Time vs. Me During the Blackouts in Ukraine

13:00

Once there was electricity and my elevator started working, I immediately went out. I wanted to have a quick lunch at a restaurant, buy some flowers, and on my way back buy a book or two.

My goal was to get home until they turned off the electricity again. I had only two hours.

13:50

It took them a bit longer to prepare my salmon tartare. Perhaps, they started fishing salmon as soon as I ordered. On the one hand, I did not mind, as I had some time to read “Surrounded by Idiots” by the gorgeous fountain on my Kindle. Choosing a table on a summer terrace near the fountain was a good idea, despite the hot spell (+37C/99F). When the wind was blowing, some water from the fountain was blowing on me. It always makes me giggle.

Having wolfed everything I ordered, I realized that I had only 30 min until my elevator stopped working.

30 min:

20 min — to get home.

5 min — to get some flowers.

5 min — to buy a book.

***

I was hesitating whether to buy some flowers, but they set me in a better mood in these dark days in Ukraine.

Thank God, they didn’t have a wide range of bouquets in the flower stall. If they did, it would have taken me forever to make up my mind about which ones to choose. I grabbed some sunflowers and strawflowers. My felt bag is perfect for carrying two bouquets.

Then, I felt that my bag was weighing my left shoulder down. But there was no time to whine.

14:25

I ordered a ride home.

Bookshop?

___________________________

“She beckons me, shall I give in?”

(Evanescence, “Whisper”)

___________________________

Of course! I rushed into the bookshop, where I always felt like a kid on a sugar rush in a candy shop.

The question was — which ones to buy? The consultant saw that lost look in my eyes. She approached and showed me some books on copyrighting. As my bag was full of flowers, there was room only for one book. OK, one book it was.

The taxi was approaching the bookshop. At that moment, I realized that I might get stuck in the elevator for 4–6 hours. The question was if I was ready to spend 4–6 hours in the elevator. [Expect the best. Prepare for the worst.]

They were selling some drinks at the bookshop. My choice was to buy a bottle of something that I could open without a bottle opener. I chose something in a can. [Later it turned out it was a non-alcoholic beer with a mango flavor. It was insipid.]

“Dear Driver,

I am sorry to have made you wait for me. But you charged me extra, and I tipped 20%, so we are even.”

Just when we turned right near my building, I started looking for the keys and getting ready to jump out of the taxi.

14:56

Luckily, the door of my entrance was open, so it saved me 20 sec. It was a good sign from the Universe.

Holding my breath, I pressed the button, “6”. When the doors opened, I started breathing again. Not being stuck in the elevator for hours felt like a small win.

I wanted to believe that I was ready to spend a great deal of time in the elevator with a good book—”250 Things You Should Know About Writing”, a weird drink in a can, and a mobile phone with some music, charged up to 60%.

In some buildings, people put a chair and leave a bottle of mineral water in the elevators. You never know when you might get stuck. United we stand!

***

I turned on a garland in a small green vase in my bathroom to clean the other vases and fill them with fresh water in the dark. When I turn on a garland, the place doesn’t look gloomy. Garlands set me in a good mood. [There are some more in my Amazon cart.]

The sadder I feel, the more garlands I want to turn on.

Garlands can light the whole room, and you can see not only where you are going, but also function.

Before 2022, I had never bought any garlands. I have never celebrated Christmas or New Year with the whole family. Sometimes I wish I had had some big festive, traditional celebrations.

In the movies, everyone is so happy and united on Christmas. They gather together.

Being a teacher, for me, the new year begins when the new academic year starts — in September. It is a symbol of something new. It is a symbol of a new, fresh start and, of course, it is time to set new goals.