As of tonight Elise has been away from Philadelphia for over two weeks.

That not only marks the longest time I’ve gone without seeing her since January of 2002, but also the longest time I’ve ever lived alone.

Effectively, I’ve been a bachelor for the first time in close to six years. which was a pretty big eye opener. What I realized is that even when you function independently as part of a pair, somewhere in your mind you are considering what your other half is doing, and when you’ll see them next. With Elise half the world (and about 24-hours of travel) away, those back-of-mind ticklers were rendered inert.

Here are the ten things I learned while left alone with my brain.

• 10. I can easily get up on time if I don’t have another person’s alarm clock to confuse me…
• 9. And, I sometimes really do prefer to sleep on the couch.
• 8. I enjoy going out for drinks. A lot. And, I don’t tend to drink to excess if I’m coming home alone.
• 7. Playing guitar alone in the house is only a priority when I have a limited time to do it. (Like, more limited than two weeks)
• 6. Begrudingly adhered-to habits (like dieting or room tidying) are only fun when I have someone else to gloat to about my success.
• 5. Conversely, enjoyable or self-affirming habits (like blogging or teeth whitening) are easier to keep up when I’m entirely under my own recognizance.
• 4. I never, ever, ever turn off the hallway light, even when I am convinced that I recall turning it off.
• 3. I know absolutely nothing about the function or repair of toilets.
• 2. My main motivation to do laundry is not lack of clothing – it’s actually peer pressure.
• 1. I really like Elise.