NEEDLING

What I’d like to say this morning is that having a job lets one appreciate one’s time to oneself... where one is not accountable to anybody else except to one. Today is my day of rest, as the French say it (jour de repos) which I prefer than saying my day off... because “off” connotes that I’m not ON, meaning... what? That I don’t think unless I’m working at my job? That my brain quits working? That I cannot take on any tasks? That I turn all functions off and sit in front of the television zoning till it is time again for me to get in my car, drive to my job, and turn myself back on to earn money for my employer and pay the rent?

(Before this entry is misconstrued, I should probably point out that I actually like my job. It’s in retail and it’s not the most challenging job in the world... at first glance. This is true. What is also true is that I’m a big fan of wine, whisky, and beer, that I am getting paid to better my knowledge of the above mentioned, and that I get a great discount on all my purchases at the store [so that I can really study the subject]. If I keep all the receipts, could I declare them on my taxes at the end of the year? I wonder.)

It’s barely ten in the morning and I’ve been up since 05h30. I’ve gone to the supermarket to do all my shopping. I’ve called Rick and Kyungmee in Paris. And before all that, I went to an all night diner to work on a new short story I wrote the first draft to last Sunday. I’m currently having a glass of white wine. This early in the morning, I hear you think. Well... yeah... kind of like those old men in the wine regions of France having wine for breakfast instead of coffee. It’s fortifying, though red would probably be better. What I’m drinking is a Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur lie, Chateau de la Ragotiere. We only have one bottle of said wine left at the store, and I’ll have to find a good argument to talk my boss into ordering some more. I think she is planning on discontinuing this particular vintage. It’s a simple white wine, inexpensive, and goes quite well with fish, white meats, and by itself. It doesn’t demand too much attention to itself and simply lets itself be drunk... humbly so.

Now... back to my short story.