Snow

I watched the evening news a while ago and found out that because of the impending snowstorm, all state offices in New Jersey are closed tomorrow. All non-essential state employees should stay home! I, a non-essential state employee, feel pure joy right now.

I have my coworker’s house all to myself. I had it all to myself on Friday night, and all day yesterday, and all day today, and now I find I have it to myself all day tomorrow, too. I love being here. After having gone through several days of hell last week, the last few days have been pure heaven. It makes me think that maybe there really is some higher power out there, looking out for me. I feel so relaxed. It’s amazing how much your surroundings can affect the quality of your life.

This afternoon I listened to Die Valkyrie, which takes up four CDs. You can really lose yourself in Wagner’s music. And with tomorrow a blank slate to fill as I please, I plan to get lost in his music again; I’ll listen to Siegfried, the third opera of the Ring. It takes up four CDs as well. Why not? I have the whole day to hibernate indoors while the snow rages outside.

This morning I decided that I should probably have some food around, so I went to the supermarket. It was a madhouse. I’d never seen checkout lines as long as they were this morning — eleven or twelve lanes, each lane at least ten people deep. You’d think the apocalypse was coming; you’d think people were going to be stuck in their homes for a whole week. Why does this sort of consumer panic happen?

I couldn’t find a cart or even a basket, so I had to carry what I could. Having waited until the last minute to stock up, I felt like a member of the lazy unwashed masses. (I was in fact unwashed, and unshaven, too; I think I have four days’ growth of beard right now.) Anyway, I didn’t need much; I bought milk, bread, sliced turkey, two frozen pizzas, two apples, an orange, and a bottle of Splash juice (that stuff is delicious). Then when I got back to the house I realized I hadn’t bought the Sunday New York Times. I could just as easily read it on the Web, but it’s nicer to stretch out with the paper on the floor or the couch, and it would be nice to have it during a snowstorm. Also, you can’t do the Sunday crossword on the Web. So I went back out and tried three different convenience stores until I found the Times. I was so relieved. I guess that was my own form of consumer panic. (Although, while at the convenience store, I picked up some more things: two cans of soup, a bottle of ginger ale, two rolls (better for sandwiches than bread), and a box of Entenmann’s soft baked chocolate chip cookies. More than half the box is gone now.)

Anyway, it’s around midnight now, and there’s barely any snow on the ground. Most of it is supposed to come tomorrow. I feel so nice and secure and warm in this house by myself, sitting here typing on my laptop, listening to classical music on WQXR. This is a real blessing. Thank you, whoever you are.