It's not just me. Everyone is awake tonight, keeping me company as I sit out back. Trampled by Turtles is playing quietly on my phone, any quieter and it wouldn't be playing at all. In the background is where the real music is playing though, crickets and frogs singing accompanied by a firefly light show.
Literally as I finished that sentence, the AC Compressor kicks on. I wanna take a hammer to it, not just for the noise, but because I hate air conditioning. I hate feeling cold in the summer, I hate artificial air blowing in my face. I hate how something that is supposed to keep us cool ironically contributes to global warming.
I remember the first time my wife and I took a car trip together. We fought over the AC in the car. She wanted it on, I wanted it off. We somehow, without speaking about it, came to a compromise. When she got too hot, she would turn it on. When I got sick of it, I would turn it off. Back and forth we went for miles and states, hours and days, not passive aggressive, but a silent agreement.
That's what our marriage is in general. We don't fight, just find a way around things in a manner that is agreeable to both of us. We have little arguments of course, but nothing that ever lasts more than an hour or two, let alone days, and when they're done we don't even remember what got us mad.
They're cutting my hours at work soon, down to half, no way around it. I am so thankful. Now I have time to job hunt again, try and find something meaningful. It's so hard to do when you're exhausted from work, day in and day out. I'll have to find a part time job in the mean time. I have to keep making that money, saving every month for that house. I owe it to her. I owe it to me. Hell, I owe it to the dog.
The compressor just went off. It's weird, I didn't know how loud it was until it stopped. Now there's just the crickets, the frogs, the fireflies, and me. Out in the darkness, who knows what else? Raccoons? Coyotes? They're welcome to be there. They're good company, even if I can't see them, can't hear them.
Tonight I spent 4 hours out in dead silence looking at the night sky. Right before we broke stuff down it was so quiet we could hear the damned deer crashing through the woods. Quiet and silence are so under rated. And that is why you are going to be that couple on the local news celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary.That's what our marriage is in general. We don't fight, just find a way around things in a manner that is agreeable to both of us. We have little arguments of course, but nothing that ever lasts more than an hour or two, let alone days, and when they're done we don't even remember what got us mad.
In about 20 minutes I will get on a bicycle. It will be midnight. I will ride for 16 miles. And there will be no silence for any of it. Seven years ago I moved to the relative tranquility of the LAX exit pattern. The world's (contestably) busiest airport was quieter than my neighborhood in North Hollywood. I now pass south of North Hollywood. It is easily the quietest part of the ride. The air conditioner I will hear when I get home is a blessing. It may partially drown out my roommate's desire to turn on WWE at full volume and watch it from two feet away. And it will protect me, temporarily, against the 104 degrees it's supposed to be tomorrow. It was 99 on the ride in. I drank 3 liters of water and still didn't pee for two hours. I am sincerely looking forward to my third shower of the day.
Thank you. I had fun writing it. :) As for last night when I wrote this, it wasn't insomnia but it seems to fit my rambling tags. That said, the wife and I are both early to bed, early to rise type people. You'd be amazed how much extra time you have on your hands with such a sleep schedule. :)
I'm not disagreeing with you, but I'm wondering why it would be that if you get up earlier then you have more time. Everyone has the same 24 hours, so it must be something about energy or logistics or something. Does it have to do with the sunlight? Or other people's schedule?
We have found, for us at least, that maintain a relatively consistent sleep schedule makes it so much easier to maintain a routine. When you have a good daily routine going, it gives you a psychological momentum that allows you to get things done easier, keeps you from forgetting things that need doing, and allows you to get things done slightly quicker as you pick up a rythym for your life. I do also notice that on nights where I go to bed at a reasonable hour and wake up at a reasonable hour, I have more energy than on nights where my sleep schedule is thrown off. That also helps immensely.