Jim and Jules Babb — Sunday Routine

Who are you?

My name is Julie Babb. I am an Entrepreneur and Product Manager.

Hi there. I’m Jim. I help organizations think through and solve problems with digital media and technology. I also make games.

It's Sunday morning. Where are you? What's the first thing you see?

Julie: I wake up between 6:30 and 7 in our bedroom in Windsor Terrace. The first thing I see is Jim’s sleeping face and maybe a small (charming) puddle of drool on his pillow.

Jim: It’s a bit blurry without my glasses, but I guess the first thing I see is Julie. I keep our alarm set to our weekday time, but routinely hit snooze once or twice before starting the day. If Julie wants to sleep in I’ll walk Danger, our ten year old Pekingese; which is great, because it is the only time of the day that he is happy and his energy is contagious.

What's the first thing you do?

Julie: I roll out of bed and throw on an assortment of somewhat-clean clothes to walk the dog. Quick rinse with mouth wash and Danger and I are out the door.

Jim: I’m not much of a breakfast guy, but Julie is, so I tend to make her what I classify as an “eggy” breakfast. I’m a decent cook and like the creative challenge of putting together a fun meal with whatever provisions we have. I’ll soft boil, fry, bake… or just mix whatever is in the fridge with eggs.

Coffee

Julie: Coffee is a top priority in our household. On a weekday, we have a Keurig dole out our cafe. I drink mine hot and black to steel me for the day. Jim takes his iced with almond milk - I don’t know what that is about. On the weekends we like to use the French Press or the Moka Pot and feel fancy about it. Most days we eat toast or fruit or anything quick, but on Sunday morning we dance a silent little breafast

dance. Jim is amazing in the kitchen; so I slowly sip my coffee while going about my business and if he makes himself a quick breakfast, I know I’m on my own. Often times though, he will make a feast fit for a queen and this makes me happy.

Jim: Coffee is our first priority in the morning. On Sunday, the slightly more time consuming French press is a treat.

Describe your weekend "rituals"

Jim: Julie likes to go out on adventures, but I’m happiest if I never have to leave the apartment. I like to have projects. They usually involve cooking, fermentation or baking, so the weekend is the best time to get dirty and mess up the kitchen. My wife forgives the mess because she likes the outputs. I always have something fermenting whether it’s wine, hot sauce, sauerkraut, kimchi or some brown goo that slowly bubbles.

Julie: I drive us to Fairway where I wander around eating samples while Jim makes the healthy and responsible grocery shopping decisions that I am ill-equipped to make.

In the summer we hold “Office Hours” in Prospect Park - which is kind of like an urban version of an “Open House.” We bring a cooler of Bud Light Lime, a grill, and lawn games to the park and invite our friends and family to stop by. In the winter we occasionally host smaller dinner parties for our friends.

Podcast People

Julie: I listen to WNYC in the morning and Spotify while working.

I read Fast Co; the headlines in some NYTimes sections; and books. I get a lot of books off the street since in residential BK people leave their paperbacks on the stoop when they are done with them (this is a great way to explore new genres!).

Since we watch TV shows on Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon, we typically binge on one show at a time. Right now we are plowing through Sons of Anarchy. I just finished watching the first three seasons of Scandal. This style of TV show consumption makes me feel accomplished for some crazy reason. On Sunday mornings we like to watch the newest Shark Tank.

There seems to be more time for podcasts on the weekends. My podcast lineup includes MBMBAM, This American Life, Freakonomics Radio, Here’s The Thing (I LOVE Alec Baldwin’s voice and find his arrogance amusing), and Sawbones.

Jim: I consume a massive amount of podcasts and often run out several times throughout the week (so please let me know if you have any recommendations). My favorites are On The Media (saved for the weekend!), Planet Money, Freakonomics, My Brother My Brother and Me, and Marketplace.

In general, I think most TV shows are good. I rarely watch something that I don’t enjoy for at least a few episodes. Julie and I tend to watch shows together. Shark Tank is our favorite, because we love MONEY. On the weekend there is also time to sneak in a few sci-fi shows when it’s just me and Danger.

How does an ideal weekend end?

Julie: In bed by 10pm and feeling good about myself for flossing.

Jim: I’m not sure you can ever hit the ideal, but it never hurts to try to get as close as possible with the right mixture of food, drinks, friends, family, satisfying projects and games.