A Morning Experiment

I've decided to experiment with the idea that one can be trained to be an early-morning riser.  Over the past nine months, I have gradually become more of a night owl, which, of course, has led to the loss of many morning hours on the following day.  Last week, when I was forced to lay on my couch doctoring a sprained ankle, I saw no reason to get up early and slept until 10 or 11 o'clock every day.  What a waste of precious time!  But it felt so good...

O bed! O bed! delicious bed!
That heaven upon earth to the weary head.
~Thomas Hood, Miss Kilmansegg - Her Dream

On Monday (my ninth day of lethargy), I googled "how to become a morning person".  And this is what I found - a series of very helpful articles from a motivational speaker who specializes in self-discipline.  (and we all know that I need more self-discipline...[eh hem - that was sarcasm]).

Mr. Pavlina theorizes that getting up early in the morning is simply a matter of training your subconscious to make the decision to rise for you.  There is no way that your conscious mind will listen when you try to reason yourself into getting your crack outta the rack.   I've tried that.  It doesn't work.

So, as I lay in bed at night, I visualize myself going through my desired morning routine:

1. Alarm chimes obnoxiously at 5:00 a.m., immediately roll over and turn horrible noise off.
2. Young, hefty cat jumps onto tummy, nearly expressing full bladder.
3. Stretch sleepy muscles and fill lungs with fresh morning air.
4. Push both feet outside warm cocoon of blankets and toward floor (holy crap it's cold!).
5. Feet touch floor, eyes barely open, shuffle to bathroom.
6. Subconsciously feed yowling hungry cat under feet.
7. Make morning deposit in ceramic bowl.

And then I repeat the visualization several times until I fall asleep.  When the alarm sounds the next morning, my subconscious is prepared, and my body does what it is told.  The cats act in full support of this experiment.

There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast.  

~Author Unknown

At least, that's the theory...

I am currently on Day 2 of a 30-day experiment to change my late-sleeping ways.  Now I just have to figure out a way to keep myself from falling back asleep while drinking coffee on the couch at 5:45 a.m.
   

The amount of sleep required by the average person 

is five minutes more.  ~Wilson Mizener

  

The things we do for love...

It is a well-known fact that when you're married, you happily (not begrudgingly) participate in activities that your loved one enjoys, which you couldn't care less about. At the end of August, I (Liz) collected some "credits" by attending a Colorado Rockies baseball game with Bill.


I hate baseball. It was stifling hot and sunny that day in the stadium. We spent the majority of the game standing in the concourse to get out of the heat, while observing play between the shoulders and heads of the other fans standing in front of us.


I found happiness and consolation in flavored ice and roasted nuts. The Rockies won over the Giants that day, and despite the overall environment, I enjoyed spending that time with Bill doing something he enjoys.

I decided to cash in my "credits" by dragging Bill to Colorado Springs for the 2009 Balloon Classic. It is the largest hot air balloon festival in Colorado, held every Labor Day weekend.

We had to rise, shine, and get on the road by 4a.m. to arrive in Colorado Springs in time for the launch, just after sunrise. This is Bill's "grin and bear it" face.




It was a beautiful morning - perfect sky, clear and cool. There were 73 balloons launched that morning, all different colors and designs. The excitement mounted as the field of color began to rise - rolling hills of rainbows.


As the balloons filled with air, there was a slow building of anticipation. Then finally, in a sudden energetic lift, the fabric of the balloon would pop up off the ground and stretch toward the sky. Only the strength of the ground crew was keeping the balloon from going airborne at that moment.

At the right time, the balloon was freed to silently and gracefully ascend into the clear blue morning. I coveted the few people who were allowed to be carried along under the balloons - their view of the mountains and Colorado landscape must have been glorious.

I think Bill enjoyed the balloon classic, but the early rise was a bit much for both of us. We drove home and immediately hit the sack again.

More pictures of the balloons are here. Maybe next time we'll be lucky enough to be carried along in a balloon basket!

At Summer's End

First things first - I passed my final licensing exam! After weeks of painful waiting, nightly nightmares, withheld scores due to the "cheating fiasco", and many prayers for peace and a passing score - it has finally come to an end. I can officially practice medicine for the rest of my life without ever taking another licensing examination. [deep breath of relief] HOORAY!!

Summer is drawing to a close and we are back to a quiet home empty of visitors. It's a little sad, in a way, when your visitors leave; however, we are keeping busy and looking forward to the new changes facing us in the fall.

My mom was here for a few days in August, and we had a great time hiking and exploring. I'm pretty sure she fell in love with Colorado all over again (it's not hard to do!).


I took her hiking in Garden Of The Gods, which is always a treat. Mom is afraid of heights, so getting this picture took some convincing!


We had fun being silly together. Mom made my hat fold that way because she's short and the brim was hitting her in the head. :)


Then I took her Rocky Mountain National Park (a must-see for any visitor!) and we hiked Deer Mountain. It looks a bit like a hill compared to the surrounding peaks, but the summit is just over 10,000 feet. It turned out to be the perfect challenge for a sea-level dweller like my mom! After several stops for altitude adjustment, mom made it all the way to the summit - at 10,000 feet for the first time in her life!


I introduced mom to one of our natural wonders - the butterscotch tree. Really! It smells like butterscotch when you stick your nose deep into the cracks of the bark. I wouldn't lie to you.


Our last hike was in Eldorado Canyon State Park, up the Rattlesnake Gulch trail. We finally got Bill to take some time off work to join us!

All good things must come to an end, as is life, but we had a great time with mom. I know she'll be back again soon. If you'd like to see more pictures of our adventures, click here!

As we make our way into our first fall in Colorado, Bill and I are preparing for a great football season (both NFL and college), a REAL job for me, the annual Hot Air Balloon Festival in Colorado Springs, and the Great American Beer Festival! You gotta love Colorado!

Edit: I am an idiot. I forgot to mention one of our most-important visitors this summer! Unca Dave and Chris - I beg for your forgiveness. Just as I begged for forgiveness after spilling good beer all over Bill's lap while exuberantly recounting a veterinary tale. I grovel. I weep. I am scum.

Okay, enough of that.


We ate, we drank, we laughed until we couldn't breathe or walk. It was the most wonderful time to have after the most stressful test of my entire life. I am so grateful to you guys.

Please come back!!