2.9.00

    So, last night I was needling T. to come up with one thing that he absolutely can't muster the energy to do but he ought to do anyway. He, of course, couldn't come up with a single thing. My point was that I just couldn't find the motivation to go to the gym. I just couldn't find it anywhere. For about two weeks, Byrne and I were going to the gym early in the morning and that motivated me. I can get motivated when someone else is counting on me. However, we stopped doing that because it was irritating me to knock on her door at 6 a.m. and have her hiding under the covers and ignoring me. That doesn't motivate me.

    This morning, round about 5:45 a.m., T. and I were having a conversation. I forget what we were talking about exactly but we were discussing something very seriously. There were lots of furrowed brows as I recall and then T. said loudly and very suddenly, "Hey -- it's time to get up!" It was then that I realized that all the lights were on and my alarm was going off and it was all very confusing. Do you see how my wretched, conniving subconscious mind tries to trick me? Why would I have to wake up when I was, in fact, already awake and having a conversation? Ignore that man shaking your shoulder, ignore the NPR report on the Austrian government, ignore the cat settling into the crook behind your knees because that's the dream. This sort of drifting happy place under the covers is reality. Really.

    It was really hard to get out of the house. It was hard to drive. It was incredibly difficult to face the bright lights of the gym. Why does it have to be so bright in there anyhow? Would you workout in a baroque, dimly-lit atmosphere? I'd consider it. Although maybe that might take on too much of an air of an S&M dungeon. I suppose it's important to establish and us and them line in the business world. They do it for pleasure; we do it for....

    So, I went. Did some cardio. Did some weights. I don't particularly feel better about myself which is a good thing. If I feel good about making it to the gym just once when someone forced me to then I would be pathetic. If I feel too good then I might decide to take another two month vacation from the gym in celebration.

    Valentine's Day is coming up and look at what my obsessed Internet fans did for me:

    And, speaking of Valentine's Day, here's a little bit of dialog:

INTERIOR - KITCHEN

AMANDA: "And how is my handsome husband today?"
T.: "He's fine -- bound and gagged in the trunk of my car, not struggling as much these days."

FADE TO BLACK