Amy Lu's View

Most mornings I get up, let StanLee (our dog) out and then feed him, and then I make coffee, clean up the kitchen a bit, and make our very simple breakfast. 

I’m on autopilot and I don’t have to think too hard about these tasks, so I appreciate them. I know what to do without any soul searching (except for sometimes deciding what type of coffee to make or if it’s a cereal or eggs day) and I get to feel purposeful and productive for the first half hour or so of my day.

I’m writing this little ode to my morning routine in response to a journal prompt in the Strange Planet Existence Chronicle: “What responsibilities do you most enjoy?”

Initially I was quite flummoxed by this. Enjoy? Nobody enjoys responsibilities, right? That’s why they are called “responsibilities.” The question is even accompanied by a cartoon with the caption “Responsibility saddens me.”

But of course, I need to define my terms, and think about context. What is a responsibility? Is it the same as a chore, or an obligation, or an expectation? Who am I responsible to, and what are the consequences if I shirk a responsibility?

When it comes to my morning “responsibilities,” StanLee definitely does need to be let outside and fed, and everyone in our little household would eventually be sad if these things didn’t happen. But do I NEED coffee and breakfast? Well, it certainly feels like a need to me, but I’m really only responsible to and for myself to make it happen, and I could get my caffeine and sustenance in other ways. I could just grab a Diet Coke and a Cliff bar, but I wouldn’t find that as satisfying. 

So my little morning rituals may not count as responsibilities, but I do feel like I owe it to myself (and StanLee) to accomplish them, so I’m counting “StanLee care and feeding, making coffee and breakfast, and cleaning up and puttering around in the kitchen” as my first answer to that question. 

In no particular order, other “responsibilities” I most enjoy include:

• Weekend morning “lie-ins” with StanLee and Chad (as in lounging in bed, not in protesting)
• Giving the cats lap time in the evening while we watch TV (and I eat Halo ice cream and drink “a bit” of bourbon)
• Learning and practicing songs to play at open mic
• Booze shopping
• Making plans with friends, buying tickets for concerts and plays
• Putting commitments on our Google calendar
• Posting hiking photos on Facebook and Instagram
• Sending e-mails and texts to friends (and occasionally real letters and cards)

Admittedly, this seems like a questionable list, or at least a list that really stretches the definition of “responsibility.” I’m tempted to defend or at least explain my choices, but it’s bolder and more interesting to let them stand as is and let my dear reader(s) contemplate their validity. 

Afterall, it goes without saying, that my most cherished responsibility is to entertain, inspire, and challenge the world with my blog.