Piece #40 - Night Owls

For once, I really don't think this has to do with my disability, but as I've gotten older I've noticed I've become more of a night owl. I do remember growing up at first being an early bird, especially on Saturdays because I wouldn't dare miss my morning cartoons. When I became a teenager, things started to change in my sleeping habits. I found myself staying up later and when Jaimee and I first got together then we REALLY stayed up late! (That sounds kind of naughty.) As an adult, I've really had to be more of an early bird because of college and later teaching. I will admit that in my college life, there were days when I did stay up late to write term papers, but other than that I tried to get to bed at a good time.

I have often thought to myself why I do this? The only thing I can think of is routine...again. It seems if I get started late then it takes more time for me to go to bed. I just can't simply go to bed; I have to do all the little quirky things before I can call it a night. Now mind you that it would help if I took my nightly medication a little sooner as well, but it starts with the routine. I'll notice that if I have to do something later than normal, say going to the grocery store or take care of some task, it can set me back an hour or two on getting to bed at a decent time. I will sadly admit that there are times when I would drink a Starbucks or a Coke a little later than I should; that would jeopardize my bed time ritual as well. The only other thing I can think of are naps. I have to be really careful with naps because if I take too long of one then I'm doomed for the rest of the night!

This might sound little nuts, but the other factor that is involved here has a name and that name is Jaimee. She is just as much of a night owl as I am. I think if she would make it a point to go to bed earlier, then I might have found myself going to bed early as well. There has been a time when Jaimee was fighting insomnia and losing the battle. I knew I had to go to bed for work so Jaimee just couldn't go to sleep with me at the same time. As I've watched Jaimee, she doesn't really seem to have a full blown routine like I have when it comes to getting ready for bed. So I can't go off of her example or establish a bedtime ritual based on her motivations and decisions.

I realize the lack of sleep is not very good for my health and there are times like the summer that can make it even harder because we're out for three months. During that time, I can remember my sleep ritual would be from 2 am to 11 am; and that was on a regular bases! As I get older, I really need to work on getting into a better routine of sleep, but effectively following through is another story!

Song of Inspiration [Check it out on iTunes/Android!]:

Song: "Evil Never Sleeps"

Artist: Above Only

Album: Self-Titled

(By the way, I've finally joined the Smart Phone Allegiance...that's why I'll include Android now.)

Here's Jaimee and Lukas having a sleepy time...well, at least Jaimee is.

Piece #28 - Puzzles

I realize autism is symbolized by a puzzles piece and I've noticed that some people have taken some offense to that, but this doesn't deal directly with that topic. This is a straight observation on puzzles and how they affect me and the twins. With the new age of electronic devices, it has changed to way we do pretty much everything! In this case I want to focus on puzzles because there are lots of computer game companies that are betting on us to buy their own special puzzle game, whether it is on the iPad, iTouch or smart phone. I will say that I do own an iTouch and yes, I do love it! Unfortunately, I can get sucked into several good puzzle games. So far the top ones I love to play are Chuzzle, Bejeweled, Tiki Totems and of course...Angry Birds. To be honest, I also will go 'old school' and play Solitaire, Mahjong, Sudoku and even Tetris because they still have a place in my heart. Sometimes the simpler games I would rather play because they are quick and easier ...

Piece #35 - Christmas!

I intentionally waited until December to write this particular blog. Unlike many stores who seem to think that Christmas starts in August , I actually was patience enough to write this within the month. Of course, if you ask the question 'What is your most favorite time of the year?’ some will say summer, but many would say Christmas . I wanted to write this early because Christmas is one of those holidays that are a full season, not just one day. I think this is the one time when I enjoy the days leading up to Christmas more than the actual day itself. It's amazing how things change so quickly, from the decorations, lights, trees and all the other Christmas displays that spring up faster that lightning! There is no other holiday that has this effect on our society as much as this one. With my Asperger’s, Christmas can be a little difficult because the traditions that I did as a child are not the same as an adult. Worse than that, my tradition is constantly changin...

Piece #111 - First Impressions

"You already know that making a good first impression can go a long way. But forget all the advice you've received about dressing to impress or putting on a cheesy smile. Turns out, the true secret to building a lasting connection reaches much deeper than what you wear." "According to Amy Cuddy, a Harvard Business School professor who has researched first impressions for more than 15 years, everyone (consciously or subconsciously) asks two questions when they meeting someone new: Can I trust this person? And can I respect this person?" This quote comes from Reader's Digest and I actually found this rather compelling because I never really heard of this before. I've addressed this topic of first impressions in the past but, I have to admit that this idea is interesting. I guess since you hear a lot of things from a smile, the outfit or what you say make the difference; however these two questions have me a little perplexed. I think it depends on the ...

Pressing Puzzles

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