Eyre Affairs

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Location: New York, United States

Wednesday, March 22, 2006


"This routine sufficed for her..." ~ Jane Eyre

My Morning Routine

My eyes open to the sun hitting my golden colored walls, giving me warmth even though I rise to leave the warmth of my bed. I turn towards my nightstand, where my cell phone beeps; its alarm set to 5:45am. From this position, I glance at the Egyptian prints on my walls, wondering what it would be like to be a curator of an art museum instead of an English teacher. I am sure it is more glamorous, so I exhale a deep sigh as my body lifts itself from my bed.

After my hot shower, I wrap myself in a peach terry robe and head into the library. I turn on my desktop computer, coo at the picture of Jack and his apple cheeks on my wallpaper, check my email, and read Chaz's latest blog entry.

Entering the bathroom once again, I twist my curls into banana curls and dry my hair. I always say I want to lay out my clothes the night before work, but that never ends up happening. I go to my closet and look at the assortment of blouses from Ann Taylor loft, pants from the Gap, and blazers from New York and Company, wondering what is best to coordinate this morning. I have certain rules when it comes to clothes. I refuse to wear the color grey after March 1st, I wont wear a skirt to work that is above my knees for reasons that are obvious when it comes to teaching senior boys, and I never wear all black because I find it quite morbid to do so.

After dressing and applying MAC makeup in various shades of taupe, green, and beige, I place my jewelry on. I then grab my tan colored Calvin Klein jacket; its so warm its like wearing a built-in down comforter outside. I grab my Coach attache case, a gift from my sister Missy when I started teaching six years ago, as well as my rose-colored handbag, and head out the door.

Once I hop into the SUV, a new set of the morning routine begins. I make sure the seat warmer is put on immediately, and then I make sure that the radio is turned on to Morning Edition on WNYC. I love the voices of Steve Inskeep and Sotirious Johnson and have confirmed that their faces are as handsome as their voices are. En route to work, I blast the volume of NPR. The drive is about twenty minutes.

Five minutes before I reach the school building, I stop and get my coffee at the bagel store. I know all of the workers behind the counter, so I smile and whoever is next to help me goes to reach for the medium sized coffee, adding three Splendas and skim milk. I will either have a plain mini bagel to go with the coffee or a banana.

Hopping back into the Vue, I relish in the last moments of quiet for the morning. I enter the parking lot into my spot - # 127. A very lucky number indeed. The walk from the car to the door hurts because it is so cold. I get into the building and soak in the heat. Walking down the hallway to my classroom, I say good morning to students who are half-asleep, drinking Dunkin Donuts coffee. Good that they start early, the brain in my coffee-addicted body thinks.

I enter my classroom, room 114, and check the clock. I have about fifteen more minutes to myself. I hang my coat in the closet, get NPR going via the WNYC website, and sit down to listen to more NPR as I check the Times online. I sip my coffee as the noise from the hallway increases, indicating that my class of 28 teenagers shall be arriving shortly. I take a few more sips of coffee, and then the bell rings. The solitude of the morning is officially over, but I am quite content.


The Morning Routine of My Alter Ego, Aimee

I wake up as the sun enters the bedroom, reflecting off of the white walls. It is spring, so the warm breeze enters through the French-shuttered windows in this French cottage, located just outside of Paris. I turn towards my wooden nightstand and grab the novel that sits there, staying in bed for a half hour to read under my blue and white bedspread that looks like a china pattern.

Rising from the bed, I make my way to the white-tiled salle de bains and run a hot bath in a claw-footed tub. I soak for an hour in lavender-scented bath salts. After wrapping myself in a huge yellow terry bathrobe, I go downstairs to my library. I turn on my laptop, coo at the photo of Jacque and his pomme cheeks on my wallpaper, check my email, and read Charles's latest blog entry. I sit for a while more and read the Times online.

I go back into the salle de bains and place my hair into a ponytail. I step into my-walk in closet and grab a pair of jeans and a cream-colored twin-set. I brush some loose powder over my face, champagne eyeshadow over my eyes, mascara on the lashes, and a dab of lipgloss. I grab my Burberry jacket, my helmet, and small black leather backpack and head out the door.

I place the backpack on my shoulders and place the helmet on my head. I mount my VESPA PX 150 in silver and head towards Paris, the Eiffel Tower ahead of me in in the distance.

I arrive to Les Deux Magots on on St. Germain and have thoughts about Hemingway sitting there once. I sit down and order a cafe au lait and les oeufs. After I eat, I order another cafe au lait and take out my journal. I write for a while, and then check the time. I am scheduled to meet mon amie, J.Sarah, at 11am to shop at La Grande Epicerie at the Bon Marche on the Rue de Sevres.

I meet J.Sarah and we start discussing wine, fromage, her Pink VESPA PX 150, and what we are buying today at the market to cook for dinner later on. I decide on quiche with mesclun greens and she decides to make duck confit. I choose a nice Rose and she chooses a dry Sauvignon Blanc. We both eat a chocolate truffle before noon. The solitude of my morning is officially over, and I am quite content.

11 Comments:

Blogger K said...

What a gorgeous post.

I love it.

Thanks for your complimentaty comment on my blog--I really appreciate it--especially coming from a writer like yourself! Though I find your real life almost as poetic as your alter ego...

1:57 PM  
Blogger Charlie Mc said...

glad to see I am a part of that routine! :)

2:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

ahhh wouldn't it be easy to get lost in the life of our alter egos? some days are halfway over before i realize that my real world, and the one i've been imagining all day, are far apart.

i realize, often though, that were i my alter - i'd probably be imagining life as myself.

and being a teacher is FAR more rewarding. keep up the good work.

3:55 PM  
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4:56 PM  
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4:59 PM  
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5:21 PM  
Blogger ThursdayNext said...

k ~ your comment made my day. you are an amazing writer, and your compliment meant the world. thank you.

natalie ~ thank you for helping me keep my perspective. :) you, too, are a talented writer and i am quite honored that you stopped by here today.

5:53 PM  
Blogger Christie E. Little said...

Mmmmmm

I wake up to the eyes of my Ava asking me if I'm going to get up already. :) I take my ducklings and walk downstairs. My Kelsey is on the couch, snuggled in a blanket watching "Saved By The Bell." (oh yes..lol)

Time is then for the puppies to go potty outside. Mocha is always the quick one...so Reeses can stay in the back. I come in to the beggings for breakfast and me hoping they all will have the same thing. So yes...it was pancakes. :) Mmmmm and then I smell it in the background. My coffee.

I pull out my nice pink Queenie mug. I love that mug. I love wrapping my hands around it and sipping my yummy coffee. Oooooh and I take 2 splendas or 1 sweet n low and splash of half & half. It I were in so cal it would be Mocha Mix, but they don't have it here in Nashville.

We're on spring break, so this morning you were my first blog, my mail was after the blogs, and then I hopped in the shower for a nice hot one. Then, I was busy ordering business cards.

PS...I love having a cheerleader. Thank you sweetie.
xoxo
C

8:39 PM  
Blogger ThursdayNext said...

C ~ I absolutely loved hearing about your morning, especially coffee in the Queenie mug. Oh I hope one day we can have a cup together. :) Kelsey has good taste in TV. I loved the gang from Old School Saved By the Bell! Zach being my favorite, of course.

8:49 PM  
Blogger Katie said...

1st time reader - love to think about my own alter ego as well.

12:28 PM  
Blogger Marty said...

I can relate to your 'real' morning, as I used to teach English...Kudos to you for your career choice! Egyptian prints on the walls? Good taste too! If I could live in another time, it would definitely be Ancient Egypt.
You're a very good writer. Love to read the posts.

12:35 PM  

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