I started writing this post at 5AM, about the time I head to the gym each day. But today is Christmas and they are closed. The truth is, I’ve been pushing it and fairly desperately need a rest day, but the sudden absence of routine is always rattling to me to a degree that I’m aware is not typical and is quite fragile.

I’ve written about routines many times before. I’m not a religious person, but if I had to worship something it would be routine. They are so comforting and help me with time management. The absence of routine is chaotic and unsettling to a degree that ranges from difficult to impossible for me to manage. It’s a medicine that I am suddenly denied on occasion, and in a lot of ways I feel sick without it.

Well, I can’t participate in this daily gym ritual today, the very thing that leads me to excitedly jump out of bed before the sun rises. I will be up for several hours before anyone else. While not a proper backup plan, I was going to go for a walk but am now worried about ice. So, I’ll work and write to get through these hours that I am usually not even here.

Due to an out of stock situation, I also don’t have the breakfast I’ve eaten each day for a decade. I’ll try to make the most of this unique day, but I truly can’t wait for the return to routine that the end of the holiday season brings.