"When I wake up in the morning and the 'larm lets out a warning...i don't think I'll ever make it on time"

Not that anyone is particularly dying to know, but I thought it would be enlightening to let you know what goes through the mind of an executive assistant, namely me, in the hour or so before I go to work. Here goes:

6:45-some horrid sound from my cell phone and 5 minutes later, the bedside alarm clock. Does anyone else have an irrational fear of alarms? I have it in a major way, second only to nightmares of not knowing I have work on national holidays. I always make sure I have two forms of wake-up devices because god forbid there's some power outage or my cellphone batteries zap out. The bottom line is that I cannot be late. We don't do late at my magazine.

7:00--well maybe I can just sleep a few more minutes. Because Chow Fun is next to me and she's so warm and my chartreuse satin blanket is just so enveloping. But shit, what am I going to wear today.

7:05--Shit, what am I going to wear today. Do I have the energy for heels? Should I take them with me? Can I get away with wearing jeans two days in a row. What if they're black....hmmmm.

7:10--Shit, what am I going to wear today. Why can't I do laundry more often. Oh yeah, because the laundry room closes at 8pm and I'm never home before then.

7:30--Shit, what am I going to wear today. Why do I have to look presentable every day?

7:40--this looks decent. Ughh I have to leave. I hate living in Harlem, so far!

7:45--ahh, forgot to put on makeup. And I work at a beauty magzine. Ahh! Can't be late. Moisturizer, mascara, bronzer, that's enough, grab coat, race out of here.

7:50--have to come back to my apartment because I forgot (ipod/cellphone/book/ID card/gloves/any or all of the above)

7:55--I always walk the 9 blocks down St. Nicholas Avenue to get to the express train. Look how lovely Harlem is in the morning, kids traipsing off to school in the morning, older gents brooming the sidewalk outside their establishments. All little moments, heightened by some LCD Soundsystem in my headphones. Its a 7 minute walk, sometimes I go to a bodega and pick up some coffee and try to speak a little spanish. Its nice. I won't be walking outside until a few 12 hours later.