A Day in the Life...

[diebitter]

I read the news today, oh boy...

I'd like to hear about a day from people's lives. Yesterday is good.

Here's mine: Got up at just before 6am. I put on a white shirt, light trousers and black belt, black socks and shoes, a blue and yellow patterned tie.

I go drink some watered-down grape juice, and then I go say goodbye to my wife, who is still asleep, so I wake her and tell her I'll see her tonight.

My children are usually all asleep still, but my youngest son, who's 7 is up and playing quietly with some cards (not a deck of cards, but soccer cards) in his room, so I kiss him goodbye, and he hugs me.

I'm out the house at 6:20, and drive to the train station. I had to go via the bank and also get a train season ticket for 1 week, so I've left maybe 10 minutes earlier than usual, but I'm cutting it fine.

I get on my train at 6:41am, and walk a long way down to one end...it's quieter that way. The train is going to London, but I get off before that. They whole journey includes one change, and takes 80 minutes or so.

I fire up my laptop and watch an episode of twin peaks. I usually watch a movie on it, or on a little video player I also carry. I also surf a little on a pda, checking out my emails and 2+2.

I have to carry 2 laptops/2 bags at the moment for work, so it's a bit crowded under my feet (I never put them in overhead - too scared of forgetting one of them), and once I get to my destination, I have a good 30 minute walk uphill to work.

I could drive, but I found I was constantly sitting in traffic, and it took just as long as getting a train and walking.

I don't mind walking like this. I listen to podcasts (usually about movies, but also news, history and comedy) on the walk, and surf a bit more (no one else walks this road so it's pretty quiet). I listened to one called 'filmspotting' yesterday.

It feels good to walk, even when you feel like a pack-horse. It was cool yesterday too, which is better than hot and much better than raining.

When it rains, I carry a large military black poncho which keeps me pretty dry, but I reckon I probably frighten any passers-by.

I walk through an urban area, streets of houses, and pass a school where the teenage kids block the pavement, there's so many of them. They never bother me.

Then I get to this big business park, find a desk (I hotdesk so sit wherever is free), and plug everything in. It's about 8:30am by now.

I now go have breakfast - which is usually 2 slices of toast with jam and/or peanut butter, and a cup of tea. I bring it back to my desk and start work.

I'm a windows/web developer, and currently I'm doing documentation of my own systems, which takes forever. I also surf a little - whenever I get a fresh cup of tea.

Okay, work till lunchtime, and yesterday had some sort of sausagemeat-loaf, potatoes and baked beans. It wasn't great. I usually have a jacket potato or a sandwich, but some guys I know were around yesterday, and I prefer to have lunch with them. Often, I'll eat alone - which I prefer to do at my desk. I'm not an employee here, no one knows me, and I constantly move desks, so I never really get to know anyone. That suits me fine. I loathe office gossip and politics.

Work till about 4:30pm, then it's a downhill walk back to the station. I surf and listen to podcasts. I listened to one with an interview with a British boxing champion, and then another with a guy that got awarded the Victoria Cross recently (these are the highest military medal in the British Army, usually only given posthumously) for saving several comrades.

Again, fire up a dvd or video on the train (it was 'Transporter 2' last night), and get back about 6:45pm. Drive home in about 10 minutes, and then see the kids for the first time (well, except one). Ask about their day, and their mom had some paperwork, so I run the bath for my two youngest whilst she finishes it and starts making dinner for me and her. Sometimes I will go for a 20 miute run here and catch up with them at bedtime story, but not today.

I bath the kids, get them ready for bed, and read a story to the youngest (she's 4, nearly 5) about going on a bearhunt. I tuck her up with a kiss, and then check the second youngest (he's 7) is okay. He's reading some Lemony Snickett.

I go down, and we eat chicken salad. Our eldest (11) is still up, and watching a programme about wildlife.

Then I tidy the dishes, and go and play some poker. I usually play Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for a few hours. I also surf 2+2, and sometimes if I'm only playing 1 table, I'll watch a movie. Last night I finished off the last 20 minutes of 'Walk the Line' before loading several tables.

Played for awhiles, posted, had fun. Stopped about 11 and was going to go to bed, but didn't feel too tired, so came back and played and posted some more. An hour later, I stop, check how well I did, then go upstairs, shower, set my alarm for 6:00am, and get to sleep.


So that was my day, D-Day, 6th June 2007.

Okay, this one has been a little too long, and I hope I haven't bored you, but I'm really interested to hear some more like this from others.

[katyseagull]

Very nice diebitter. I will work on a day in the life of katyseagull and try to post it later. Keep your expectations very low.


edited to say - I would love to read about a day in the life of the other loungers too. Hope people will share a typical day with us so we can get to know each of you better. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[NickMPK]

Wow, you commute >2 hours each way to work? I've heard of people that do that, but I thought it was a uniquely American phenomenon.

[fyodor]

diebitter what is the point of going to this office where no one knows you and you don't have your own desk and you just plug in the notebook you bring from home?

[Orlando Salazar]

Post deleted by Orlando Salazar

[diebitter]

[ QUOTE ]
diebitter what is the point of going to this office where no one knows you and you don't have your own desk and you just plug in the notebook you bring from home?

[/ QUOTE ]


Good question. Firstly I plug into secure systems. Having said that, I have got it set up so I could dial in for short periods as needed.

The guy I work for is often here, but usually in meetings all day. When he's not in meetings but around, we rarely get desks near each other. I could most days actually work at home. But he pays well, and he wants me here. He also sometimes offers that I work at another office which is a little nearer, but because I get a season ticket that's already paid for, I usually elect to come here (to save money in fuel). So here I am.

[fyodor]

Yesterday's aproximate order of events:

coffee and half a bag of Doritos cheese nacho chips for breakfast (not normal but it was there by my computer)
call my mom and get about 5 minutes of gossip
read the paper
feed and water cat
internet and email
play poker - lose money
3 mile run with gf
protein shake
shower
she drops me at the library on her way to work
drop off old videos and pick up new ones
walk home
play with cat
internet and email
some kind of microwavable dinner thing that the gf didn't want (first one I have had since I don't know when)
wash what dishes are laying around
play with and water cat (she only drinks from the sink in the downstairs washroom and makes it clear when she is thirsty - I am well trained)
start watching Man Bites Dog
friend calls and asks if I want to go to a bar to see the hockey game. I say yes but he has to pick me up. He has to go home and change and will call later.
Finish watching Man Bites Dog
a different friend calls. She has had a rough day at work and wants to have dinner with me. I tell her to pick me up.
Internet and email.
Get picked up and we go to a bar restaurant half way to my other friend's house so he won't have to go so far to pick me up.
I phone him to let him know where I am at
He now has a 'date' and won't be coming
We eat (I have some kind of chicken fajita sandwich thing and 2 pints of watery beer) and we talk and laugh
She drives me home
I turn on the hockey game and it's the 2nd period and Ottawa is down 2-0. I call my mom to tell her where I have been and why I haven't called during the game - she is watching it alone. Ottawa scores while we are talking.
During intermission I check internet and email.
Ducks win cup
After the game I play poker and lose more money
gf comes home from work and we go out on the deck, have a beer and talk about the day
go to bed

Was that a fun read or what? [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[diebitter]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
diebitter what is the point of going to this office where no one knows you and you don't have your own desk and you just plug in the notebook you bring from home?

[/ QUOTE ]

QFT. I don't wanna make you have a crisis, but do you like your life?

[/ QUOTE ]


Yes I do like my life a lot. I get to watch movies while I travel, and I keep pretty fit walking an hour a day. It sounds sort of bleak I guess, but I like my own company, but I'm pretty happy with it.

A couple of days ago, I stopped on my walk where there's some green but unkept fields, and watched the baby rabbits hopping around. They were about 2 feet away, very close. And not frightened by me at all.

It was a lovely blue sky, and it was just me and the rabbits.

[diebitter]

[ QUOTE ]

Was that a fun read or what? [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I liked to read it.

[Orlando Salazar]

Dude, its great to see someone enjoy the everyday things. GL to u and family.