Sea salt hair

I pick up my computer about every 15 minutes or so to check my e-mail; and about every 15 minutes, I'm disappointed, yet again and again, by the lingering voidness of my mailbox. I don't have any work to do, though I've started on story ideas and goals. I could write my article about the mosquito man, but I threw my notes from the interview in the trash -- on accident, of course. No longer will I conduct an interview with my Italian notebook. There is nothing to do except everything I've wanted to do for months, everything I've put off in order to get my work done. Yet it seems that even with the infinite amount of time I have to finish my stack of books and sleep and... whatever else you do in your spare time, all I want to do is work. I have a full glass of apple cider and all I want is a diet coke from the vending machine.

My time has been spent catching up on news, flipping through the NY Times' Year in Pictures, playing Chinese Checkers and watching football game bowls (footbowls?) with my grandfather, staying up until 5 a.m. and sleeping until 2 p.m., flipping through the channels in hopes of catching an episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, watching Clark and Michael episodes, and reading a bit. I went to Old Navy yesterday and bought cute shirts and sweaters and a comfy pair of shoes. Anthropologie is having a sale and I'm stalking the Web site. 

Maybe I will instead stalk the Times' feature-y sections and try to improve my writing. Oh! A checklist.

A Winter Break Check-List 

Finished items in this salmon color

Finish online applications

Print out cover letter, send application to Colorado

Search media for story ideas -- at least 25 more

Write thank you notes

Read NYTIMES stories and practice new ledes [many of them are actually lame!]

Find a sidewalk being cemented and leave my footprints

Shower

Have a one-person dance party to this music that's on the radio

Finish Wicked -- I can do that tonight

Knit a scarf

Watch L&O

Well, I'd better get started on this list.