Tonight, as it edges closer to 2am and I'm still working on this grant research for my presentation tomorrow as everyone else in the house is asleep, I'm remembering an episode of Sex and the City about "secret single behavior"--the things we do when we live alone or have the place to ourselves. For the past 5 months I've been living with my boyfriend and roommates who are around all the time so I've been too busy noticed how I miss my "secret solo habits".
Here are my top 10 things I do when I have the house to myself.
1.) Pace
I am a massive pacer. I love nothing more than listening to some chill music (I love The XX) while pacing around an apartment or house alone in my thoughts about the world at 1am. Most people find pacing annoying or weird, so I try to keep it to a minimum fidget.
2.) Take off my "I Hate T.V." shirt.
Around people, I'm nearly 100% anti-television. It's not like I don't like certain shows or the medium itself, but I hate couch potatoes and I've met WAY too many. So when people are around I like the tv off (or if it has to be on, a movie instead). When I'm alone though I can sit and watch the Food Network or History Channel or reruns of CSI: Vegas or Law and Order: SVU for hours and hours and hours.
3.) Cook at midnight
Sometimes I'm genuinely unhungry until rather late. In dating someone we try to eat together, so that's anytime between 6-8 when we're home from work. Something though, I do miss my 10pm-to-midnight schedule. Oh, and then there's the problem with making noise while cooking, so when I make hot chocolate before bed tonight I'll probably use the stove instead of the microwave.
4.) Fall asleep with the blinds open and lights on.
When I have an early morning I find that it really helps having the blinds open for the sunshine and a light on (only occasionally) when I wake up. Not ok with a sleeping boyfriend though.
5.) Examine my pores.
Thanks to Sex and the City for reminding me of this one.
6.) Watch a movie, then watch it again with the director's commentary
If I'm working on homework or a project, a familiar movie in the background on repeat helps to keep me awake. One night I watched Girl, Interrupted three times, once normal, once on commentary, and one more time normal.
7.) Clean for real
The only time I like to deep clean is when everyone's gone. That's when the Comet, Windex, and Swiffer comes out. I mean, it's hard to bleach a sink when people want to use it every 10 minutes, and I don't to feel like a maid mopping when people are around (though they do offer to help).
8.) Write letters in my head
If I know you, I have probably written a letter to you in my head. Letter writing is my favorite form of organizing my thoughts and depending on who I'm "writing" to I might focus my thoughts more on an analysis of relationships, or jobs, or the past, or humor. I also like making up lesson plans in my head in case I go for a PhD. Daydreams are also frequent.
The other day I "wrote" to my favorite professor telling her thank you and what I learned in her class to help me in life. I also "lectured" a lesson plan about voodoo literature and "wrote" out on the board the difference between religions with Buddism, Ancient Egypt, Christianity, The Easter Bunny, Hindu, Harry Potter, Catholicism, and Voodoo all next to each other, following a discussion about "magic" in religion and literature.
I've gotten better at actually writing letters. I have one more to write and I can officially cross it off my New Years Resolution 2011.
Thanks all for now. Night, everyone.
2 comments:
Love this blog entry!
My favorite thing to do is clean when no one is around, I always deep cleaned my apt like hell whenever my roomies were gone, so much easier without them being in the way and it's not like they help anyways or do a good job if they do! lol
Instead of pacing, I dance and sing all over the house when I have the house to myself. Also watching and re-watching the movie with commentary! lol
I also love cooking late, but I tend to do that whether someone is at home or not, and same thing for examining my pores and doing all the girly facial stuff, not a big deal when you live with only girls, but I can understand doing it with no one around when both genders live under the same roof.
Glad you liked it :) I agree, cleaning is this weird secret favorite habit of mine. I like vacuumed carpets and bleached sinks--but I don't need roommates knowing that!
Singing and dancing are also fun. There's a real element of powerful freedom when one is alone.
Do you have a favorite director's commentary? I find that I like or dislike a movie more due to a good/bad commentary. Like I appreciate Pride and Prejudiced so much more after the commentary.
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