A Day Off...

Any day that you’re able to take a break from the rat race and devote a bit of time to your hobbies is a pretty good day. This is why I don’t advocate people being able to take sick or vacation days, blow them off and convert them to cash. People need days like these to breathe and reflect and recharge. Sometimes you underestimate how much a single day off from what you do everyday can improve your spirits and outlook in life.

I’m cooking as I write this. I miss having a lot of time to putter around in the kitchen. Cooking is something that I don’t really mind doing. It’s fun, and it’s useful as long as the output is edible. The cleaning up afterwards is the part I’m not so fond of, but it’s a necessary evil. The trick is to try to use as few pots and plates and utensils as possible, and to do partial cleanups during the “dead spots” when you’re waiting for the pan to heat up or for something to boil or simmer. Sure beats staring at a huge pile of stuff in the sink to tackle afterwards. That kind of sight can intimidate and generate procrastination. It’s never good to defer basic hygiene.

I got to see two films today. Eerily similar in theme: twisted buddy flicks. Training Day was more of the straightforward good cop bad cop show. Collateral had some interesting things to say, and had an interesting way of delivering the message. Cruise looked good in the salt-and-pepper style, and I thought he made a kickass assassin. Both were pretty good. I’ll write up more thoughts on Silver Screener soon.

Enjoying playing some of the discs I haven’t listened to in quite a while as I cook and write here. Mark O’Connor’s Fiddle Concerto is still one of the grandest pieces of music written for that instrument. It’s joyous and kinetic, if a bit mainstream and Baroque-ish. My complete Sibelius works haven’t gotten a lot of ear time since I moved back to Manila. They’re still some of my favorite orchestral pieces.