My Life, Before 9 a.m.

Somehow, the music on my 43-year-old Sony clock radio did not come on today, so I was roused from peaceful slumber by a sudden and alarming buzz. After swearing and turning it off, my day began. Would it be good or bad with this kind of start?

Well, with me it's always interesting, and so far, besides the normal quinoa-two-minutes-in-the-microwave breakfast, showering, dressing, and so on, I have these items to report--before 9 o'clock:

I found a naturally formed exclamation point on the ground during my morning dog walk.

I heard MacArthur Park on Sirius XM in its entirety--by request from some fellow enthusiast on the other side of the country.

I saw a beautifully preserved or restored 1957 Thunderbird. Later, I saw a brand new all-electric Nissan Leaf--only the second I've seen on public roads.

I heard an NPR recording of an interview of a woman who lost her husband on 9/11 in the South Tower of the World Trade Center. She described her last half-hour conversation with him, as he called from the building as it was in flames and about to collapse. Tears were streaming down my cheeks as I handed the toll taker my $5.

Now, I can START my workday.