Day 16 - Mask mandate REINSTATED by LA County Dept. of Public Health

Striders group tonight…

3/3/22. Thursday 

2:00 a.m. – I wake up because it’s been 4 hours and, like clockwork, I always wake up after 4 hours. I can feel  my period coming on, my body hurts, and I’m nauseous. I take two Advil and go back to sleep.

4:45-5:00 – My alarm is ringing so I get up and turn it off.

5:00-5:15 – My body still aches and I still feel nauseous. I go downstairs, heat up my coffee, and fill the dogfood and water dispensers.

5:15-6:05 – Shower. I sit down in the shower, drink my coffee, and ice my eyes.  Lotion. I wear an Indian-style blouse with sequins, black pants, and gold flats. I grab all of my bags and leave. I’m “upright and caffeinated.”

6:05-7:15 – I hit every traffic light en route to the freeway. By this time in the semester, it doesn’t matter when I leave…I’ll never make it to Inglewood on time unless I utilize the carpool lane.  I put my make-up on in the car.

7:15-8:00 – F—k the highschool parking lot.  I park in the adjoining elementary school parking lot where parking issues don’t seem to be an issue.  I’m the only one there, so I back into a parking space, prep for today’s lecture, and eat my overnight oats.

-I walk to the office, stand in front of the thermometer [“Temperature NORMAL!!”] and sign in. I’m not feeling well and hoped I was running hot and would be denied entrance into the school, BUT…it didn’t happen. The thermometer is probably broken anyway.

8:00-9:30 – Mr. Gonzalez is still in his classroom when I arrive and he asks me if Thursdays are my Fridays.  He’s probably asking me that question because I look pretty rough. Today’s menu – a straight lecture. The kids are engaged and ask questions.

9:30-9:45 – Class dismissed and I drop off the attendance. 

9:45-11:00 – When I get to my car, I find I’m actually able to exit the parking lot without incident! It’s a miracle.  I will never park in the highschool staff parking lot again. Driving and I listen to a new series called Conviction.

11:00-12:30 – I drive to Starbucks, order a peppermint hot chocolate, and sit in the parking lot while I “bullet journal.”  This phrase is used as a verb in “planner/planning” circles. I continue binge-listening to Conviction.

12:30-1:00 – I get $30 worth of gas and drive home.  Gas is now $4.85 a gallon, with a slight cash discount at the Conserv gas station. I’m not sure how much more of this I can take…if it goes up much higher, what will L. and I do. Secretly, I know gas prices will never be as low as they once were and I expect we will eventually reach $10 a gallon. Mr. Gonzalez drives from Orange County to Inglewood. This morning I commented that gas prices must be killing him. He replied, “Yeah, but gas prices are going to drop eventually.” I immediately thought, “No they won’t!”, but said nothing. Did I mention that Mr. Gonzalez teaches Economics? How can he be so naive and stupid?

1:00-2:00 – Home and I take the dog for a walk, but have to force her to come inside at the end of the hour.

2:00-3:00 – I have a spinach salad that I prepared earlier in the week so I cut up an avocado and place the pieces on the top.  Still listening to Conviction.

3:00-5:30 – I take a nap. When I wake up, I have a text from Wayfair informing me that the missing table I ordered in November - the one that never arrived for my “Xmas in the Garage” feast – is en route!  Hooray!!

5:30-6:15 – I change into my walking uniform – yoga pants, T-shirt, a hoodie. I fill my water bottle and leave for my Striders class.  We’re meeting at City Hall today.

6:15-7:30 – Today’s walk is incredible!  The paseo that we’re walking on is built into the side of a mountain, intertwining through backyards and front yards of homes seemingly jutting out of the hillside.  I had no idea this neighborhood existed! Candy tells the group that one of the sections is called Cardiac Hill. Although the name sounds ominous, I scale it easily, never out of breath. Part of the walk takes us through a dried out ravine filled with interesting trees and desert plants. Tonight is partly cloudy and breezy…I can see stars but then the wind starts to pick up…it’s a wild night but I love it! [insert smile emoji here].  After all that wildlife, the last part of the walk takes us behind the local YMCA. Great route tonight!

7:30-8:00 – Driving. Return home.

8:00-10:00 – Blog posts

-L. returns from work and we talk about her day. T. arrives and both of them disappear.

10:00-11:00 – I upload blog posts.

11:00-11:30 – Kitchen duty and I ready my coffee.

11:30-12:15 – Nighttime routine.

12:15-1:00 – bullet journal and bed.