Friday, January 18, 2013

Laura vs. the World (of alarm clocks)

This week I had to start using an alarm clock again, which I haven't had to do in quite a while. This, naturally, started the epic battle of "Laura vs. the World (of alarm clocks)."

Alarm clocks are wretched things. I understand its functional purpose, but it's a wretched device. As a chronic insomniac, sleep and I hardly get acquainted as is, but when an alarm clock gets added into the mix—everything just goes bananas.

And despite my best intentions, I rarely actually get up on time because I've hit the snooze button eight times.

So, I decide to outsmart the clock by setting the alarm early so I can hit the snooze button eight times and still get up on time. Of course, that doesn't work because I'm now hitting the snooze button those eight times, plus another 16.

Huh. Well played, alarm clock. WELL PLAYED.

Laura: 0. Alarm Clock: 1.

And the battle continues...

(I'm sure some of you can relate to my alarm clock woes. How are you doing in your own alarm clock battle?)

Incoming:


HOLY MOLY T-REX. The very lovely Emilie is the only person I know who sends me truly velociraptoriffic mail—both literally and figuratively. Plus, she has a truly dinomyte dinosaur collection.

A postcard from my niece, the world traveller

Articoolz from the great Rhiannon

A letter from Jennifer

Outgoing:


There's a certain irony in the fact that by starting a club to facilitate and encourage penpalling, I've put myself in a position where I can't write letters. Other than one letter I wrote earlier in the week, I literally have no time for penpalling right now. I joked to Julie that we should start a League of Extraordinary Dishwashers, because that's certainly something that I'd like to stop doing. League of Extraordinary Toilet Scrubbers, anyone?

Arrows (she's over there!) for Sarah

Apples and lights for Julie in Grand Rapids

Handmade postcard for Nicole
And that's it from me! Wish me luck in my war against alarm clocks. It may have gotten the upper hand on me this week, but I'll make it sorry that it was ever created by the end. Happy mail days everyone!

17 comments:

  1. Really good great sweet fun mail..

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  2. I have insomnia and alarm clock issues myself. On the days I open at work I need to be awake by 5 AM. The only solution that usually, but not always, works for me, is to take one sleep aide at about 7:30 PM so I can be asleep by 9:30 PM or so. I might or might not sleep well and I might or might not get up when the alarm clock goes off, though. Grrr! On days when I don't have to be up at 5 AM, I often am awake by 3 or 4 AM. Argh, I can't win for losing. ;)

    I love your mail, both incoming and outgoing! It's lovely.

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    1. Hi Denise! Isn't that the case though? When you can sleep to your hearts content, your body decides to wake up at awful hours when even animals wouldn't dare be awake. DARN YOU BODIES! ;)

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  3. I am enjoying a serious lack of alarm clocks in my life at the moment... I go to bed around 1 and wake up at 9 every day! Delightful! But that will change once I can land a job. =P

    Thanks for sharing your mail adventures!

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  4. What type of alarm clock do you have? I use a radio alarm so then when it goes off it's usually music instead of continuous ringing. It puts me in a better mood for the day, for some weird reason. ^.^

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    1. That's a great suggestion. But do you ever find that you sleep through the music?

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  5. Ah.. the ongoing battle of the alarm clock. It is beating me too. My current strategy is to use the James Bond theme music as my alarm, to try and trick my brain into thinking that there is excitement, espionage and a man with a Sean Connery accent waiting for me in my day. I still hit the snooze button 8 times and get to work late though. So perhaps don't take battle tips from me. :)

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    1. I love this comment and I WILL take battle tips from you. Because, quite frankly, trying to trick your brain into believing that you're in a spy movie starring British Men is a world that I definitely want to wake up to. I need to wake up to that world.

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  6. I have my last two cell phones set to random times. I need to be up by about 7:15 to get dressed (thankfully i'm low maintenance and lack the make up gene), eat a bagel, take the dog out and get to work by 8:00. Thankfully work is less than 5 minutes away! My current cellphone is set to go off as well. I probably only need one or two set, but I rather be safe than sorry and I have had the one across the room go off at 7:15 after i've hit snooze several times on the other ones. I'm a night owl to work days. XD

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    1. 7:15 in order to get to work at 8:00! That's insane considering that my alarm starts going off at about 5:30 so that I can get to work at 8:00 AM. Want to switch work commutes? Mine consists of a 10 minute drive to the train station and then 15 minutes on a crowded train with noisy university students. Huh, huh? Any takers? :)

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  7. Oh yes I can definitely relate to the epic battle against alarm clock! And I'm not more successful than you, unfortunately! Once I even tried to put the alarm clock on my desk, so that I'd have to go out of the bed to make it shut up, but... I got up, make the alarm clock shut up, and... went back to bed! XD I'm terrible.

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    1. I've read that you should never put your alarm clock beside your bed. Instead you should put it elsewhere in your room so that you have to physically get up in order to turn it off. However, if that's what you did and you still hit snooze and went back to bed, that just means that we're doomed in the battle against alarm clocks. OH NO! ;)

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  8. I've been battling the alarm for YEARS! ha! I also hit snooze a million times. I have it set to this really panicky sounding music...doesn't work really. I find that the best alarm clock is a child's cries. That ALWAYS gets me up! :p
    Good luck with the alarm battle, Laura!

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    1. Thanks Jessica! I will win this alarm battle if it's the last thing I do....

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  9. Nooo, Laura, don't snooze! That's the problem! David does it, too, every single day and aside from the fact that's driving me crazy and affecting MY sleep, he often ends up getting up too late. He claims he loves to wake up and fall back asleep, and I get it, don't we all? But that messes up with your rest AND the person next to you in bed. I suggest trying not snoozing for a week and if it doesn't work, just have your hubby throw a glass of water on your face to help you wake up. I know I'd do it for Daivd, hahaha! Oh, yes, I would SO do it, bahaha!

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