Saturday, August 11, 2007

The Night

". . . it is curious," says Cyril Connolly, as quoted by Anne Fadiman (thanks again Nutmeg for introducing me to her -- I love essays and hers are excellent) in At Large and at Small, "that although I do not despise people who go to bed earlier than I, almost everyone is impatient with me for not getting up." I've been a night owl all my life and have always found this to be true. I'm married to a lark -- that man wakes up naturally at 5:00am and is ready to go for the day. What kind of person wakes up at 5:00am without 3 alarm clocks? What can possibly be natural about that? I have to arrange my life around a mostly 8-5 job; the only day that truly feels productive is my one evening shift a week. If our library were open 24 hours, as some libraries are, I'd volunteer for night work. I'd be the one lonely vampire librarian, however. Everyone else feels as if they are missing out on the day if they aren't up early. But my ability to think clearly and focus on a problem gets better the later the hour. My little night owl daughter and I have even been known to take nocturnal strolls around our neighborhood, looking at the moon and the stars. This weekend, I'm by myself so I can indulge my night owl persona by staying up as late as I want without someone saying to me (as happens every night), "It's late. Are you coming to bed soon?" Freedom!

Friday Shuffle
  1. Sky Blue Sky: Wilco from Sky Blue Sky
  2. Enough Cryin: Mary J. Blige from The Breakthrough
  3. Metal Heart: Garbage from Bleed Like Me
  4. Get Over It: The Eagles from The Complete Greatest Hits
  5. In and Out of Love: Bon Jovi from Cross Road
  6. Matrimony: Whiskeytown from Faithless Street
  7. Is There Life After Breakfast?: Ray Davies from Other People's Lives
  8. Liza: Joan Armatrading from Into the Blues
  9. Satan Gave Me A Taco: Beck from Stereopathetic Soul Manure
  10. Can't Wait: Bob Dylan from Time Out of Mind

7 comments:

Marshamlow said...

For the past twenty years or so I have been an early to bed early to rise kind of girl. Lately, I cannot fall asleep. I am also secretly thrilled when the whole family is asleep and I can just be. I used to find that same kind of thrill in the wee hours of the morning before they all woke up. But, when I lay my head on the pillow sleep evades me.

Kathy said...

I've always had trouble going to sleep. Even as a kid. And once I wake up, even if I've only been asleep for an hour, I'm up. That feeling of just being is so hard for me to find with others up and about.

nutmeg said...

At the moment, with two young children, I want to sleep all day and all night! I just can't get enough. Currently, I am a very reluctant lark!

sari said...

Enjoy your NightOwlNess!

I love Ray Davies, by the way. Good shuffle.

Iamthebookworm said...

I am such a Nightowl. I love it when everyone else in the house is asleep. It is so peaceful.

sari said...

Katya - thanks for the email to add me to your goodreads - I completed it!

Jess said...

I think I must be somewhere inbetween, because I can feel the pull in both directions. I'm perfectly happy working my evening shifts, but I'm not much good for thinking beyond 9 or so. Neither do I want to have to work at 8 am...