2001-10-23 - 10:35 a.m.

My office mate, K, works out every single day. She said that she just gets so focused on what she's doing that the time flies by. Hah! I stand on the elliptical or the stair master, making deals with myself to cut down on the clock watching. Ok, after this segment of the news is over I'll look. After I finish the next peak on the elliptical program board I'll look. Ugh.

So I'm just going to admit it, accept it, and stop paying $85 a month to feel guilty every time I walk by. Instead, I'm going to walk to and from work, and get back to yoga on a regular basis. At least I get something out of those things.

I love walking to work, although sometimes I'm so late and scattered in the morning that I can't swing it. It's 30 blocks, and when I walk I feel like I've had some LIFE before I get to this energy-draining pit of an office. I've developed a routine, the same place on Greenwich for coffee, with the same old man sitting on the bench outside, wearing blindingly white sneakers and holding the leashes of his dogs. Pass St. Vincent, say good morning to the EMS workers. Then all the way up 7th Avenue to my office. I see so much life on those walks - and I pay attention, writing little descriptions and character sketches in my head. Taking mental notes on things going on around me - the dog with the newspaper in it's mouth, the girl in front of me in baggy sweatpants and a messy ponytail, walking like she's a princess. It's such a pleasure for me.

But what am I going to do with all those little stories, those moments I commit to memory. I have a paper journal filled with them, things I see and want to remember. Surely it's fodder for something - but what? It's clear, though, that there is something I should be doing.

Last night I stayed home and hung out on the couch, watching television. (a rarity for me) And I saw a few commercials that baffle me. Have you seen the commercial for the florist? The one that shows a woman talking about the lousy birthday present she got for her brother last year - the singing parrot telegram? It shows her brother opening the door to an off key singing telegram, and looking horrified. So she says that this year, she's going to get him something good. She learned her lesson, all right. This year, she's going to send him a BIRTHDAY CAKE MADE OF ROSES. Um, hello? If I ever sent my grown brother a floral birthday cake he'd think I'd been hitting the crack pipe.

The other one is the R(i)pley's Believe It Or Not trailer. First they show a guy who pours milk in his nose and it comes out his eye. Ok, that's pretty unbelievable. Then they show a guy who eats by doing some weird snakelike gyrational digestive thing. That's pretty unbelievable too. THEN they show a girl in a mohair bikini. Wow, that's pretty unbelieva.... wait a minute. What's unbelievable about that? Is that just a hook to get frat boys to watch? "Chicks in bikinis, dude, leave that on!" Is it that she can withstand the itching of the mohair on her naked skin? Is it that she can actually support herself on those sticklike legs? I don't get it. So enlighten me if you know.

Hmm, another slow day at work. Maybe I'll update some more later. Because I'm sure you all want to read more of this nonsense.

P.S. Thanks Weetabix, for the tip!

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