my routine

daily repetition

I walk the dogs 4 times a day. First thing in the morning, around 8:30 at night, and twice in between, if I'm home. I pick up after them with plastic bags (there's a political movement afoot to get rid of plastic bags, but I use them daily).

I would like to up my reading speed so that I read one book a day. But some books don't have that in the cards.
-I'm reading the 1001 books listed in the book '1001 books you must read before you die'. I also read other stuff -whatever strikes my fancy, such as Cataclysm (a one volume history of WWI), because my mom is taking a class in the fall on the "Great War."

aside On WWI:
They used flamethrowers on each other, and yet there was also the "Christmas truce" of 1914, in which both sides came out from their trenches and jovially played football with each other (before going back to blast each other to smithereens). War is so fucking stupid. Perhaps I should say, on the other hand, Peace is freaking brilliant.

-I try and read the daily New York Times. It's available from the second floor reference desk, in exchange for my library card.

I ride my bike (I don't have a car) to the Central library (the South branch is under construction), which is only a block away from the YMCA. It's a 15 minute bike ride. I go online at the library, and read the NYX, and Christian Science Monitor and Economist weeklies.

At the 'Y', I do cardio. I do the elliptical for around 20 minutes, then the stationary bicycle for 25 more, and I'm supposed to do 'core' exercises on the mat.

To save money, because I'm paying for Sara's cigarrettes and traffic tickets (argh), in addition to rent, I go to the free meals, usually at Trinity United Methodist. Also, I'm trying to save to buy a computer. But the library lets me go online for two one-hour sessions, which is plenty enough.

Once a week, on Wednesday mornings, I go to Kaiser Oakland for a psychiatric group session.

Once or twice a month, I go to a Buddhist meditation group (if I don't forget).