Rant #1,873: Over and Over

I feel like a rat in a cage.

I do the same things over and over each day--each workday, primarily, although there are aspects of this during the weekend too--and I seem to be on a never-ending treadmill.

I guess we are all guilty of this, doing things over and over again during the week to get us prepared for our workday, but at times, doesn't it really get to you?

Don't you ever want to veer off course every once in a while?

Here is what I do during the week, and I don't move too far away from this regimen during the work week.

1) Get up at 3:30 a.m. to 4:00 a.m.
2) Go to the bathroom.
3) Take a shower (admittedly, a few times a week I do shave, so that would be added to this pattern on those days where I need to remove my whiskers.)
4) Get dressed.
5) Put on my tie (I do this four times a week; I don't have to wear a tie on Friday, thank goodness!)
6) Put the TV on.
7) Put my lunch in my bag.
8) Take the dishes out of the dishwasher and put them away.
9) Take out a bowl and spoon for myself for breakfast (I do this for my son, too, and set his place for when he gets up later in the morning.)
10) Pour myself a bowl of cereal and milk and eat breakfast.
11) Put the bowl and spoon in the dishwasher when I am done.
12) Turn on the computer, and begin writing the column.
13) Finish writing, and go outside to retrieve the newspaper.
14) Read the newspaper.
15) When finished, go back on the computer and look for the latest job openings.
16) When done, shut the computer off.
17) Do my exercises (as described last week).
18) Finish my exercises.
19) Sit on the couch and watch TV.
20) Gather my things, kiss my wife and still sleeping son, and leave for work.

How exciting!

I go through pretty much this same routine five days a week, and yes, it does get boring.

But at least on the weekend, I do veer off a little bit.

I get up later in the morning, I don't eat cereal, and I go about my various chores, including food shopping on Saturday.

I do my exercises when I have the time.

I take my son to his bowling league on Saturday.

I take my son to work on Sunday, and later, pick him up.

I relax a bit.

And then I start it up all over again.

It is boring, but I think that to a certain extent, we all get into this rut.

And that is why vacations are so looked forward to, and so welcome.

I have put in for my vacation; I got arguments from my work, but supposedly, everything is copacetic with it now.

It might be my last work vacation for a while, or at least at this place, but I am looking forward to it ...

If for nothing else than to get out of this rut that I am in.

It will be a week or so off from the same old same old.

And then, after I return and the vacation is over, I will be back on the treadmill.

"I said over and over and over again ...

This dance was gonna be a drag."

And it is.