My girlfriend was cleaning out the kitty litter box. The smell was unbearable.
I hadn't been outside, and I like to get outside even if I don't have to for external reasons. So I walked to the park. I was afraid a bunch of people would be there, but it's strangely empty in the morning, even in the summer when kids have off. I thought about how the world has changed, screens have come to dominate our lives. I read an article about a canoe rental place, and the guy said that rentals went down when VCRs came out. I love screens, but I worry primary experience is lost, and that's something I feel when I go for a walk outside, like why don't I do this more.
Like the chain of thought: When my friends showed me their $3K watches, I thought about a Peter Singer Ted talk about how you should give money towards world hunger. Then I thought about how I need to be more generous, how I could look at the New York Cares website and find something to volunteer for.
So I sat down on some benches. There were bottles all over the place. Kids couldn't be bothered to throw away their drinks. Quite a mess. I think about David Sedaris picking up garbage along the English country side.
I wondered at my lack of will power on the weekends. Is that a self fulfilling prophecy or is it just description of available resources?
Then I wondered if there was a way I could think about it that wouldn't take up my energy in anger. I thought about how I have taught my sons not to litter, and that's about the biggest influence I have.
Then I wanted a book and called my girlfriend. She didn't pick up because she was cleaning the kitty litter box. I thought about my own dependency tendencies, ashamed I'd even thought to call her.
When she texts me later asking why I called, I asked if she was busy, and she said yes, she was busy. I confessed to wishing she would solve my bookless problem.
Then I walked home. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go shopping. I decided against it, and came home. It still smelled, but she was done soon.
I hadn't been outside, and I like to get outside even if I don't have to for external reasons. So I walked to the park. I was afraid a bunch of people would be there, but it's strangely empty in the morning, even in the summer when kids have off. I thought about how the world has changed, screens have come to dominate our lives. I read an article about a canoe rental place, and the guy said that rentals went down when VCRs came out. I love screens, but I worry primary experience is lost, and that's something I feel when I go for a walk outside, like why don't I do this more.
Like the chain of thought: When my friends showed me their $3K watches, I thought about a Peter Singer Ted talk about how you should give money towards world hunger. Then I thought about how I need to be more generous, how I could look at the New York Cares website and find something to volunteer for.
So I sat down on some benches. There were bottles all over the place. Kids couldn't be bothered to throw away their drinks. Quite a mess. I think about David Sedaris picking up garbage along the English country side.
I wondered at my lack of will power on the weekends. Is that a self fulfilling prophecy or is it just description of available resources?
Then I wondered if there was a way I could think about it that wouldn't take up my energy in anger. I thought about how I have taught my sons not to litter, and that's about the biggest influence I have.
Then I wanted a book and called my girlfriend. She didn't pick up because she was cleaning the kitty litter box. I thought about my own dependency tendencies, ashamed I'd even thought to call her.
When she texts me later asking why I called, I asked if she was busy, and she said yes, she was busy. I confessed to wishing she would solve my bookless problem.
Then I walked home. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go shopping. I decided against it, and came home. It still smelled, but she was done soon.
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