night v. day

I am a night person. I've often wondered how true this is as I've gotten older (because many days I don't like the day or the night and would rather get my preferred 9 hours of daily sleep).

Last night I couldn't sleep. That doesn't happen very often to me. (again, I prefer 9 hours, and lazy though I may be, I'm not going to waste time trying to nod off! If I have any hope of making it to my goal, I best get started snoozing right away.) So, I turned on the light, read a bit, wrote a thank you note for a recent interview, and finally made out a list of all sorts of things to do. I enjoy making to-do lists, and then diligently checking things off as I complete them (until I get tired of that list, toss it, and start a new one with half the old things on the new one). It is only in the middle of the night that I can truly get into all the things I should be doing and goals I should be setting, and then design plans on how to accomplish them. I have probably made the majority of all my life's lists after nightfall. So, after creating my latest list, I turned out the light, only to be engulfed by thoughts of the list (and the interview; and also a same-sex marriage debate I recently attended at the U of M Law School, as long as I'm listing things about which I was thinking). around 2 or 3 this morning I was finally getting sleepy, so I dropped off in a happy state.

Only to awake this morning and not want to look at the list of things to do - the list that so interested me last night that the pondering thereof caused me lack of sleep. I cared neither for the interview (good thing i'd completed the thank you last night) nor the debate. This has happened to me often (as I'm sure it has to a great number of other people). I am excited about something right before bed or in the middle of the night, and then by morning i don't care. Not because it isn't such a good goal or the task can't be accomplished by daylight, but because I can only get excited about projects, be they short- or long-term, when I am at my most awake and alert. apparently that is nighttime; I sleeplessly dream at night.

I am a night person.