When the alarm clock went off this morning, I groaned. It was not a practice for the upcoming holiday, ‘Let My People Go’ sort of groan. It was the groan of someone awakening too darn early.
You see I am not a morning person, at least not naturally. My mom went back to work when I was in kindergarten, and she left very early, and my father set his own hours and those did not include early ones. So, waking up in the morning was my responsibility. I did what I had to do but certainly could not have been described as a “morning person.” My preference was for silence, and I cursed perky people. I promised myself that when I went to college I would not take early classes. Soon enough I will have to get up early for work, I reasoned, so why get up early now?
On the other hand, I am not a “night person” – never have been. I would think twice before going to a party or a bar with friends if it meant getting home too late. I was always one of the first to leave the social event and did not mind the title party pooper. I always reasoned that I had responsibilities to handle the next day, and I wanted to be sharp.
So, what am I then? Where do I fit in? I would have to say I’m a “mid-morning person.” I hit my peak productivity, happiness, pleasantness level at around 10:00 am. I’m feeling good. I have had my breakfast, adjusted to whatever my responsibilities are for the day and am in my groove. Yup, I am practically a whirling dervish at that hour. If you would see me you would point to my productivity in wonderment. It’s a bit crazy.
Things have changed. I want to blame my children. I remember a neighbor of mine telling me when my wife was pregnant to “Sleep now.” What do you mean, “Sleep now”? You can’t store sleep away like a bear stores nuts and berries or like a camel stores water. I don’t have a hump. He just smiled a “trust-me” smile. Once the child is born, others advised, “Sleep when the baby is sleeping.” It sounded reasonable. This way you can maximize time spent with the child. However, a question quickly arises: When the hell are you supposed to get anything done? Well, my children are not babies anymore – 5 & 8 (it’s my older boy’s birthday today – happy birthday buddy – love you).
So, shouldn’t things be different now? Shouldn’t my sleep patterns be my own now and not theirs? You might think so, but you would be wrong. I am now a night person, day person, and a middle of the morning person. I guess that is why I am also a tired person.
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