Stream of Consciousness Friday

Watched Mel Brooks' "High Anxiety" last night before bed. Damn, is Cloris Leachman funny. And hideous too. But what hell is it with her and the witch costume at the end? That broom certainly didn't work...

The 70's were a strange time, when you think about it. So many modern conveniences and wondrous new things...747s and touchtone phones. But then the older generation at that time gave us plenty of institutional memory of The Great Depression, no phones, or planes...and ate Fruit Cup (yes, as a pronoun) before dinner. And don't be late.

I have been getting the best sleep ever in my life since returning from Camp last weekend. Last night after turning off the movie I was in bed by 9:30 and sound asleep by 10. All week I've been bounding out of bed by 5:30 at the latest, ready to start the day. It's the alcohol and caffeine, or lack there of. Wait, I'm not on some sort of wagon...I just learned from a friend that his doctor told him that caffeine stays in the system for nearly 12 hours, and disrupts sleep patterns.

News flash.

So during camp I banished all coffee to before the ride, and none when I returned, in any form. Whereas last year I would guzzle the stuff all day long. I slept so much better this year. I also didn't write anything before sleep - doing all of it before breakfast, which worked well because I was up and alert so much earlier from all of the great sleep.

I've been continuing here, at home, now that I'm back. One coffee when I get to work, on top of what I'm drinking now, and that's it. Alcohol I've banished to the weekends and only with friends. Everyone knows that it wreaks havoc on sleep as well. It's contributed so much to my recent start-of-season weight loss that to add it back in now would be moronic. That said, I will have a few, and did - at camp - to celebrate the great days' rides, but yeah, it interfered with sleep.

It's all quite surreal, considering that less than two years ago I could barely make it out of bed on time to be at work downtown by 9:30. Yet, here I sit with five paragraphs already in at five after six in the morning. Breakfast is already in me, constitutional behind me, and I'm halfway through my pot of French press.

I live for breakfast. It is my favorite meal and time of the day. To catch up the news, to write as I am now, and just have some free time and solitude before the chaos of the day begins. Usually I have oatmeal, with peanut butter and banana, and honey drizzled on top on days like today where I have time in the morning. Yesterday, I rode to work in Northbrook and leave at 6:15, so I have a couple of pieces of rye toast with nutella on them. Plus yogurt and at least one cup of coffee before I go, in either case.

But it's not truly a morning without the full pot of French press. My favorite post-ride meal is oatmeal as well, with everything I mentioned above, except I also drop in a fried egg, over easy, and stir it all up, with maple syrup. I know it sounds gross, but after a four hour ride and your body is screaming for food, it's the most fulfilling thing I could possibly imagine eating at a time like that. Then you just fall over on your couch and take a long nap.

I hope I can get enough packing in before I fall asleep tonight. Actually moving out tomorrow. I have about half the stuff I moved in with. Am going to try to get it all out this weekend and next. Seems strange, like I'm watching it all happen, but to someone else.

The change will be good. I am taking Jack with me, and I hope he adjusts well. We'll have a big park to play in plus a couple neighbors, both with dogs, to take morning walks with and who can hopefully look after him while I'm out. For me as well, I'm closer to work - by bike, as well as within walking distance now to the Metra, so I won't have to stress about the blue line making me late.

The neighborhood is super cool, chill, and I'll be very close to Smoque, the bar-b-que place I love and haven't been to in about a year. Not sure if that's a good thing. But, regardless, I am already looking forward some warm summer nights in Mark's backyard with other friends as Jack gets to run around and play with other dogs.