strawberries in the morning

I've mentioned before that I'm a morning person. It only follows that I'm also a big fan of breakfast. Down at the house in the country, we always have great things for breakfast. M.B. loves fresh bread and fruit, so it abounds around the kitchen.

you can't beat a good morning

I think I should have dubbed this blog something about mornings. I feel like that's all that I write about. What can I say?

Mornings are the best part of the entire day. The 6am to 8am block is my absolute favorite block of time.

Funny, I expected this morning to be a trying one, especially citing my unanticipated 1am to 6:30 sleep bracket last night.

It was worth it, though. I ran in my third-ever 5K last night. The run went through downtown and it was the biggest 5K the city has ever seen. I ran with 11,000 other people!

Other contributions to the morning's greatness:

{ A delightful phone call at 6:45. Don't worry, I didn't wake the roomies.

{ Warm bagel and cream cheese for breakfast. Hey, I just ran 3 miles last night and walked at least another four.

{ I rediscovered an awesome shirt in my closet and wore it to work.

sights in the AM

So we've covered that I'm a morning person.

I stopped to get coffee on the way to work (don't worry; I'm keeping this splurge in good regulation) this morning and the chat I had with the girl behind the counter will probably be as amiable as any converstaion I'll have today. Seriously, people can be so jovial in the morning, as long as they aren't morning-haters. Those people are next to heathens anyway.

I noticed a girl sitting at a table with her mom. She was in the neighborhood of ten years old, was well-dressed -down to juvenile purple rubber boots- and had two plaits of brown hair. Most impressively, she was quite absorbed in a book at least two inches thick -and it wasn't Harry Potter.

If appearances are any grounds for inferences, she looked quite grown-up and self-assured. She didn't stir when her mom got up for the restroom and left her unattended for the space of several minutes.

As I watied in line, I snuck a peek back at her and saw her split the biggest grin -it had to have been something she read, nothing else amsuing was happening. She paused and partially closed the book, as if to reflect for a moment on whatever had made her smile. Then she took a bit of her bagel, perhaps sipped her iced coffee* when my back was toward her, and austerely continued reading.

You don't see that happening anywhere at 7pm.

*She must be grown-up if her mom is buying her iced coffee. And in the nature/nurture debate, I'd say she acts like a grownup because she is treated like one.

on mornings

After three years of trying live up to the "usual "college lifestyle, I have finally admitted to a reality about myself:

I'm a morning person.

All-nighters? Never pulled one and intend never to. When I first moved out, I experimented a bit with what sleep patterns worked for me. I did the whole stay up 'till ungodly hours. I quickly learned it didn't work.

I generally like to be in bed by eleven at the latest and earlier if possible. But at the worst, under no circumstances am I allowed to stay up until two am. I hate my life if I ever stay up that late.

This past fall is when I fully commited to my nights-are-for-sleep and mornings-are-meant-to-start-early routine. I now regularly get up at 6 or 6:30 every weekday morning. If I don't get enough sleep, I'm tired like anyone, but in general, I love the routine.

I used to feel virtuous about this, until I started talking to some of my co-workers and colleagues who have careers and kids and get up at 4:30 or 5:00 every morning. I shan't feel guilty, though. I'm enjoying my independence and freedom to schedule my life around just me while I can.

The best part of this is I have a bit of a morning routine, which I love. Never really had one before. The bad part of my morning routine? I'm developing the habit of stopping for morning coffee once or twice a week on the way to work. Their coffee is better than what they have at work (don't tell anyone). I'm trying keep this habit in check. But it's so gooood.

R.

7am phone calls

Can any of you suggest a good location for an important, early morning phone conversation? I don't want to wake my roommates.

Tomorrow I have a phone interview. It is with the small nonprofit organization that I might go to London with in the fall (see my previous post). When they emailed me about a time for a phone interview, they asked for "2 pm UK time". Since, I have learned that there is usually a six hour time difference between the UK and Eastern Standard Time (I don't know if they do daylight savings time).

I still have to work tomorrow, so I asked that they call me at 1 pm UK time, which is 7 am my time. That way, I don't have to come in more than an hour late for work.

I'd rather leave my house, lest my booming voice wake the roomies. A public place would have to be reasonably private and reasonably quiet. I already asked to come in late to work, and I'd rather not hole up somewhere there to talk so early.

Panera? McDonald's (hey, they have good coffee)? Starbucks? I'd prefer to be inside so I can have my papers around me. In any case,

Wish me luck!