So in the past two weeks I’ve had one of the biggest challenges of my working life:  I’m an opener!  Coupled with the added challenge of being a commuter, my new wake-up time is 3:45am, about 5 hours eariler than I have been used to.  Routine has come to my rescue yet again though, and I’m happy to say I’m still alive and functioning well.  Here’s how it usually goes down:

3:45am:  I am pulled mercilessly into harsh reality by four screeching alarms

4:15am:  Get in the car and remind myself that it’s much safer to drive awake

5:00am: Arrive at work…wait for things to come into focus around the second cup of coffee

9:30am: Lunchtime!  Yogurt in the breakroom with Regis and Kelly

1:30pm: Off!!!!  The best feeling in the world as I saunter out of work while everyone else is just getting back from a late lunch.

2:30pm:  Pass out

4:30pm:  Wake up completely confused

9-10pm:  In bed, miraculously tired at such an early hour, and ready to do it all again.

One of my dad’s favorite sayings is, In order to get something you’ve got to give something up.  I’ve been thinking about this and also the nature and benefits of discipline.  For example, because of my new hours I’ve had to tragically give up Conan.  But I’ve gained over an hour of time I would normally spend sitting in traffic.  I’m so tired at work, and my eyes are always red, but the day flies by since I’m only partly conscious for the first half of it.  Etc. 

I just saw American Gangster last night.  It was an interesting character study…while Denzel Washington’s character was the “villain”, he was also more charismatic and easy to admire, because of the disciplined way he lived his life.  That’s definitely all I’d want to emulate from his life, but there’s something to be said for self-denial.