Every Day.

april 16th, 2020

A friend asked what it's like having a roommate while sheltering-in-place. i find that our roommate's Routines keep the days from descending into undifferentiated slurry. Our roommate is also remarkably cheerful and relaxed, which is a huge boost to household morale.

Here's a typical day:

• 3:30am–6am - a couple days a week i wake up in the dark to write with my friend Onicia via video call. She's a Professional Dedicated Writer and i draft off of her committed energy. She's also similarly constrained by her roommate's daytime schedule.
• 6am–7am - roommate wakes up, i bring him something to drink, we snuggle and snooze.
  
• 7am–8am - i make breakfast for me and roommate — some combination of: eggs, oatmeal, toast, Cheerios, fruit. i make a pot of coffee for me and Vlad; i drink most of the pot, Vlad is lucky if he gets more than a cup.
• 8am–10am - cartoons. If it's Saturday, English language cartoons. All other days we watch Romanian/dubbed cartoons.
• 10am–10:30am - yoga. Roommate isn't very interested, but enjoys adding weight resistance to certain of my poses.
• 10:30am–12pm - we read books, practice walking, cook food.
• 12pm–12:30pm - lunch: some combination of banana, noodles, tofu, beans, carrots, seitan nuggets, grilled cheese,  pizza.
• 12:30pm–3pm - wind down with books and a darkened room, then roommate's nap. If i'm using my rational head, then i also take a nap, but more often i just drink coffee and take care of work and household chores and talking to loved ones.
• 3pm–5pm - more cartoons, sometimes books. If i feel ambitious and energetic then we play instruments or have a dance party or make marker art. And we have a snack: crackers and cookies.
• 5pm–6pm - Vlad emerges from his work cave and takes our roommate for a walk.
• 6pm–6:15pm - dinner: the same foods as lunch in a new combination.
• 6:15pm–6:35pm - roommate's bath. This is the highlight of the day.
• 6:35pm–7pm - books with Vlad and our roommate, followed by singing and roommate's bedtime.
• 7pm–7:15pm - i write a short synopsis of the day in my diary. This practice has helped reduce the disorienting effects of time dilation in the ongoing weird, boring, terrifying era.
• 7:15pm–8:15pm - Vlad and i watch some TV.
• 8:15pm–9pm - i wash my face, brush my teeth, do some push ups and sit ups, read, and go to bed.