The zen of sleeping in

Didn't make UUC services this morning, as we were out late last night par-taying it up for St. Paddy's Day. My best galpal from college and her beau came along with us to see comedian (a loose term, as it turns out) Colin Quinn perform locally. After that, as it was a holiday and all, we went to our local microbrew restaurant for a few "samples." Several plastic glasses, much loud, live music and loud namings of anatomical parts later, we realized how late it really was (an astounding 1:00 a.m.) and had to head home. Luckily, for us the drive was short. Unluckily for galpal 'n beau, not so short.

Anyhoo, I'm upright and dressed today, but with a pounding headache starting at the base of my skull. Tra la!

So, nothing of a truly spiritual nature to talk about today. Spirits, yes, but not so much spiritual, unless you count the wisdom found at the bottom of a glass. At times that's not to be underestimated, I'll grant you that, but for today I'm just nursing my exhaustion and looking forward to a good nap.

Hopefully you can find some inspiration in that, though God knows what it would be. Good times, good friends, bad stand-up comedy. Green beer, interesting Irish-inspired headgear and lots of laughs. It's a good thing.

Thursday? GACK!, and recalling a dream

I would have sworn it was just Sunday yesterday, the day I go for my latest dose of UUC. I planned to post here immediately after that, but life, dear reader, most decidedly got in my way. It can be such a bitch that way.

Anyhoo, too busy now to really update you much, but I did want to report this wild dream I had, mostly so I can remember it.

I dreamed I was married to Michael Jordan, yes the former basketball player. Michael and I were in the basement dungeon (?) of our palatial home when I realized we had both a tiger and a lion running through the place. The beasts were threatening our pets and children, so I knew something had to be done. Michael jumped up, grabbed the beasts, and somehow locked them in a closet. Now, that was resourceful and all, but I somehow didn't trust a wooden door to keep us all safe. So I gathered up all the children and our pets and started up the stairs to get out of the house, while Michael kept that closet door closed. He's so selfless that way!

Then I realized our cats had had kittens (for the record, we own two MALE cats in real life - two neutered male cats) and these were running all over the place. I had to grab every one of them. I was scared to death they'd be eaten! So I eventually did get them, and headed up the stairs to safety, though I did still worry about Michael.

Then I woke up, to my real life husband shaking my shoulder saying, "Oh my God, it's 7:30! Wake up!"

Fun to have a weird ass dream I can actually remember. Usually they go POOF as soon as I wake up. This was one of those groggy, fall back asleep and dream dreams, and I was able to recall it this time around.

That's it for now. Will return with more thoughts spiritual, and another list of 7, when I can.

Sundays... BLECH.

" The feeling of Sunday is the same everywhere, heavy, melancholy, standing still."

- Jean Rhys


My question today is why do Sundays tend to feel so awful? I don't have a job I dread going to on Mondays or anything. That would explain some of it, but I love working in a library. What bibliophile wouldn't? So why does the last day of the week leave me feeling so melancholic? I can't quite get my head around that, even if it does seem like a fairly universal thing, dreading Sundays.

Sundays are usually pretty good days here, especially lately. Paul and I have gotten into the routine of going to breakfast and then to UUC services on Sunday mornings, sometimes hitting a bookstore after, sometimes going to Starbuck's. It's not like we have nothing to look forward to at the end of the week. I do usually have homework to do on Sundays, but I don't hate that, either. It's library school, after all. It doesn't (usually) suck.

So why do Sundays leave me with that feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach? They just feel so sad to me, so lacking in hope, no matter what the actual state of my day is. They're like one long string of grey days, unremittingly dismal.

It could partially be the weather, and the fact this has been a loooooong, dragged out season of cold and snow. The good news is today we set the clocks ahead, giving us more daylight hours in the evening, shortening those seemingly endless nights to something a little more manageable. I'm hoping as things warm up I'll perk up a little on Sundays, and as the days grow longer things will seem more positive.

I'll be back either later today or tomorrow to report on this week's UUC message. In the meantime, hope all's well with you and yours.

Now I'm off to do homework. The homework that doesn't suck, in case you were wondering.

INSOMNIA

Welcome to my sleepless nights.

I'm in an insomnia pattern. Fun! This is night, oh, three or so of getting just about as little sleep as is humanly possible to function.

It's nearly 2:30 a.m. now and I haven't slept a wink. Last night and the night before I had little catnaps through the night. But tonight, nada so far.

The good news is I have plenty to read. Finding something to do isn't problematic, it's just knowing I'll feel like crap tomorrow that makes me a little bummed.

So, may as well report in on what I realized earlier today I still hadn't done, UU lesson # what was it... four?

The topic: what I believe about life. Examples: People are generally good, I have to roll with the punches and enjoy what life gives me, stuff like that. That's what some other people said re: what they feel is true.

But as for me? Hmmm. Let's see. One thing I believe in is karma. The Christians refer to it as the Golden Rule. Basically, how you treat others comes right back to you. It's not supposed to work out in this life that you see the immediate results. That's the stuff of several lifetimes, if you believe in that kind of thing. But I think a version of it is more instant than that. Some of it does come back around. I've seen it. It may not be properly karma, but it's close enough for me.

Other beliefs in life... Well, it's hard to believe people are generally good, at least right now. Actually, it's not a good time for me to even delve too deeply, methinks. I'll stick with a firm belief in something resembling karma, and leave it at that.

Now I'm going to go write a column, since it's nearly 3:00 and I'm still not sleepy. Maybe once I get a rough draft done I'll be able to get some rest. I hope.