Beating the Sunrise

Back in college I had the most durable alarm clock of all time. Whenever it would go off in the morning I'd slap the snooze button with a vengeance, kick it across the room, swing a baton at it, basically whatever it took to make it shut up. Eventually I managed to jump off the top bunk, turn off the alarm and fall back asleep in one graceful motion. Nowadays I always wake up 10 minutes before the alarm rings just so I can turn it off. Nothing quite like a preemptive strike.

Recently however I find myself waking up right before the sun comes up. That's one alarm clock that's a little more difficult to turn off. I suppose I could get automatic blackout shades on a timer, but that wouldn't be any fun. Unfortunately the sun comes up at about 5:20am which leaves me with even more time to wonder and ponder about things that don't really matter.

Where is this other cuff link? Why can't people see themselves? If you could relive the last 10 years, what would you change? What would happen to the time line? Would you have to kill your past self in order to take your own place? If you did that wouldn't you die too?

For better or worse the space time continuum will have to take care of itself for now. There are far more pressing matters on the agenda today. There are deals to be made, chops to be busted, shit to shoot and rules to be bent. I used to think that sleep was a necessity right up there with food and water. But maybe sleep is more like fried chicken. Its awfully good, but we could all do with a little less of it.

Ironically I'm getting pretty sleepy as I write this or did the previous analogy make me hungry? At this time of day, I'm relatively content. The world has yet to infuriate me with its inane prattle and petty nonsense. While that may be good for my blood pressure levels, it makes for some rather dull writing.

If calm=dull then anger=excitement? Help me out here you law jockeys.

For nearly a month now I've found myself extremely mellow. I almost feel like I'm losing my edge. I have eliminated over 90% of my bad habits. I've stopped engaging in self-destructive activities, I've stopped engaging negative people and places in my daily routine.

So let's see.

Wake up before dawn. Check.
Stretch. Check.
Review to do list for the day. Check.
Update the do list for the week. Check.
Go out and complete the list. Check.
Compile tomorrow's list. Check.
Watch TVB. Check.
Go to bed. Check.
Wake up before dawn....

Holy crap! It looks as if I have altered the time line. Apparently I've become a 70 year old man. It seems like I'm two bottles of ensure and a pair of depends and a little chest pain away from Shady Acres retirement home.

This hiatus from the hooha and rabble rousing may end tomorrow or drag on for a few decades, but for now it is definitely a welcome change of pace. It's nice to not want to kick people in the head or rip parking meters off of poles.

When this humdrum gets old there will be; lions, tigers and bears rivers of scotch, plenty of white sand, blue sky, spinning turbines and lots and lots of glitter.

Until then, just watch the sunrise.