again, but instead I get out of bed and grab my camera and laptop. I take them to the kitchen, then make a tiny cup of cheap instant coffee. I feel like something a tad heavier than tea, but don’t quite want a bite to eat. Stomach cramps suck.

I pull out my removable retainer to brush my teeth. Lately I have been wearing my retainer because I have come to a sudden “I haven’t worn this thing for two months” realisation, and my teeth have indeed moved. I only contemplated a permanent retainer over the weekend because a couple of my workmates have them. I don’t know why I wasn’t given the option when I got my braces taken off eight years ago.

Anyway, now I have been wearing my retainer all the time except for when I eat. Slightly unpleasant, but I am hoping my teeth move back into their proper place. It’s just the bottom teeth anyway.

I spend a little too long finding the pantyhose I want to wear but eventually I settle on an old black pair with a wavy pattern. I wear a purple skirt my aunt made for me, a top with teddy bears, and some ankle boots I got from Japan. It isn’t quite winter yet, but our office is freezing cold!

My MacBook is named Salk.
My MacBook is named Salk.
My dad left me a note of sorts, to check out this tourist attraction...
My dad left me a note of sorts, to check out this tourist attraction...
Waiting at the bus stop
Waiting at the bus stop
The bus stop itself
The bus stop itself

I head out of the house after saying goodbye to Ricky, and walk to the bus stop. On the bus, the driver points out my bright yellow beaded bracelet — he has a beaded bracelet with wooden beads.

I get off the bus and catch a train. I don’t get a seat, so I have to stand.

I am a little early to the light rail stop, arriving at 7:25am. The light rail arrives soon enough, and I board. It seems to be moving faster than usual, with doors opening for not much longer than thirty seconds. Or maybe it’s just because not a lot of people are getting off or on?

Heading for the light rail stop
Heading for the light rail stop
Ordinary pigeons
Ordinary pigeons
Walking down the wharf to my office
Walking down the wharf to my office

Throughout the day, work is a blur. It’s only worth mentioning that it was extremely busy, and by the time I decided to really slack off, everyone downstairs was gone. It was about 7:00pm by then. I am used to people still being around, but I guess it depends on the day. All day I was dealing with issues with the one thing. I took a few minutes to go to our other office across the road and deal with some stuff, but otherwise, I don’t recall getting a proper break.

My work desk, lovely and neat in the morning
My work desk, lovely and neat in the morning
Peppermint tea
Peppermint tea

I ordered dinner close to 7pm, then when it was ready, Emi and I headed over to the other office. I only ate the “toppings” of my tom yum soup; I couldn’t help it — I wasn’t up for drinking the soup.

I recall hanging out there for an hour or two, discussing work and having a couple of drinks. For me it was literally two bottles of cider; certainly my drink of choice these days, but at the same time not something I want to have day after day. I mean, I don’t drink much to begin with, on the premise that I am hyperactive without even drinking.

Bulmers Pear Cider
Bulmers Pear Cider
Photo of me, taken by James Cooper-Stanbury
Photo of me, taken by James Cooper-Stanbury

A handful of us spent some time talking about music before we decided to go home. Walking to Town Hall station at about 10pm, James (you know, one day I gotta differentiate between all the Jameses I know; this one can be jpcs as he is often known) and Martin walked as well, and then I caught a train home. Once I got home I quietly drank as much water as I could to balance the drinks I had, and very quietly crawled into bed and wondered if I would get up at 5:30am the next morning.

Actually, not so quietly, since right now I am definitely getting a bit of a headache. Hmm. It’s a good night if you say it is, though! ;)