February 1, 2021, by Tosh Berman

 

February 1, 2021

After almost a year of living inside my house due to the virus, I have become an expert on isolated living. One new hobby I have is watching the money disappear from my account on a regular basis. More is taken out than putting it in, and I like to measure my mood swings by the simple act of spending money. Not on fun things, mind you, but the mostly bills due to Electricity, mortgage, Internet services, and so forth. Watching one's life drain away is an interesting way of watching time passing. 

I wake up around 6:30 in the morning and start writing on something or look up on my Facebook page to see what the outside world is doing. It seems that they are doing what I'm doing -checking their Facebook page. Facebook is a reflection, not unlike a mirror. I then read the Guardian and New York Times online, or I should say I scan the articles. It's interesting how one looks at the news these days. Since the beginning, there have always been newspapers devoted to a political or cultural position. I read the news to find things that I agree with, and I genuinely don't want another opinion because they are wrong, or even worse, stupid. Fox News, for instance, is for stupid people. I read smart media like The Guardian because it's for intelligent people. Why would I expand my horizon by reading stupid media? 

By 9:30 AM, I'm in the bathtub reading a novel or the current issue of MOJO Magazine. This, besides happy hour, is my favorite time of the day. The outside world is locked outside of my bathroom, and there is nothing here but my thoughts, desires, and whatever I'm reading in the tub. Obviously, I only read paperbacks in the bathtub because hardcovers are too heavy for bath reading.  I do a lot of reading. I have to read at least two music books a month for our bi-weekly podcast BOOK MUSIK.  I only stop reading in the tub when the water gets cold, and that is the signal for me to throw the book to the other side of the room and focus on severe hair washing. 

Once I'm out of the tub, I go weigh myself to see how fat I am. My mood brightens when I lose weight. If I gain, then the great depression starts.  I take out the yoga mat and do a series of stretches for my back, which sometimes gets sore to my fat stomach. Health is a constant battle, which is another way of fighting boredom from being home all day. It's the little things that add spice to the day.

I only eat two meals a day, and my first meal is brunch. I like to time it around 11;30. Since we don't go out, nor can we afford to eat out, I make something in the kitchen. I'm a fan of Amy's Frozen Vegan Mexican food, or I like fake Mac and Cheese. The type of cheese I want is spelled "Cheeze." To add flavor, I put some unsalted nuts in the dish, and with a small spoon, I mix it to give the plate some texture. Since I hate to do the afternoon dishes, I pretty much eat the frozen food in the container that comes with the packaging. I then have a glass of orange juice, take a "One A (1) Day proactive tablet for those who are 65+.  Now, it's time for the afternoon writing session.

What usually takes place is me looking at the blank computer screen until 6:00 PM, which becomes a happy hour. Since we are on a budget, my wife and I drink "Three Wishes" wine. Not sure what the wishes are or were, but at the very least, we haven't died (yet) from the wine. I play a record while having my first glass of wine. I never planned what I'm going to listen to. My body/brain seems to reach out without a serious thought, and presto, the record ends up in my hands. We then have dinner together and remark on our day.  For me, this is difficult, as you can gather by reading this post/essay. Nothing on a basic day ever happens to me, except my actions above. Still, it's essential to keep a schedule of some sort, or you would go mad. Then again, how does one define madness?

The one (and only one) exciting thing that happened today is that I discovered the music of Emmanuelle Parrenin and a singer who died a few days ago, but never heard of until I read about the death, Sophie.  One is reminded to take their head out of their space and smell the air outside. Parrenin's album "Maison rose" and Sophie's "Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides" share a need to experiment in their choice of medium.   Sophie is very electronic, but so is Parrenin in her own manner of the music she made in 1977.   I recommend both albums.