Last year one of the guests at the inn suggested I write Process Notes in order to put a more human face (mine) on my blog. It's her thought that people will be more inclined to read the blog regularly if they feel connected to the writer. What do you think, readers? Will you comment below to tell me if you appreciate these personalized articles?
Why can't I turn out more of the philosophy articles? It's simply a matter of time. Here's my typical day.
4:00 AM. The dogs and I go back upstairs. My husband, Gary, is up and brushing his teeth. I give the dogs a couple of beef bones to keep them occupied while I do my bathroom necessities. I grind some half-regular/half-decaf coffee beans and put a pot on to brew.
4:15 AM. Gary and I do a Yoga/Chi Kung stretching routine together.
4:40 AM. We all go downstairs to the meditation room. Gary, the dogs, and I sit on the couch. Gary and I read outloud to each other from a variety of spiritual and philosophy books, while we drink a cup of coffee. This morning we read Chapter 5, Galatians (Bible, New Testament); a couple of pages of Richard Feynman's The Meaning of It All
(philosophy of science); a couple of pages of Aldous Huxley's The Perennial Philosophy
; and two translations of Verse 4, Tao Te Ching (Mitchell 
and Star).
5:15 AM. Meditation, followed by the Lord's Prayer.
5:45 AM. We go upstairs and get dressed for work.
6:00 AM. I listen to NPR while I make our breakfast blender drink and lay out the vitamins. We drink breakfast and listen to the radio.
6:30 AM. Gary walks the dogs and then drives to his job. I walk across the yard to the inn to begin breakfast preparations.
9:00 AM. Serve breakfast.
11:40 AM. Take dogs to the woods for a walk. Commune with nature. Commune with the Universal UC. Hug trees, wet hands in icy brook. Say hello to other dog-walkers.
2:00 PM. Sit at computer. Check emails. Take care of reservations and bookkeeping duties. Check in on blog.
2:30 PM. Go over to inn and set out cookies and apples on sideboard. Go back home to sit at computer until paged.
5:00 PM. Go back to owner's quarters. Clean up. Feed cats and dogs. Make salad for dinner.
5:30 PM. Gary home from work. We have a refreshing drink. We eat dinner and watch TV.
6:45 PM. I cannot keep my eyes open. I fall asleep on the couch. Gary plays a videogame (Tiger Woods Golf, wii).
7:30 PM. Wake up; bring in the cats; lock the pet door for the night. We go upstairs to bed.
8:00 PM. Lights out.
That's the daily routine. This is our life. Not enough time to write many substantive articles. This easy article has taken two hours to write and insert the pictures and the hypertextual jumps. A substantive article takes me about four hours to complete. So far, I've only been able to write on days when there are no breakfast guests, because I am at my best in the morning. So it's either write or cook. We've had a busy early spring, and I've been in the kitchen more than usual. Perhaps when I retire I can write full time...
This morning we laughed about using Twitter to spread the Simple Explanation memes rather than the blog. As if I could tweet the Simple Explanations that continually flow through my head... "pelicans find their young not through eyesight but through vibratory signatures..." ... "a tree's karma is visible for all to see..." ... "the Universal UC is the autophagosome of the metaverse..." and so on. Would anyone enjoy receiving such esoteric tweets? Let me know if you would...
Why can't I turn out more of the philosophy articles? It's simply a matter of time. Here's my typical day.
 |
| Misty |
3:00 AM. The cat begins biting my arm to wake me up. I resist her until 3:15, at which time I give in and get out of bed. The two dogs also wake up and join us, and the four of us go downstairs. I feed the cats and dogs, and open the pet doors so they can go out.
3:30 AM. Computer is turned on. I look for inn reservations first, then open up the blogspot and check the overnight stats. Four people online right now. I look at where they are, what articles they are reading, and I back trace a couple of referring URLs to see how they came to my site. I read the articles they are reading and imagine their reactions.4:00 AM. The dogs and I go back upstairs. My husband, Gary, is up and brushing his teeth. I give the dogs a couple of beef bones to keep them occupied while I do my bathroom necessities. I grind some half-regular/half-decaf coffee beans and put a pot on to brew.
4:15 AM. Gary and I do a Yoga/Chi Kung stretching routine together.
4:40 AM. We all go downstairs to the meditation room. Gary, the dogs, and I sit on the couch. Gary and I read outloud to each other from a variety of spiritual and philosophy books, while we drink a cup of coffee. This morning we read Chapter 5, Galatians (Bible, New Testament); a couple of pages of Richard Feynman's The Meaning of It All
(philosophy of science); a couple of pages of Aldous Huxley's The Perennial Philosophy; and two translations of Verse 4, Tao Te Ching (Mitchell and Star).5:15 AM. Meditation, followed by the Lord's Prayer.
5:45 AM. We go upstairs and get dressed for work.
6:00 AM. I listen to NPR while I make our breakfast blender drink and lay out the vitamins. We drink breakfast and listen to the radio.
6:30 AM. Gary walks the dogs and then drives to his job. I walk across the yard to the inn to begin breakfast preparations.
 |
| Albion Inn's garden and back porch |
6:30--7:00 AM. I open curtains, turn on lights, put on classical music, set the table, brew and set out coffee.
7:00--9:00 AM. Making breakfast. Notice toroidal flow in sliced apples and kiwis.
 |
| The sliced apple demonstrates toroidal flow. |
9:00--10:30 AM. Chat with guests during the meal. We talk about the plays they saw the night before, where they ate dinner, how their children are doing, what the weather will be like today.
We talk about the Word of the Day, which happens to be "factotum." Then we discuss the Simple Explanation of Absolutely Everything for as long as the guests appear interested. I show them my new t-shirt and we talk about what the UC looks like to them.
10:30 AM. Clean kitchen. Load dishwasher.
11:00 AM. Give hugs to departing guests. Wave goodbye from door. Finish tidying up dining room and kitchen. Sweep floors. Put towels and sheets in washer.
11:30 AM. Go back to the owner's quarters across the garden. Change out of my chef's clothes into blue jeans and t-shirt.11:40 AM. Take dogs to the woods for a walk. Commune with nature. Commune with the Universal UC. Hug trees, wet hands in icy brook. Say hello to other dog-walkers.
 |
| Franny and Zoey |
12:30 PM. Stop at market on the way home to buy food for next day's breakfast.
1:15 PM. Move towels and sheets into dryer. Eat leftover breakfast food for my lunch. Watch TV. Bake cookies for guests.2:00 PM. Sit at computer. Check emails. Take care of reservations and bookkeeping duties. Check in on blog.
2:30 PM. Go over to inn and set out cookies and apples on sideboard. Go back home to sit at computer until paged.
 |
| Cookies and snacks on the Albion Inn sideboard |
3:00 PM. Check-in arriving guests. Unload dishwasher. Prepare pie crust for tomorrow's quiche. Grate cheese. Set out butter for tomorrow's scones.
4:00 PM. Fold sheets and towels. Iron sheets and pillowcases. Take linens back over to inn. Chat with guests about garden.5:00 PM. Go back to owner's quarters. Clean up. Feed cats and dogs. Make salad for dinner.
5:30 PM. Gary home from work. We have a refreshing drink. We eat dinner and watch TV.
6:45 PM. I cannot keep my eyes open. I fall asleep on the couch. Gary plays a videogame (Tiger Woods Golf, wii).
7:30 PM. Wake up; bring in the cats; lock the pet door for the night. We go upstairs to bed.
8:00 PM. Lights out.
That's the daily routine. This is our life. Not enough time to write many substantive articles. This easy article has taken two hours to write and insert the pictures and the hypertextual jumps. A substantive article takes me about four hours to complete. So far, I've only been able to write on days when there are no breakfast guests, because I am at my best in the morning. So it's either write or cook. We've had a busy early spring, and I've been in the kitchen more than usual. Perhaps when I retire I can write full time...
This morning we laughed about using Twitter to spread the Simple Explanation memes rather than the blog. As if I could tweet the Simple Explanations that continually flow through my head... "pelicans find their young not through eyesight but through vibratory signatures..." ... "a tree's karma is visible for all to see..." ... "the Universal UC is the autophagosome of the metaverse..." and so on. Would anyone enjoy receiving such esoteric tweets? Let me know if you would...
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| Zoey, Cyd, and Franny |
Wow, you have quite a busy day!! I admire all that you achieve in one day!
ReplyDeleteIt's a simple day that demands itself, so I never have to wonder what next. And each day of our busy season is just like the day before, day after day, which makes it all the simpler. Busy but peaceful.
ReplyDelete