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floatingleafThis week I was reminded, yet again, that staying up past my regular bedtime is NOT a good idea. I can pull it off once in a while, but not two nights in a row. Not any more. Because if I do that, then by the third night my entire inner clock is out of whack, and I am unable to fall asleep at the regular time, despite mind-numbing exhaustion. Which triggers an entire vicious cycle of insomnia, anxiety, grumpiness and debilitating fatigue. The longer I go without a full night of proper rest, the more anxious I become, and the more difficult it is to actually relax enough for deep, restful sleep to occur naturally. And so, last Friday night I had to resort to a sleeping pill. After which I zonked out for about 9 hours. But if you thought I woke up refreshed and well rested on Saturday morning, you'd be wrong. I felt sluggish and out of sorts all day - which I am assuming was the after-effect of the pill. I barely managed to drag myself to my chiropractic appointment, which was at 11 a.m. Even though I had gone to bed before 10 p.m. the previous night (I tossed and turned for about 2 hours before I caved in and popped the pill - I really don't like resorting to chemicals until I'm fairly desperate, tbh). And all because a few nights earlier I had a sudden flash of guilt about being a crappy LJ friend, and decided to leave a whole bunch of comments - which took somewhat longer than expected. Well, I tried... but it really can't happen anymore. On a weeknight, I absolutely HAVE to be in bed by midnight, no matter what. Actually, let's make it 11:30. Midnight is acceptable on weekends. 1 a.m. or later is not acceptable EVER, except maybe New Year's Eve.;) It's just not worth the epic misery I go through for days afterwards. My body has been trying to tell me so for years. I need to finally start paying attention. It's one thing when some external source of anxiety deprives me of proper rest... but why do it to myself for no good reason? Because I can't unglue my eyes from the computer screen?... How old am I, again??? Actually no, don't answer that. Old enough for lack of good sleep to become a serious health risk, apparently. Not to mention the awful effect it has on my mood. So, from now on, I am actually going to follow my own rules for a change. And if that makes me a crappy friend or an infrequent commenter, then so be it. There's only so much internet one can possibly keep up with, anyway. *sigh*
In better news, I may have spontaneously ordered some pretty jewellery on Etsy.
You probably can't see it very clearly, but each piece has a tree on it. Because I love trees. And one of the rings + the pendant are an exact match. Also, one of the rings was a free bonus, because the lady who makes them had a sale (buy 2 rings, get one free - the other two were $14 each). So, if you want something cheap & pretty, look up WearItOutJewelz on Etsy.:)
To complete this random post, let me recommend another movie. Wadjda. Possibly the only one I've ever seen made in Saudi Arabia. About a 10-year-old girl who is a bit of a tomboy and dreams of riding a bike. But riding bikes is considered a highly inappropriate pastime for girls. It's actually seen as a threat to their virginity (yes, it's the 21st century, why do you ask?). But then, even walking down the road is a threat to virginity in the context of a culture where schoolgirls - covered in long robes from head to toe - have to abandon the yard and play indoors when there are construction workers across the street. Because "decent girls" do not allow men to see them (of course, it's always the girls themselves who are responsible for any indecent looks or comments they may receive). There is also the matter of Wadjda's father being pressured into choosing a second wife, who could bear him a son (the girl's mother can't have any more children, since her first pregnancy was too difficult to risk another one). So, this is very much a film about how it feels to be a girl, or a woman, in Saudi Arabia today. (Not that much different from other, supposedly more "enlightened" places, if you think about it.) Not surprising, perhaps, but still extremely well done and very moving. The mother-daughter bond in particular is quite heart-warming (I always watch this particular connection with a sort of wistful disbelief, since it's not something I can relate to).
Well, I could ramble on, but it's getting late. And I really meant it about following my own rules this time. So excuse me while I go get ready for bed... *yawn*
In better news, I may have spontaneously ordered some pretty jewellery on Etsy.
You probably can't see it very clearly, but each piece has a tree on it. Because I love trees. And one of the rings + the pendant are an exact match. Also, one of the rings was a free bonus, because the lady who makes them had a sale (buy 2 rings, get one free - the other two were $14 each). So, if you want something cheap & pretty, look up WearItOutJewelz on Etsy.:)
To complete this random post, let me recommend another movie. Wadjda. Possibly the only one I've ever seen made in Saudi Arabia. About a 10-year-old girl who is a bit of a tomboy and dreams of riding a bike. But riding bikes is considered a highly inappropriate pastime for girls. It's actually seen as a threat to their virginity (yes, it's the 21st century, why do you ask?). But then, even walking down the road is a threat to virginity in the context of a culture where schoolgirls - covered in long robes from head to toe - have to abandon the yard and play indoors when there are construction workers across the street. Because "decent girls" do not allow men to see them (of course, it's always the girls themselves who are responsible for any indecent looks or comments they may receive). There is also the matter of Wadjda's father being pressured into choosing a second wife, who could bear him a son (the girl's mother can't have any more children, since her first pregnancy was too difficult to risk another one). So, this is very much a film about how it feels to be a girl, or a woman, in Saudi Arabia today. (Not that much different from other, supposedly more "enlightened" places, if you think about it.) Not surprising, perhaps, but still extremely well done and very moving. The mother-daughter bond in particular is quite heart-warming (I always watch this particular connection with a sort of wistful disbelief, since it's not something I can relate to).
Well, I could ramble on, but it's getting late. And I really meant it about following my own rules this time. So excuse me while I go get ready for bed... *yawn*
