Creatures of the Night

Contrary to the title of this post, it not about giant waterbugs, steroidal rats or strange, listless night wanderers lurking in dark corners. I was just out taking Strider for his nightly walk (we made it to the dog run, which is a major accomplishment on my part for those of you know me- though we were the only ones there). I was ruminating on a few things while my dog chased skateboarders from within the run.

Living in the city, being responsible for multiple animals and having a horse 27 miles away is pretty damn hard. Definitely a challenge, having to ensure all beings receive optimal care and attention, as well as working a 35+ hour work week, and giving my all to the clients and tasks at hand.

Every minute for the most part is worth this great feat- coming home to mewing felines anxiously awaiting your arrival (and subsequent treat bags), catching the smile on dog's face and Benji's red head perk up when I utter his name upon arriving at the stable. But transportation, preparation and motivation are three key factors which make my life work.

I wanted to focus on the preparation part, as the other two are a bit self evident, and the motives more obvious. But I've found a few tricks here and there to make my life so much easier and logistics far less painless. One is to always shower and lay out the outfit I am wearing tomorrow (NO EXCUSES, I will literally go through my closet for thirty minutes if I don't do this the night before).

A few others are emailing myself a list of everything I need to get done the next day before I go bed- I try and prioritize this list, keep it realistic and include mandatory things in bold. That way when I load new emails on my phone in the AM, I have an instant reminder of what the day requires and will bring. Time is valuable, and if you happen to have an extra half hour, performing any tasks which can be done and not postponed is a great thing to do.

I always try and buy a round trip bus ticket, so I have a ticket for the next time I come out to the barn, and usually make sure to have at least one good ride left on my Metrocard. This is essential when commuting in a hurry from work to the barn and back. Also, always have a few singles on hand. Yeah, for that stripper you keep on speed dial OR for vending machines, transit which doesn't take metrocards aka NJ buses, or last minute purchases at vendors which have a credit card minimum.

Lastly? Invest in a DVR. That way you can be sure all your quality summer shows (Rescue Me, True Blood, The Killing, a few TLC favorites...) are all waiting for you upon your arrival home.