I took Friday off last week and enjoyed a day all for myself. I’ve accumulated too much vacation time, maxing out, so I need to indulge in a couple of days here and there, or else I lose the time!

Typically, I just sit on the couch and knit, watching whatever the Tivo’s been holding for me. Maybe a nap with Janie Sparkles and a touch of cooking.

Not this time.

It was terribly cold and rainy, so what better way to start a selfish day than a run?

Honestly, I doubted that I’d actually get out the door, but I knew I’d feel great afterwards.

So, before driving Mr. Man to work (to spare him a wet bike commute), I put on my synthetics and running shoes. Thirty minutes later, here’s the proof of my run piled in front of the fridge.

Then, time to eat. I’ve been having smoothies every morning for the past couple of weeks, which is highly out of character. I’m not a big fruit guy. (Big fruit, yes; fruit-eater, no.) I fear the frothy, milkshake-y goodness for fear of too much sweet. Heck, I don’t even like ice cream, so why try to like a pretend milkshake?

For those who are also dessert-adverse, adding nuked oatmeal, flaxseed meal, unflavored whey powder, plain yogurt and peanut butter insures the concoction doesn’t taste like a berry patch. Or, less eloquently, Mr. Man says it tastes like dirt. However you describe it, it suits my savory-favoring palate.

My friend Rachel had the day off, too, so I went downtown to meet her for coffee. Not just any coffee, $20,000 coffee. Blue Bottle just opened a cafe last week. Of the two big roasters in town, and ever since I stopped adding sugar to my lattes, I prefer the flavor of their roasts to Ritual’s.

‘Twas delicious. It’s a great space. Very theatrical performance of the coffee preparation (read the article linked above). Nice science-y beakers. Good flavor, but perhaps more of a special occasion coffee, not a habit. I’m glad I tried it.

Continuing the indulgence, I took myself to the movies to see Cloverfield. Just ’cause. It’s not the highest-brow choice in this Oscar season (I’ve only seen Ma Vie en Rose), but perfect for a rainy day. I haven’t been to a theater since I saw The Lives of Others last year. And since my beloved doesn’t appreciate sci-fi or horror movies, I gotta get it in on my own. A smidge Blair Witch-y with the single hand-held video camera, but a great tension-filled, frantic evacuation of NYC that doesn’t dumb-down a narrative to spoon-feed you a typical Hollywood film structure.

Today is another day off, and I’ve got a run and perhaps another movie, casting off Henry, and a sourdough starter to continue to feed. Time’s a-wasting!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 29th, 2008 at 9:44 am and is filed under life. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.