SEP 30, 11 (2/2) .. A DAY IN THE LIFE .. SOME DAILY ACTIVITIES ..
BACK IN 1990 and 1991.. Jerry wrote me.. “Cap.. what do you do all day”.. and I made a quote..
Petaluma Jerry did you say.. “Cap what do you do all day”..
Ah yes.. me and my themes.. ZEN AND THE ART OF ________ .. SPIRITUAL TRUTHS OF THE UNIVERSE.. WISDOM OF THE AGES.. TODAY’S SIXTY FOUR THOUSAND DOLLAR QUESTION.. LITTLE VOICES..
I have decided to create this particular post.. “A DAY IN THE LIFE.. SOME DAILY ACTIVITIES..” to describe.. and to let it continue to update.. SOME OF THE THINGS I DO ..
(NEW ACTIVITY..) WHEN I HAVE A NEW ACTIVITY OF INTEREST TO ME.. I WILL PUT IT HERE AT THE TOP..
I am writing this while in Calcutta.. so it is SKEWED TOWARD CALCUTTA..
So for ‘openers’ .. I spend a considerable amount of time.. and I can not put a specific amount on it because it can and it does vary wildly.. visiting Mrs Kitty Brinnand.. just getting to her location can be from 25 minutes (the BEST time I have made so far) to well in excess of an hour and a half (my LONGEST time so far to get to her).. then I can stay with her for a hour or so.. or I can sleep overnight (I have over nighted three times) and stay in excess of twelve hours.. SUFFICE IT TO SAY.. WHILE I DO NOT WRITE MUCH ABOUT THIS SUBJECT.. IT IS A BIG PART OF MY DAY..
THEN.. right now I spend a minimum of two to three hours-a-day sitting at the computer writing.. doing e-mails.. surfing (researching topics)..
I ALSO SPEND.. ABOUT thirty minutes a day on average.. pretty much each and every single day.. WASHING clothes.. it is hot and it is humid and Calcutta is dirty and I get dirty.. and sweaty.. and grimy (as in filthy with grime).. it is a process.. washing and rinsing and hanging up to dry in my room the washing I have done.. it has helped me tremendously to have purchased the Nike Sandals I now have .. I wash clothes in my bathroom.. and now I can do so without getting my street footwear wet.. I use both powdered detergent (Tide brand) and laundry soap bars (unique for me to India) and I do get my clothes clean.. and fresh..
Writing Post Cards accounts for perhaps a minimum of an hour a day.. some days I do no Post Cards.. other days I will write for several hours.. I now aim to mail Post Cards one day a week.. that being Saturday because the Post Office is less crowded and hectic on Saturday afternoons.. by mailing ‘batches’ I can hope for a response from some of you at to receipt.. IF I get a response I can assume that that ‘batch’ successfully escaped from India.. the mere activity of going to the Post Office to post mail.. to purchase stamps.. do DO mail.. takes time.. I frequent two (2) Post Offices.. Park Street and the downtown General Post Office (it goes by the term GPO and this is true within India for the main Post Office)..
My cell phone takes time to re-charge his minutes.. it ALL takes time.. I try to combine tasks.. Post Offices and Cell Phone Offices .. Park Street and GPO Post Offices also are in each case.. close enough to one another so as to make for a good multi-task.. I am so happy I have THE MAJOR CELL PHONE .. Vodafone.. in India.. I am getting good service at fully staffed offices..
Personal care and maintenance is another time consumer.. I am nutso about my hair being cut-to-the-scalp.. it is cleaner and it is cooler.. dental care I am also nutso about.. personal hygiene from cleaning to trimming finger and toe nails.. keeping hydrated with water and Electral treated water (I start my days with a one litre bottle of water and Electral powder).. sleeping and napping.. almost every day I NEED TO NAP in the afternoon.. I (Patti DO NOT READ THIS) also am reading and studying the newspaper each and every single day BECAUSE I MUST KNOW THE LOCAL SITUATION.. are there riots and if so where are they rioting.. what is up with the local motorcycle hoodlum gangs.. the political spin.. the holidays coming.. I learned in the paper that all of the banks will be CLOSED FOR FIVE FULL DAYS with the upcoming (October 2nd to 6th) Durga Puja (Festival).. is there flooding and if so where is it critical.. I WATCH NO TELEVISION as a rule because the ONE (1) sports channel is only Cricket.. geez you think Soccer is a ‘ho-hum’ try Cricket..
Maintaining the fleet of Bobbseys is time consuming.. India Hat has suddenly decided to become ‘unstitched’ and I had to stitch him back up..
TRUTHS OF THE UNIVERSE.. WISDOM OF THE AGES..
A stitch in time saves nine..
I am always fussing with needle and thread.. adding split rings here and there so I can clip onto them carabiners (sorry spell check..)
Endless creation of new Bobbseys.. cutting water bottles in half to make them into waste baskets.. cutting others in half to create a top half to act as a cover for the lower half to KEEP COCKROACHES OUT OF MY TRASH..
I will add to this as I feel applicable.. kind of keeping a running journal..
The stress of just being out is considerable.. the pushing and the shoving and the crowding.. the bus rides are a physical ‘sporting’ event.. that really take energy..
OK.. over and out for now..