These Complete Me.

There are a few things that simply have to happen or that I must have in order for a day to work out.  Not even for it to be a good day–a few weeks ago, I tried to mix up my morning schedule, and it took all afternoon for me to get on the right page.  I have learned that over the years I’ve adopted a morning routine that must be followed precisely.  It goes a little something like this:

 

• wake up:  naturally, this must happen.  I wake up within two snooze button hits (as opposed to Zach, who punctuates the morning with a terrible cell phone ring every five minutes until I leave the apartment).  If I sleep too long, I have to rush.  If I beat the alarm, I feel like I lost precious moments of sleep and relaxation.
• head into the bathroom:  after shimmy-ing (is that a word..?) out of bed, I undress, and jump right into the shower.  As the water warms up–and it must be followed this way–I brush my teeth.  Once in the shower, there is a very, VERY strict regiment: wash my face,  wash my body, shave, wash my hair, and condition.  If I switch it up (I did at the recommendation of a friend) I feel off all day.  It is probably just a huge mental thing, but trust me, it’s better to stick to the routine.
• get dressed:  I would never call myself a typical girl, but when it comes to getting ready, I surely take my time.  The biggest problem for me is trying to figure out how warm it will be as the day continues.  When I wake up (usually around 7:30) it is freezing, and during the warm fall months, it’s tough to imagine what temperature it will be as I ride my bike home after class and work.  
• get breakfast/tea:  after I get showered and dressed, I make breakfast.  While it’s cooking (or while I’m just in the kitchen), I wash the dishes from the night before and straighten up anything that’s out of order.
• pack my bag:  I double check my yellow backpack to be sure I have all of my things I need for class–although I usually leave at least five things at home.

 

Beyond my routine, there are several “must have” items that always make their way with me out of my suburban apartment. 

<—ankle bracelets:  Clearly, my feet come with me every day.  My ankle bracelets have been on since May and I normally keep them until they fall off by themselves.  I have had a toe ring since 4th grade and I’m almost positive I’ve only taken it off once in that time (for a dance recital in junior high).  

ring—>

I have always wanted a ‘nice’ ring, but I have never had the money.  I also quickly realized that I lose rings very quickly, so I’ve kept it to cheap department store rings.  I found this lovely piece of jewelry at Kohl’s during my freshman year. I always ALWAYS have it on.  It’s not for any specific reason… just a small something that makes me feel a bit more feminine.  Plus, I feel like I have “old” looking hands, and I feel like anything to distract from that might be a good idea.

<—my sandals:  yet again, another leather item that I feel guilty for owning, but based on their condition, I won’t have them for much longer.  These are my FAVORITE shoes that I’ve ever owned.  I bought them on sale (in the winter) and I have worn them everywhere (even India).  Despite my mother forcing me to buy new ones this past summer, I have kept these in my daily footwear rotation… mostly for sentimental reasons.  I have warned everyone that I will continue to wear them until they fall apart, despite many threats from my friends to destroy them personally.  Until then, they will remain my shoes.

my Nalgene bottle–>

I carry this every day.  It’s best because it means a) I don’t have to buy bottled water b) it’s yet another little thing I do that makes me feel like I’m single-handedly saving the environment and c) I like the flashy color.  I always try to remember to freeze it the night before so it’s at least a bit cold by the time I reach campus but typically forget it next to my potted plant (where the leftover water often gets used to water my half-dead plant).

<–sunglasses:  last but not least, my sunglasses.  I have a rare disorder that has left me without pigmentation on my retnias, so I am required to wear sunglasses every day–even when it’s not sunny.  I’m also a forgetful person, so despite my need to ALWAYS have sunglasses, I typically stick to cheap ones since I lose them constantly.  These are always with me.

 

These are just a few more things that shape my unique identity.  I feel like while many people may not understand, or take them for granted, they are important things that help me to define who I am.  While I would be the first to say that a person isn’t defined by the material objects that they have, I have reflected my personality into the way that I schedule my routine and the things that I keep with me.

Soon soon soon I will blog again for real… once I reign in my life again.  Back to my 100 drawings for now.