DOMINO DAYS

I woke up 5 minutes late this morning. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but when there lies a 40-mile commute on the 101 North, 5 minutes is the difference between an uninterrupted drive through the Ventura hills at 7:00 am and an unlucky encounter with 7:00 am traffic in the city, or in my case today, a most unfortunate date with Monday morning destiny.

So back to getting up 5 minutes late...I thought it would be okay since I already laid out an outfit Sunday night. I often do this to avoid half-awake staring contests with my closet. Unfortunately, the long-sleeve shirt, cardigan and skirt looked better on the hanger the night before and I ended up changing into khaki slacks and, in order to save time (that was my intention anyway), I left my brown tights on under my pants. But I started to feel hot, so I decided to rid myself of the brown tights. If only the pants slid off as easily as I imagined. Instead they scraped roughly over the stockings and I struggled through this already irritating morning. There goes 10 minutes I’ll never get back.

By the time I shower, dress, undress and re-dress, it was 6:15 am (I leave the house at 6:30). Do I have to time to dry my hair and run a curling iron through it? I was provoked by thought for awhile. I didn’t have very much time so I haphazardly damp-dried my hair and threw on a headband. What else could I do? Thermasilk couldn’t help this staticky confection of nappiness now.

I left the house 6:35 am, hopped on the 5 North, then sat on the 134 West for what felt like an hour. Close. I sat there until I got to the 101…at 7:15 am! I was supposed to be at work in 15 minutes and I was 30 miles away. Restlessness does not begin to explain the agitation in that car.

When I finally got to the exit lane at 7:50, I thought I was home free. I’d never been so happy to get to work. But the mischievous Muses were not done with me just yet, because “Exit lane,” I learned, does not necessarily equal “Exit.” Today the Rancho Conejo off-ramp was just a way to take another stab at my already lacerated morning.
Apparently, the traffic light by the exit was broken. Oh well…

So I get to work and, because I arrived later than usual, I had to park farther from the entrance to the building. Did I mention it was drizzling? And that aside from forgetting my jacket, I also forgot my umbrella? Ho hum…

Except for an episode with the copy machine and paper towel dispenser, the rest of the day has been fairly quiet. Then again, it’s only 2:30 pm.