What I Do Every Day

So it occurs to me that I have a pretty nice little routine set-up here and many of you have been wondering what it is I do all day, so I thought I'd tell you!

I get up between 6 and 7 in the morning -- I know it's early, especially for me, but I really like it. I also like how surprised each of you sound when I call you or show up on-line at that hour.

I take a 45-minute walk (just under 3miles) around my neighborhood while listening to some NPR podcast (Wait Wait Don't Tell Me! or This American Life) or, occasionally, some music. I see the same few people walking their dogs, exercising or taking out the trash. This morning an older woman who I see most days said something to me. I took my headphones off and asked her what she said. She said "Can you believe this weather?" I said, "No!" (It was quite cool this morning.) and then I said "What is your name?" and she looked at me funny and then said "Helen," with a slight accent. I said, "Hi! I'm Jamie" and I put out my hand to shake hers. She looked happy.

After my walk I do my usual morning puttering (the Today show, CNN, check my email, eat some yogurt, take a shower) and get on the road between 9 and 9:15am. I listen to NPR and make a few calls. I don't get great reception on my commute, but I also don't get a lot of traffic. I take Sepulvada Blvd (a surface street) instead of the 405 and I'm usually at work between 9:45 and 10am.

Work? Right. Many of you don't know what I'm up to on that front. My opportunity with the institution in Israel is on hold for the foreseeable future and I am on an "as-needed" basis with a school here in LA to do recruiting trips if it fits into my schedule, but mostly I'm working with the Daniel Pearl Foundation. It's an amazing organization and I am really enjoying my work. Tons of info about the organization here and our upcoming World Music Days event that you can participate in here.

I'm there from about 10am - 4pm or 5pm three days a week (I do work from home as well) and I haven't been stopping for lunch. Mostly I eat a Zone Perfect bar, munch on almonds and drink lots of water. I don't seem to get very hungry and I don't get sleepy in the afternoon anymore either. I think it may have something to do with the morning walks or the pace of the job. There's a lot to be done!

Then I come home or meet friends. I do errands or get dinner. Sometimes I even see my husband, though not so much this week, as this is his first week of teaching high school full-time. From what I can tell, he's enjoying it, though he is understandably stressed and overwhelmed.

I get into bed between 10 and 11pm and go right to sleep. And then I'm up again around 6 the next morning.

There are few other things that pop up here and there....tomorrow I'm taking Mae (the cat who pees on the carpet) to the vet at 9am. Saturday my cousin is coming to town and Sunday we are watching the Steeler's game at our friend's K&M's place. Next week our aunt is coming to town and we'll be taking time off for the High Holidays. I'm bummed there hasn't been a "normal" week since I started work, and there isn't one in the foreseeable future (what with the holidays and all) but I hope to be able to get into a groove by October or November. We'll see about that.

Sorry for the long, wordy entry that lacks pictures and jokes, but hopefully it will satisfy some curiosity. I'm really happy out here, though I miss a lot of you very much.