A day of tranquility and indolence

I slept until nearly 11:00 a.m., which is unheard of for me. I said the morning office and fed the cat and listened to 'Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me' while making breakfast: refried beans, scrambled eggs, tortillas, and a full pot of coffee. After washing the dishes I sat out on the porch and read Thomas Merton and exchanged a friendly word with my landlady, who was out gardening. I edited a few photos, listened to 'This American Life,' and watched an episode of the BBC-America sci-fi series 'Torchwood,' which I found entertaining, if not spectacular. I answered a couple of e-mails. I chanted the midday office. Then I chatted with a friend until she grew sleepy and lay down for a nap, and that was all very good.

I haven't taken a shower yet, which is also unusual for me. There are ten thousand things that need to get done, but I don't feel motivated to do them. My car got towed on Thursday because I was stupid and I had to spend nearly $300 to get it out of the impound lot, so now I have almost no money until I get paid next Friday. There are things I want to buy -- two area rugs, a plant stand, some plants, supplies for container gardening, a couple of prints -- but they can wait. I do need to purchase some staples: bread, milk, cheese, cereal. Otherwise I am well stocked. I have rice and legumes of various sorts and tea and, most important, good coffee. I'm broke right now, but I'm not poor.

Now I'm cooking lentil soup and jasmine rice and listening to the rain while I update my long-neglected journal. After I hit post, I will go say evening prayers. That reminds me of another thing on my immediate-needs shopping list: incense. I've been burning pine incense at prayer times since I moved in, and now I need some more. Maybe I'll buy frankincense this time, although I don't want the apartment to smell too much like a cathedral in Advent.

After prayers, then dinner. After dinner, perhaps more chatting or perhaps another episode of 'Torchwood' or perhaps one of the 'Simon Schama's Power of Art' DVDs I rented. If I go out at all this evening, it will only be for more cigarettes, my last remaining vice.

The simmering lentils are filling the apartment with the aroma of cinnamon and tumeric and garlic and cumin and asafoetida. I am a little lonely, but not much. I am a little sad, but not much. I am a little guilty, but not much.

All in all, a good day.