In the month since I’ve been married, every day has been disorienting. The normal habits and routines of life are uprooted and tossed over the wall. What’s left a new life, a clear piece of earth ready for a garden to be planted.

The most obvious difference is that there is a woman living in my house. I could go on for pages about how this has changed, but I don’t have the energy for that. (Actually, it’s because I haven’t figured out how to live with the mythical creation that is female.)

I have so much fun being at home now. This house isn’t just where I hang my hat and watch a sports game on TV. It’s becoming a more hospitable, comfortable home. I’ve done two random things this week that I haven’t done since I’ve been living on my own. I had trouble sleeping, so I got up and made something to eat. This is new because I’ve never had that much food in the fridge. The second thing is that I also got up from bed and went downstairs and watched TV. I would do this all the time in high school, but since I’ve been on my own, I’ve never done this. I guess it’s that my house is comfortable to live in again, so I’m finding my way back to simple rituals from my childhood.

Work is not as fun. Yeah, it’s good to be creative throughout the day, but as the afternoon passes by, all I can think of is how I can’t wait to get home to hang out with Candyce again. Spending time with her was always the highlight of my week. Now I get that every night and weekend.

We went to Costco and bought groceries yesterday. That was good because food is cheaper there, and I felt like we got more to eat than if we’d shopped anywhere else. But at the same time, it was a little boring standing there at the checkout, watching dozens of items slide across the scanner. This 5-minute ritual is as ordinary as life can get. I’m happy to live in a country where the economy is stable enough for the stores to stay stocked with fresh food. But that doesn’t make going “grocery shopping” exciting. It’s something you have to do, so you just do it.