Sleep, Precious Sleep

Last night was the first night I’ve slept more than four hours in two weeks. I have occasional bouts of insomnia — usually when I’m in high-stress mode or a heartache state — and I’ve been in both the last couple of weeks. I’ve been semi-zombied, prone to tears and incoherence and apologies and quasi-rage. Today is the first time in days I’ve felt like me. And so I can’t get myself out of the bed (my sister’s bed, to be precise). I’ve been awake for three hours, but I keep crawling under the covers. Sister has a laptop, so I’ve been able to surf and download and write and read and work without leaving the bedroom. Maybe I need a laptop of my own …

One good thing came out of the sleepless nights. I’ve been writing. Two short stories. Not sure what I’m going to do with them — maybe start a new blog and post them, maybe trash them by July — but I was happily surprised to discover that I can write something other than newsletter articles or HR announcements.

In other ramblings …

House-sitting for the sister and brother-in-law this weekend. It’s like a mini-vacation. I get to enjoy the quiet of the ‘burbs (their yard backs up to a horse pasture) and dog ownership. The dog and I have been inseparable since I got here last night. Luckily, he’s of the slug variety, so he’s enjoying the bed lounging as much as I am. I’d love a dog of my own, but my lifestyle doesn’t allow it. Plus, I’m really more of a cat person, as Maggie and Otto will attest.

Has anyone heard Grant Lee Phillips’ cover of “The Killing Moon”? It’s supposedly on his new album of cover tunes, which comes out June 27. Grant Lee Phillips could sing just about anything and it would be beautiful. Wish he was my village troubadour.

Speaking of Grant Lee Phillips, if you’ve never read The Haiku Year, check it out. Seven friends — including Phillips and Michael Stipe — spent a year keeping in touch via haiku, and their work is published in the book and on a Web site. It’s a great writing exercise since you have just 17 syllables to convey a thought or feeling. Some friends and I haiku’ed it via e-mail a few years back. I loved it; they got bored and stopped. I won the haiku contest in the fourth grade, though, so maybe I had an unfair advantage.

Is anyone really listening to Ann Coulter and agreeing with all the crap she says?

Dinner tonight with Holly and Randy, which should be a good time. And Dave Chappelle tomorrow night.

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