HOME ALONE
Thursday 12, December 2002

Well, I am starting today my first official day completely into the "paro". I woke up at 8 AM without alarm clock. I tried to watch the news and by 8:45 I could not take it anymore so I did yesterday dishes and turned on my laptop.

Already the day weighs on me. It does not feel at all like a vacation. After all I must go between 9 and 12 AM to the grocery store, the only time they open today. And they will be out of interesting produce. I will get a paper that will have no advertisement, half the news as usual (no arts or sports news since the baseball league is closed until further notice and there is no concert, movies, expositions, etc...). That paper will be read in 15 minutes.

Then it will be noon.

The psychological toll of the stoppage is starting to reach me. Until now, since I had something to do part of the day at work I could limit myself to that activity and then end up on the couch watching TV. But today it does feel different. You could say that this is a good opportunity to fix up stuff in the house for example. And you would be right. But who wants to put order in life when insanity reigns outside?

I have not seen my partner in almost a month. And it is not clear when we will be ale to see each other. Even the multiple daily phone calls are becoming more of a bother than a relaxation time. The phone call that we are all waiting for is the one that tells us that it is all over, regardless of the outcome. Calling other people is also a chore, people are so nervous, so tense, that you pretty much risk arguing with whomever you talk to.

So what will I do this afternoon?

I could do my Christmas cards. Besides the obvious lack of Christmas spirit in the air, the post office is closed. Why bother?

I could clean my apartment but my helper came Tuesday so everything is clean.

I could sort out stuff but I cannot deal with details of my own when I am assaulted by a sea of information.

Thank the deity for cable TV. I think I will veg out watching Animal Planet.


PS: yep, this was a rant.