. . . and Insomnia is kickin' my ass.
As you may have guessed, OPERATION: Insomnia Sucks! isn't going too well. I've been feeling under the weather, so I have been catching up on sleep this past week. I want to say that it has helped tremendously, but then I would be lying. My cat naps have been during the day, so my nights have been... sleepless.
So here I am, Night #19, it's 2:51am and I'm back at Square One.
Alright. Maybe curing my insomnia in 30 days was a little ambitious. You think I can do it in 60? :)
musings, idiosyncrasies, life and all that jazz...
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
Holy crap...
. . . is it really December already?!
Every year, I look back on the holidays and think to myself: Next year I'm gonna be better prepared 'cuz I don't wanna be one of those stressful "crazies" running around all month.
Although the holidays have completely snuck up on me this year, I am happy to say that I am almost done with my Christmas shopping :) That's pretty impressive --> especially for me, Queen Procrastination... AND considering the fact that I have 20 children to shop for on my list! INSANE!!
Now my REAL obstacle? Actually sending out my gifts. Last year I didn't even send them out. My family JUST got their Christmas gifts this past October. I'm terrible. But this year I am determined to send everything out in time for the Fam Bam Christmas party :) Judging by my progress so far, it's looking hopeful!
So let me update y'all on OPERATION: I Wanna Wake Up at 4am Every Morning and Not Feel Like Crap...
I tried my best to keep track of all my stats, even though I have been the usual sucky blogger :) My sleep times have been ranging from as early as 10:30am (usually induced by food coma, example: Thanksgiving) and as late as 2am (thanks to Black Friday online shopping and Cyber Monday deals).
Nights #3, #4 & #5 were looking hopeful... I was waking up around 4:15am every morning. :)
Night #6 I actually fell asleep fairly early (before 11pm)! But I ended up waking up throughout the night, every 2 hours until I finally got up at 4:30am. Needless to say, I was EXHAUSTED that day at work.
Nights #7 & #8 were close calls! I completely slept through my alarms! Actually, let me rephrase that... I don't remember shutting off my alarms and going back to sleep. Luckily [PW] was nice enough to smack me awake! If not, I would have been completely screwed. I think that 10 straight days of work wasn't helping the cause. My body KNEW that I owed it a day off! Hahaha...
Night #9 (last night) I don't remember what time I passed out. It didn't matter 'cuz today was finally my day off :) No alarms, my body woke me up at 6:13am. After my initial freak out (What time is it?! What day is it?! Do I work today?! Am I sure that I'm off?!), I went back to sleep and finally got up at 10:06am. :)
I went back to yoga today :) My body is seriously feeling *blah* and I know that I need to dispense energy in order to gain energy. The first day is always hard, but I'm feeling much better already...
Seriously. Could I add any more things to my already full plate??
Oh wait. We start planning for winter guard tomorrow night.
*sigh*
Every year, I look back on the holidays and think to myself: Next year I'm gonna be better prepared 'cuz I don't wanna be one of those stressful "crazies" running around all month.
Although the holidays have completely snuck up on me this year, I am happy to say that I am almost done with my Christmas shopping :) That's pretty impressive --> especially for me, Queen Procrastination... AND considering the fact that I have 20 children to shop for on my list! INSANE!!
Now my REAL obstacle? Actually sending out my gifts. Last year I didn't even send them out. My family JUST got their Christmas gifts this past October. I'm terrible. But this year I am determined to send everything out in time for the Fam Bam Christmas party :) Judging by my progress so far, it's looking hopeful!
So let me update y'all on OPERATION: I Wanna Wake Up at 4am Every Morning and Not Feel Like Crap...
I tried my best to keep track of all my stats, even though I have been the usual sucky blogger :) My sleep times have been ranging from as early as 10:30am (usually induced by food coma, example: Thanksgiving) and as late as 2am (thanks to Black Friday online shopping and Cyber Monday deals).
Nights #3, #4 & #5 were looking hopeful... I was waking up around 4:15am every morning. :)
Night #6 I actually fell asleep fairly early (before 11pm)! But I ended up waking up throughout the night, every 2 hours until I finally got up at 4:30am. Needless to say, I was EXHAUSTED that day at work.
Nights #7 & #8 were close calls! I completely slept through my alarms! Actually, let me rephrase that... I don't remember shutting off my alarms and going back to sleep. Luckily [PW] was nice enough to smack me awake! If not, I would have been completely screwed. I think that 10 straight days of work wasn't helping the cause. My body KNEW that I owed it a day off! Hahaha...
Night #9 (last night) I don't remember what time I passed out. It didn't matter 'cuz today was finally my day off :) No alarms, my body woke me up at 6:13am. After my initial freak out (What time is it?! What day is it?! Do I work today?! Am I sure that I'm off?!), I went back to sleep and finally got up at 10:06am. :)
I went back to yoga today :) My body is seriously feeling *blah* and I know that I need to dispense energy in order to gain energy. The first day is always hard, but I'm feeling much better already...
Seriously. Could I add any more things to my already full plate??
Oh wait. We start planning for winter guard tomorrow night.
*sigh*
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Operation: Sleep is My BFF - Night 2
Staying creative with my experiment titles will keep me motivated! (...at least this is what I tell myself)
I know that it is only the second night, but I think I can do this...
Night Two Stats (November 22, 2010):
Time attempted to sleep: 12:15am
Last glance at clock: 12:38am
# of times waking up before alarm: 0
# of times hitting snooze: 1 (that I can remember, [PW] would beg to differ)
Get up time: 4:31am (Getting better!)
Work start time: 5:30am
Work Energy Level (Scale 1-5): Early shift, 2.5. Tail end, 3.
Post-work Energy Level (Scale 1-5): 3. Started off okay, but I hit traffic again. :( I didn't realize how tired I was until I took a 2 hour nap around 4pm. That isn't gonna be helpful when I'm trying to force myself to sleep tonight. Damn.
Caffeine Log: 1, Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso at 7am & 1, 12oz Coca-Cola at 2:30pm.
I left home at 5:00am, so I didn't make it outta the house in time to pick up Starbucks, but at least I had my trusty Starbucks Doubleshot handy! Those things are clutch! :)
Forcing myself to sleep early may be a mistake. I find myself stressing out about falling asleep vs. putting myself in a relaxing state to make falling asleep easier. Maybe I'll try gradually get ready for bed earlier each day? I'm trying to jump in with both feet here, but what I may need to do is just ease my way in and acclimate!
I know that it is only the second night, but I think I can do this...
Night Two Stats (November 22, 2010):
Time attempted to sleep: 12:15am
Last glance at clock: 12:38am
# of times waking up before alarm: 0
# of times hitting snooze: 1 (that I can remember, [PW] would beg to differ)
Get up time: 4:31am (Getting better!)
Work start time: 5:30am
Work Energy Level (Scale 1-5): Early shift, 2.5. Tail end, 3.
Post-work Energy Level (Scale 1-5): 3. Started off okay, but I hit traffic again. :( I didn't realize how tired I was until I took a 2 hour nap around 4pm. That isn't gonna be helpful when I'm trying to force myself to sleep tonight. Damn.
Caffeine Log: 1, Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso at 7am & 1, 12oz Coca-Cola at 2:30pm.
I left home at 5:00am, so I didn't make it outta the house in time to pick up Starbucks, but at least I had my trusty Starbucks Doubleshot handy! Those things are clutch! :)
Forcing myself to sleep early may be a mistake. I find myself stressing out about falling asleep vs. putting myself in a relaxing state to make falling asleep easier. Maybe I'll try gradually get ready for bed earlier each day? I'm trying to jump in with both feet here, but what I may need to do is just ease my way in and acclimate!
"Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach." --Tom Robbins
Monday, November 22, 2010
As If My "30 in my 30's" List Wasn't Ambitious Enough...
. . . I also plan to cure my insomnia in 30 days! :)
(-_-)
I know. My track record is exceptionally terrible, BUT let me give you ONE reason to have a little faith in me... *drum roll please*
As of July 2010, #5 on my List has officially been crossed off! Yep, after 5 years of service, I have FINALLY left Shokutopia!! *applause* Now I don't really wanna get into that right now. I have another post drafted that discloses my feelings about that accomplishment, which I will post one day in the (near-ish) future. :)
Right now I wanna talk about Operation: Cure Eds' Insomnia!
Who: Me, of course!
What: A quest to re-program my sleep habits and cure my insomniac ways!
When: 30 consecutive nights, starting the night of November 21, 2010.
Where: Wherever I lay my head to rest :)
How: I haven't quite figured that part out yet... maybe force myself to sleep early? Count sheep? Eliminate naps so that I don't stay awake too late? Yoga? Cut-off caffeine at a certain time? This is all about trial and error...
Why: I have this job that I really love and I used to start work at 6:30am (which was painful, but I learned to deal with it)... BUT starting this week, I now start work at 5:30am!! (Ouch! I know, right??) So, instead of focusing on the negative, I see this as an opportunity to get myself together and conquer this sleep disorder that I have learned to love, but that no longer vibes with my current lifestyle.
Night One Stats (November 21, 2010):
Time attempted to sleep: 10:30pm
Last glance at clock: 12:37am
# of times waking up before alarm: 0
# of times hitting snooze: I can't remember :(
Get up time: 5:01am (EEK!)
Work Start time: 5:30am
Work Energy Level (Scale 1-5): 3. Productive :)
Post-work Energy Level (Scale 1-5): 2. Headache. Probably from driving in traffic. (Stupid Coors Light truck broke down on H-1 West-bound, causing unnecessary traffic) Ugh.
Caffeine Log: 1, Starbucks Doubleshot at 8am & 1, 12oz Coca-Cola at dinner (8:30pm) <--Not good.
Caffeine Log: 1, Starbucks Doubleshot at 8am & 1, 12oz Coca-Cola at dinner (8:30pm) <--Not good.
Was I late? Yes. By 3 minutes. (It's a good thing I was smart enough to take my shower before I went to sleep!) I left my house for work at 5:12am, and I clocked in at 5:33am. That's pretty fricken good time. But I don't wanna keep the habit of rushing to work every morning. Definitely a habit that I need to break...
What am I gonna do different tonight?
I'm gonna try to fall asleep earlier. I am definitely gonna set an extra alarm!
Speaking of, it's getting kinda late and I haven't taken my shower yet. Discipline!!
Wish me luck...
"The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night's sleep." --E. Joseph Cossman
Sunday, May 16, 2010
30 'til 30...
30 days from today, I officially make my (not-so-grand) entrance into my 30's.
Where the LL Cool J did my twenties go??
In hindsight, I must say that I definitely took my twenties for granted. The "twenty-something" life has been great, but I thought my twenties would have more to show for itself. Maybe a small part of me thought my twenties would never end? Yes, I know the difference between twenty-nine and thirty is minimal... but the bottom line is, being twenty-nine means you're still in your twenties, and being thirty catapults you into an entirely different category! The days of checking the "25-29" age group box are gone. I am now bundled into the "30-35" category... *sigh*
Looking on the brighter side of this... event, I have decided to make a bucket list of 30 things (in no particular order) that I look forward to checking off in my *ahem* thirties:
1) Get outta debt
2) Start a family (eeek!)
3) Learn a new language
4) Learn how to swim (Don't judge me! I'm from California...)
6) Work in a spa as an LMT (Licensed Massage Therapist)
7) Take the NCBTMB exam and get nationally certified in massage and bodywork
8) Go back to school and become an Acupuncturist
8) Go back to school and become an Acupuncturist
9) Learn how to play my guitar (Yes, I own one. No, I don't know how to play it)
10) Hike Diamond Head and Koko Head (Again, don't judge me!)
11) Buy myself a grown up desktop computer! An iMac, of course :)
12) Complete a Bikram 30 Day Challenge --the legit way
13) Document memories by scrapbooking
13) Document memories by scrapbooking
14) Be a frequent blogger vs. the erratic blogger that you all know and love
15) Learn how to use all the functions in Excel.
16) Transform our spare bedroom into my massage space. (YAY!)
17) Pick up archery as a hobby
18) Learn how to cook at least one dish... Really well.
19) Paint a picture and be proud enough to hang it on the wall
20) Get back into black and white photography
21) Sing karaoke in public-- sober. (Another story, another time)
22) Get rid of my old Miata and reclaim my garage! completed July 7, 2011
23) Own a bottle of wine worth over $250
24) Finally liquidate our Cutco inventory on eBay
25) Learn how to sew more than just sewing on buttons
26) Finish "inking" my back.. Hopefully before having kids completed December 9, 2010
27) Become better at mailing out gifts and cards
28) Add at least 2 more stamps to my passport
29) Drive a motorcycle
30) Plant and maintain a garden (even if it's just a rock garden!)
17) Pick up archery as a hobby
18) Learn how to cook at least one dish... Really well.
19) Paint a picture and be proud enough to hang it on the wall
20) Get back into black and white photography
21) Sing karaoke in public-- sober. (Another story, another time)
23) Own a bottle of wine worth over $250
24) Finally liquidate our Cutco inventory on eBay
25) Learn how to sew more than just sewing on buttons
27) Become better at mailing out gifts and cards
28) Add at least 2 more stamps to my passport
29) Drive a motorcycle
30) Plant and maintain a garden (even if it's just a rock garden!)
There you have it.
My bucket list of thirty things I look forward to tackling in my... *ahem* thirties.
I won't go into detail about them now, but I'll be sure let ya'll know when I cross one of the list :)
*whew*
This list should keep me busy in my... *gag* thirties...
It's a GOOD thing I'm giving myself 10 years to complete it...
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Thursday, May 13, 2010
For the First Time...
. . . in the 9 years that I have known him . . .
. . . the 7 years since we have been dating . . .
. . . and in almost 2 years of marriage . . .
. . . I have witnessed my husband cry.
There's not much more to be said about it. No story that I wish to share.
But it is a milestone in our relationship, and I felt the need to document it in some way.
In love, you never stop learning and you never stop growing.
. . . the 7 years since we have been dating . . .
. . . and in almost 2 years of marriage . . .
. . . I have witnessed my husband cry.
There's not much more to be said about it. No story that I wish to share.
But it is a milestone in our relationship, and I felt the need to document it in some way.
In love, you never stop learning and you never stop growing.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
"In the Weeds"
INDEED.
Yeah. That pretty much describes my entire adult LIFE...
Can I just tell you that there are so many things that I need to get done, but I have NO IDEA where to start...
I need to steam the carpets.
Wally needs a bath and a vet appointment.
I still need to send out wedding Thank You cards (over 1 year LATE!!).
I still need to MAKE my wedding Thank You cards!
I still have to pick up my wedding video!
My old car needs to get donated.
I have to take my car in for maintenance and repairs.
We need to fix/replace the fridge.
Still haven't sent my Christmas presents back home to my family.
I need to write choreography for our winter guard show.
Gotta file my taxes.
It's time to renew my car insurance.
Need to start studying for my NCTMB certification exam.
Need to do laundry.
...and the list goes on. *sigh*
Now, when you're "weeded" at work, your only option is to hustle and get shit done. Granted there are days when I am fully in the weeds and I am one bitchy customer away from walking out the front door saying "Fuck this bullshit," but for the most part, I end up surviving another day at work... and I come back to work the next day to put myself through the whole damn thing all over again (I'm delusional, I know)!
Now, bringing that mentality to "real life" isn't as simple as it should be. I'm kinda in that "paralysis by analysis" mode.. I'm thinking too much about what needs to be done and I'm so overwhelmed that I end up doing absolutely NOTHING.
I mean, seriously... how the heck did we get here?!?
How did we get from the days of hoping for rollerblades for Christmas, to putting together a budget for how much we're gonna spend on Christmas gifts this year? What happened to looking forward to summer break, instead of looking forward to a break --period? And when did "saving for a rainy day" turn into "saving for a down payment on a house" or "saving to start a family?"
Somehow the days keep flying by, the "To Do List" keeps getting longer, and the income goes faster than it comes.
Yes, I am DEFINITELY in the weeds...
"In the weeds"
-restaurant slang meaning that a server is so swamped with duties that he/she is "lost in the weeds" and can't possibly do all the work.
-a colloquial expression used when persons are near or beyond their capacity to handle a situation or cannot catch up. Struggling. Very busy. (taken from the Glossary of Restaurant Industry Terms)
Yeah. That pretty much describes my entire adult LIFE...
Can I just tell you that there are so many things that I need to get done, but I have NO IDEA where to start...
I need to steam the carpets.
Wally needs a bath and a vet appointment.
I still need to send out wedding Thank You cards (over 1 year LATE!!).
I still need to MAKE my wedding Thank You cards!
I still have to pick up my wedding video!
My old car needs to get donated.
I have to take my car in for maintenance and repairs.
We need to fix/replace the fridge.
Still haven't sent my Christmas presents back home to my family.
I need to write choreography for our winter guard show.
Gotta file my taxes.
It's time to renew my car insurance.
Need to start studying for my NCTMB certification exam.
Need to do laundry.
...and the list goes on. *sigh*
Now, when you're "weeded" at work, your only option is to hustle and get shit done. Granted there are days when I am fully in the weeds and I am one bitchy customer away from walking out the front door saying "Fuck this bullshit," but for the most part, I end up surviving another day at work... and I come back to work the next day to put myself through the whole damn thing all over again (I'm delusional, I know)!
Now, bringing that mentality to "real life" isn't as simple as it should be. I'm kinda in that "paralysis by analysis" mode.. I'm thinking too much about what needs to be done and I'm so overwhelmed that I end up doing absolutely NOTHING.
I mean, seriously... how the heck did we get here?!?
How did we get from the days of hoping for rollerblades for Christmas, to putting together a budget for how much we're gonna spend on Christmas gifts this year? What happened to looking forward to summer break, instead of looking forward to a break --period? And when did "saving for a rainy day" turn into "saving for a down payment on a house" or "saving to start a family?"
Somehow the days keep flying by, the "To Do List" keeps getting longer, and the income goes faster than it comes.
Yes, I am DEFINITELY in the weeds...
Friday, February 19, 2010
It will be mine...
. . . oh yes, it WILL be mine :)
While everyone else in the world is going gaga over the new Apple iPad, I happen to have my sights set on something else...
The Amazon Kindle.
While everyone else in the world is going gaga over the new Apple iPad, I happen to have my sights set on something else...
The Amazon Kindle.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Hello Lent...
. . . Good-bye COFFEE, SODA and FAST FOOD CHAINS
I mean c'mon... It's ONLY 40 days, right??? *sigh*
It's been a LONG while since I have blogged.
You know how things can get...
You get busy.
(and lazy)
You go on vacation.
(and spend all your time daydreaming about the next one)
The holidays come and go.
(and you and your wallet are still recovering)
Or you catch a cold, or the flu.
(3 TIMES!!)
Your favorite TV shows come back in full swing.
(I LOVE Grey's Anatomy & 24!!)
You pick up another job.
(and you're too delusional to leave the old one)
You know... LIFE.
But in the spirit of Lent, [Sweet D]and I are making a conscious effort to blog every day.
In all honesty, I can't promise ya'll that I won't fail you (you have seen my track record), but I WILL promise to make every effort to provide you all with as much daily entertainment as I can :)
Deal?
I mean c'mon... It's ONLY 40 days, right??? *sigh*
It's been a LONG while since I have blogged.
You know how things can get...
You get busy.
(and lazy)
You go on vacation.
(and spend all your time daydreaming about the next one)
The holidays come and go.
(and you and your wallet are still recovering)
Or you catch a cold, or the flu.
(3 TIMES!!)
Your favorite TV shows come back in full swing.
(I LOVE Grey's Anatomy & 24!!)
You pick up another job.
(and you're too delusional to leave the old one)
You know... LIFE.
But in the spirit of Lent, [Sweet D]and I are making a conscious effort to blog every day.
In all honesty, I can't promise ya'll that I won't fail you (you have seen my track record), but I WILL promise to make every effort to provide you all with as much daily entertainment as I can :)
Deal?
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