This morning, I decided today I would focus on my sense of touch. I've found, however, I'm not as into it. It's more boring to me because there's always some sensation of touch -- my clothes, my shoes, the surface on which I'm walking, the air. I interpreted it as what my skin felt, whether or not I physically reached out to touch something. So while I sit here on the long, red couch, I am aware of its coarse fabric on my legs, of the firm cushion beneath my bum, of my feet on the edge of the coffee table in front of me, of my wrists on the computer, my fingers on the keys ... but I'm not that inspired to delve into it, to describe it. Certainly not as much as I was yesterday with my sense of sound. Yet, I can anticipate the days to come: taste, sight, smell (though I haven't decided in what order).

So here's today --

8:11 a.m. ... The warmth of cotton sheets, a sense of cool outside air on the skin of my arms resting outside the comforter, a soft, maleable Theodore Bear as I roll over. Upon getting up, the $70 Home Depot area carpet beneath my feet, an extension cord, the hardwood floor as I reach the door with its clear plastic handle.

8:57 a.m. ... The soothing foam of shaving cream on my face before the scrape of a razor. Soon I feel the pulse of the shower on my back -- first hot, then just right. My fingers massage my scalp as I shampoo, the soap bubbles working with the coarse puff to cleanse my skin.

9:28 a.m. ... Fresh, clean boxers slide up my legs, I put on a comfortable polo shirt and a pair of khakis -- I think in some cases, just the names of clothes describe how they feel. We're all familar with them. On my feet: black socks and shoes that feel tight but comfy.

12:50 p.m. ... Tortellinis squish in a satisfying way between my teeth and feel fulfilling sliding down my gullet. Coke bubbles as it chases after my lunch.

1:19 p.m. ... Dish detergent is slick and slimey as I wash my fork with my fingers under the water from the faucet.

1:28 p.m. ... My teeth break through the hard coating of a piece of Dentene Ice and the smooth shell quickly disolves into the rubbery, crater-filled minty piece of gum.

2:33 p.m. ... The boxers seem to be bunching up in an uncomfortable way. Must adjust.

3:34 p.m. ... A plastic cup in my hand, the warmth of wine on my tongue, the smooth swallow of shirazz.

4:31 p.m. ... Nice, soft, mushy feeling in my head and face.

5:42 p.m. ... I seemed to have not shaved as closely as I normally do. Huh.

6:15 p.m. ... There's the cool metal of my keys, the molded plastic of the remote entry buttons, the hard synthetic of my steering wheel, the air from the windows and sunroof moving in currents over my head through my hair. It feels particularly comforting on my arm as I rest it on the door frame and cruise along.

7:10 p.m. ... The cardboard is flat and slick and I struggle with two wide, unwieldy boxes from IKEA putting them into my trunk. (No, not for me, but for Bryan. He asked that I bring him two chairs this weekend.)

8:54 p.m. ... A zepher from the window behind me tickles my neck.

9:59 p.m. ... The brown couch is soft and engulfing. My stomach is in something of a knot, unhappy at the final few minutes of 24.

It seemed ... I dunno ... forced to me. Like they felt they had to end with an immense twist, a thrilling shocker (as they did the first season -- from which we've learned that not all the good people make it out of these 24 hours safely), and they hastily decided this is what they had to do. And I began to think to myself, "That sucked! First of all, there's no way he would've been allowed to have that press conference there, then, out in the open with so many people able to get there ..." etc. Then I realized that I was basically saying, "Man, it's so realistic that a nuclear bomb conspiracy was planned to get the U.S. into a war for oil and the president was removed from power by his own cabinet and Kim Bauer is that stupid and Jack Bauer hasn't so much as thought about food and has barely paused near a bathroom at all in 24 hours (or the previous 24 we've seen) and yet, it's so incredulous that such a scenario could play out at the end."

And that's just stupid.