Tags

, , ,

Well, my daughter is in college and had to write a paper on how media affects her everyday life.  I now know how she views my genealogical research!  It was humorous and, I hate to admit it, a little true!  So, here goes…enjoy!

A Day In My Life

by Emily Van Patten

I wake up to the sound of murmuring voices.  What the heck?  I draw my disoriented thoughts together, force myself out of bed, and shuffle my way into the living room.  There, I find my dad sitting in his rocking chair and reading his Mother Earth magazine.  My mom is on her laptop and surfing the web while talking to my sister on her new iPhone…and on speaker.  Darn phone.  Meanwhile, sounds of construction are pouring from the TV.  HGTV’s, Holmes on Homes, is on…surprise!  I go to turn it down; my mother’s evil eye changes my mind.  So instead, I decide to make myself some breakfast and then sit myself down, catching the last five minutes of Holmes.  The lady’s kitchen looks great; the water-stained floorboards are replaced with bamboo (go green!) and nice, new green granite countertops to match.  Holmes is good.

My mom hangs up with my sister and asks what my plans are for the day.  My dad looks over top of his magazine, also waiting for my answer.  I tell them I have work from10:30am-4pm and then I’m going to my Zumba class.  This prompts my mom to change the TV channel from HGTV to the Weather Channel.  It reports that it’ll be a high of 35 degrees and cloudy with chance of snow flurries.  Not too bad.

It’s time for me to get ready for work.  “Don’t forget to e-mail Mary about that study and…you should call your sister,” my mom reminds me as I’m making my lunch.  I finish up and say goodbye to my parents.  As I walk out, I hear my dad telling my mom that he wants to build a greenhouse and, guess what?   Mother Earth has some great ideas!  There’s nothing wrong with some wishful thinking. 

I get to work and my wish of having a quiet day is dashed.  I know… wishful thinking, right?  It’s not even 10:30am and already the parking lot is over half full.  Here, I should probably insert that I work at Wegmans (and I’ll add with a little pride, it’s #3 on Fortunes 100 Best Companies to work for.  Go Wegmans!)  Walking into the café, the first thing I notice is the TV (it being a 52’ flat screen and all) which is programming CNN’s Newsroom.  More, Palin- this and Palin-that.  What’s new?  Underneath the TV is a large magazine rack.  Taking a quick glance, I see there’s also nothing new there.  OK!, covers more possible rumors that Angelina and Brad are breaking up…shocking.  People, capture more pictures of Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds seen together, their friendship blossoming…how sweet.  I continue to my department and am pleased at how quickly my shift goes by.

Next, I go to my Zumba class and then head home, starving.  On my way, my sister calls me to see if I want to go to Florida with her in March.  Oh, so tempting!  Unfortunately, I tell her, I don’t think I can get the time off of work, but I would see what I could do.  We talk a little while longer, filling each other in on what’s new.  Check…I have talked to my sister.  My mom should be happy.

As I’m walking in the front door, my phone vibrates in my pocket.  How could I ever live without this thing?  It’s a text message from a girl at work wanting to know if I’ll take one of her shifts.  Sure I will!  Extra cash never hurts.  I walk into the kitchen greeted by the smell of some simmering soup.  I take a peek…nasty, stew.  My taste buds stop salivating until I can think of something better to eat.  I go into the living room and say hello to my parents.  My dad is sitting in his rocking chair, flipping through another issue of Mother Earth.  My mom is online.  This time she’s conducting some genealogical research, and on the phone with my grandmother, filling her in about another genealogy find…and on speaker.  Darn phone.  The TV is tuned on to HGTV with an episode of My First Place running…surprise!  The paralegal, recently divorced, mother of two, picked house #1.  She couldn’t have picked a better fixer-upper.

After my shower, and after making and enjoying a delicious turkey burger, it’s my turn to hop online.  I log into my Facebook account and find nothing too exciting.  I decide to check on my online courses and find there’s quite a bit of writing and reading to do. I work on that for the next few hours while my parents resume watching Season 1 of 24 on Netflix.  It is quite an addicting show.

My day is coming to an end when yawns are formed and my eyesight starts to blur.  I finish watching an episode of 24, and then head to bed.  Deep slumber envelops me.  I have dreams…dreams of Keifer Sutherland trying to steal Angelina from Brad, and Sarah Palin pointing a gun at Ryan Reynolds, telling him to back away from Sandra.  This all goes down in CNN’s Newsroom, with Mike Holmes trying to change a light bulb and Anderson Cooper reporting.  Interesting…

Advertisement