Church Mouse
I am looking forward to the Thanksgiving Holiday in many ways, but especially in terms of not having to be the "big voiced" professor. I could happily spend the days of this holiday nearly as quiet as a church mouse. I am also thinking that at least on Thursday, that I may give myself the luxury of sleeping in until 7:30.
Sleeping in until 7:30 means I can turn off the alarm light! My wife only grudgingly admits my idea of an "alarm light" is helpful.... but it truly is. Like a lot of folks who have to roust out of bed in the dark of the night (where I live, it is pitch black at 4:45am this time of year), it is awfully damn difficult to force yourself out of bed when it is dark and cold. And, even if you do force yourself to get up, you often feel sleepy and lethargic for a considerable time.
So... a couple of years ago, I tried to systematically figure out a way to make it easier to get out of bed in the morning. This is where my "alarm light" idea came into effect. Since I tend to get up between 4:45 and perhaps at the latest 5:30 these days, so I can get my run in at the indoor track.... I have a large floor lamp in our bedroom with a 100 W (well, technically it is a 13 W LED that is equivalent to an old incandescent 100W) light that is on a timer to turn on at 4:00am. The light intensity it gives when it goes on at 4:00am is not too different from the light of the early morning sunrise (although not as pretty). Enough of that light will penetrate through my eyelids (in my sleeping state) to stimulate my pineal gland to regulate my sleep/wake cycle into thinking it is daybreak. It is far, far easier to get up when my auditory alarm starts clanging at 4:45am because the alarm light has acclimated me to thinking it is sunrise.
- Ran 11 miles (~18km) as per usual.
- PCS - back down to a "7". Still VERY strong. I really have to think hard.... there MUST be some way where I could a) have an occasional pipe indulgence (say, once a week), b) STICK with that plan and not "fall off the wagon" back into untethered indulgence, and c) do so in a way that does not require enormous willpower, energy, and stamina to maintain this limited (low) pattern. There MUST be some way to do this.... but I am still at a loss on how to succeed with regards to b & c together..... I can use a damn lot of energy to maintain the willpower or I can have lower stamina and a higher probability of "falling off the wagon". But, if I CAN master b and c simultaneously, I should be able to blissfully indulge in the sheer, unfettered joy obtained with pipe smoking.
- I am going to do every bit of pleading I can muster this afternoon.... hoping I can convince my wife that we should go swimming. I hope she responds affirmatively.
- Today and tomorrow it is supposed to be above freezing during the afternoon and may even potentially be rather "balmy" by hitting 41 degrees (~5C). I had foolishly forgotten to put in the orange driveway markers before we had our first significant snowfall ~10 days ago. These markers are very helpful when snow is heavy for it marks the outline of the driveway and sidewalks for me when I am shoveling and plowing snow. AND, it is also very helpful in "guiding" some folks (cough.... my wife.... cough... and two of my kids) to actually stay within the driveway boundaries when they are backing out instead of getting their vehicle stuck in the snow (as has happened QUITE often over the years prior my using driveway markers). With the relative "warmth" the snow may actually melt giving me an opportunity to fix this mistake.... and also fix my other mistake of not getting the patio furniture covered for winter protection. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the snow will begin to melt (some will probably slide) off of the furniture due to the warmth we may have this afternoon. Depending on the status, I may start to organize it for coverage by their canvas covers and get the big blue plastic tarp to wrap the bundle of furniture like a "present" for Winter.
5 Comments:
I'm sure I've mentioned this before, Professor, but I'll share once more. I've known of a couple of situations where the pipe-smoking husband made an arrangement with his wife that there would be one room, or even just one comfy chair, set aside in the house as a place were pipe-smoking would be allowed. I'm pretty sure, though, that both pipe-smoking husbands were retired, so they only rarely had to think about being away from their pipe-place for more than a few hours at a time -- if you attempted something like this, you'd need to be sure you could manage a whole day at the University without your pipes... unless you might be able to find one University spot to smoke your pipes, and one spot at home. That alone would tend to regulate your pipe-smoking behavior, as you would obviously need to spend a lot of time in places other than those two locations.
That much snow already! I can't imagine. I hope it melts somewhat so you can accomplish your pre-snow tasks. The most I did was cover my outside bibs with those styrofoam things.
I am careful about turning on lights when I am up in the dark, for lights tend to disturb Sue’s sleep even more than whatever noise I might make. When I go downstairs in the dark, I use the faint light of my watch or phone rather than putting on the big light. I also almost close the door of my den which is across the hall from the bedroom — almost, but it has to be left ajar fro the cat to come and go. Besides, we don’t love closed doors in this house.
About this:
there MUST be some way where I could a) have an occasional pipe indulgence... b) STICK with that plan and not "fall off the wagon" back into untethered indulgence....
I would argue that falling back into untethered indulgence is not likely because that's not where you are right now. For years you haven't indulged. You've been very tethered, some would say too tethered. You have so much discipline. A ridiculous amount. So why would you doubt yourself?
happy thanksgiving.
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