“How are you?” asked Dr. Russian yesterday.

“Well, I was let go from work, I’m probably losing my apartment, and I have a cold. Other than that, I’m okay. How are you?”

The best thing about doctors is that you don’t have to make small talk. The best thing about Dr. Russian specifically is that, as a recent immigrant, he has a limited amount of what you might call cultural capital. I have had to define the following for him:

– catholic (as in catholic taste)
– short bus
– NyQuil

He tried to bond with me with about movies, which was a lost cause. Finally I threw out a name he recognized: Ingmar Bergman. “Oh but he is depressing,” said Dr. Russian. “I tried to watch — what is that one? With the Death? The Seventh Seal. Afterward I was almost nauseous.”

Oh! Well, what sort of movies does he like?

He considered for a moment and then said, “David Lynch.”

Even apart from mandatory check ins with health professionals, I’ve been keeping myself busy. I attended a great, free introductory class at the Gotham Writers Workshop, followed by dinner with a friend; I went to the second meeting of my book group last night to discuss Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (Short answer: Yes, with an if. Long answer: No, with a but.)

I have Man on Wire from Netflix, two action-adventure movies from the library and My Fair Lady. I’m rereading Prisoners of Azkaban. And I’m trying to limit the number of times I refresh the same job pages. Overall my strategy is to be less frenzied, less angry (if possible), and to treat this break as a sort of vacation. A working vacation, to be sure, but still. Thus my compromise is I get out of bed at 8:30, but I stay in pajamas as long as I like.