> Listen to these people. Aren't you a little young to be starting the "uphill both ways" stories?

You're never too young. as long as you can spin a good yarn!

>I've been out of grad school two years now, during which time I was working full time, and out of all that time, there was only a three day period where I slept a grand total of about eight hours (5 1/2 the first night, which didn't leave much for the next two). Pardon me if I doubt that 3 1/2 hours' sleep is the *norm*, particularly from one who spends so much time *here*. :-)

*A-hem*

Why else would we be missing out on sleep? I'm a terrible procrastinator. Well, not so much anymore, but that's only an adapt or die thing.

No, there are some weeks where I get my normal goal of a good seven and a half hours per night. Then, there are some several-week intervals during which I come home after school, read for twenty minutes, do homework, have dinner, do homework, and go to bed in the AM every day. These aren't necessarily big projects-- I never procrastinate on those-- they're just little things. Weekends have been like that, too. There's this big build-up after an excruciatingly long week, and I spend the whole weekend doing homwork or babysitting-- usually both-- and I still stay up late Sunday. Then there was the day I decided to stay up 'till midnight to fiddle. It was so worth it. I had the time of my life, staring out of my little studio window learning new songs and finding sets. 'Course, I found this one I was completely enamored with... three hornpipes... but listening to it the next day, I couldn't see how they ever worked together.

Then, the less sleep I get, the less I want, so I'll be more likely to take a long walk at eleven. I love doing that. The dog's asleep, of course, so I go alone, but it's so beautiful. You can feel the peace, it just hangs in the air. Everything is this gorgeous shade of blue, even the snow. Or, in summer, sometimes you can smell the chammomile after, or more usually for me during, a good heavy rain or even a drizzle. It's the kind of thing even somebody my age reminisces about. There's this feeling that you know you'll remember the moment, and it's one of the rare times I have the presence of mind to enjoy something wonderful while it lasts, because I know I'll wish I had.

IOW, sleep is overrated. It is a necessary evil and there are tons of other things I'd rather-- or should rather-- be doing. Of course, the life is to short theory doesn't work, because I'm, sure I'm making it shorter. I can, however, blissfully ignore that fact at the moment.

Chr"ignorance is bliss when 'tis folly to be wise"is