Dormir.

I'm someone that could go to bed at 9:30pm and not think twice. I would have no problem falling asleep, and I could sleep until the alarm rang in the morning, and I would still hate getting up. I love sleep. I love being warm, and I love my bed.

Through several scientific experiments, I realized I don't function well on this much sleep. It's too much. I have found that if I stay up until 11 or 11:30, I have a much easier time getting out of bed, and I'm tired for much less of the following day. I forget about this trick, though, because when 10:15 rolls around and I'm still awake, I start to crave my bed.

Last night, I decided to force myself to stay awake until 11, at the earliest. Meanwhile, Gina fell asleep at 8:30 on the couch, so I was left to my own devices. I cleaned. A lot. I mean... I only cleaned the kitchen, but since we haven't been there for basically two and a half weeks, and hadn't really cleaned it for a month, it really needed it. I woke Gina up and told her to go take a shower. She said okay, read a little bit, and a few minutes later, I looked at her and she was sleeping again. (She had to take her parents to the airport at 5:30 in the morning yesterday.) I continued cleaning, but once 9:30 hit, I could feel myself wanting to go to sleep. But no! I didn't. I finally cracked a current issue of The New Yorker - I'm only about two months behind.

I woke Gina up again. "Do you want some tea?" She said yes, so I made us some tea. I placed it near her and woke her up; "Here's your tea."

I go back to the kitchen and continue reading. Then I decide I'm going to mess around with iPhoto on my computer, since all of you (read: KTP) are asking for new photos of our nephew Giovanni. I figured I'd finally put all of my pictures from my digital camera on to the computer, organize them, color correct them (as much as I know how to, which is hitting the "enhance" button on iPhoto), and then bring my computer to work and share them with you. It was great. I felt productive.

I looked back at Gina on the couch, and she had fallen back asleep, with her cup of tea sitting untouched.

"Gina!" I shouted. The couch is only about 7 feet from the kitchen table where I was sitting, so she jumped. "Get up and drink your tea, yo!" She started laughing, sat up, and sipped her tea.

I finally put my laptop away, changed into my pajamas, and forced Gina to get off the couch and take a shower. Poor kid, she just couldn't find the energy to do it, she was so tired. I went to bed proud of myself for making it to 11. I even read a little bit in bed! It was incredible!

This morning, it felt good to wake up. I was getting ready, putting all of my stuff together, right next to the computer so that I wouldn't forget it. I remembered my cowboy hat for Patrick. I remembered my bill for my subscription renewal for The New Yorker. However, I was halfway up Wilton Avenue before I realized I had forgotten the computer.

And in an instant, all of my productivity from the night before vanished.

I'll be asleep by 9:30 tonight, I'm sure of it.