Day 2 - 264 -- Challenges of Mornings

Tuesday mornings begin abruptly this term. I have first class so should be in full lecture mode at 8:15 AM.  This morning when the alarm went off, I was sure I'd set it incorrectly. Firstly, it didn't seem that there'd been enough time to sleep and secondly, the sun didn't seem to have fully risen yet. The latter is a true sign of autumn approaching -- it does arrive tomorrow after all. Next term my early class will occur on a Monday morning, firmly placing extra reason to dread that first day of the work week.

Anyone who knows me will understand my distress over early classes. I was born at 12:36 AM -- as in just after midnight, and have always been more awake and active later into the night than during the day. Even if I'm up early, my brain seems to wake closer to noon than early morning. I am so not a morning person. Even as I'm typing, I'm leaning against a pillow with a Boynton cat and the caption "not a morning person." In high school my brother gave me a t-shirt with Lucy van Pelt on it and the caption "I think I"m allergic to mornings." My mother called me once early on a Saturday morning and told me 'half the day is gone before you get up" to which I replied that half the day was still left when she went to bed. <smile>. So this has been a clear trait for my whole life. It does take extra energy -- mental and physical -- to work through times that don't fit with circadian rhythms. Some early research has pointed to a genetic component to what has generally been seen as 'bad habit' or 'no will power' or 'just plain lazy' -- and it is none of these things. People like me do try to fit the work world times but at a personal cost that isn't understood by 'morning people' and decision makers. Flexible work hours are a blessing for the morning-challenged. <smile>

The song of the day addresses feelings and activities common to morning and how these change as the day moves forward. Some say this was inspired by an older Kellogg cereal commercial. <smile> Enjoy!

Good Morning, Good Morning -- The Beatles