Over Night Musin's

16 years ago

Sometimes you know you're going to have a sleepless night. Might as well not fight it. But the night time is not a bad time, at least for me. I've done some of my better thinking during this time of day, day, so to speak. There are little or no distractions. The mind wanders at first, but after only a bit of wandering, the mind becomes clear and throw off any unnecessary thoughts. It's a time of clear headed concentration. It's not a labourious type of concentration, though. It's as if the mind is perfectly at peace and perfectly working. There is no need to rush a thought, but it just seems that they run their course naturally. There very little in the way of night sounds to distract oneself with. If one wants to be distracted then one only has to wander outside and view the night sky. I find it pleasing that I still, even at my age, can look at the night sky with the eyes of a child. If the moon is not in phase to show all night, then one only has to look to the planets that slowly meander through the night sky, or look for the familiar constellations that for all partical purposes never change, or we will never notice the change in our life times. I'm in the mood for some music: thinking music, intelligent music. If my turn table were working, I would definitely listen to The Year of the Cat. But it's not so I will make do with youtube. Don't know what happened to Al Stewart along the way, but tonight a couple of his songs have popped into my head. The one above and this one calledOn The Border. I'm not too worried, much, about a sleepless night. I may drag a bit tomorrow, but I will manage I have before, and when it happens again in the future, I will do the same.

Now I believe I will listen to Mahler. Not to purge any demons that might be on hand, but to simply get into that particular mindset that his music produces. The mind set that his music produces is as unique as his music is. I don't need youtube for that as I have a few of his cds.

Hmm, I have mused a bit more than usual. Perhaps it's the melantonin tablet I took earlier when I still thought I could sleep tonight.

Elia

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Comments (9)

oscarthecat
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Also an excellent time to paint the kitchen. No one being in the way. Steve in Baltimore County.
Josh
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Not here, Steve....I'm often cooking late at night. Love a long session of chopping garlic, onions and celery, making up beef stew and spaghetti sauce, maybe meatloaves all for freezer. Enjoy cooking just not every night.

Usually I'm just reading.

I often wonder what our neighbors here think. One neighbor of our old house told us she just loved to wake up at nght and see which lights were on...I wasn't sure if that made her stranger than we were! josh
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oscarthecat
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Josh you know how to make a guy hungry!!!!! Steve in Baltimore County.
rob333 (zone 7b)
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
almost looks like a MadHatter reunion. I fully expected Maryanne, Kathy, John and KJ to join in. Have a bit of dark chocolate, want some? Filled with ennui lately and I just don't know why. Must be musin' time of year. Lazy nights and hazy days here in the south.
endorphinjunkie
Original Author
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
First week of successive 90+ days. Thunderstorms are about. Not overhead though.

Would love to see the rest back and posting.
maryanne_nc
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Well, since you've summoned the mad...

I'm here. Not musin', just pondering as usual. Just took another dose of medicine, I've been sick all week with a double ear infection, sinus infection, and bronchitis, and I'm getting sick of taking meds now. Had to work, no one else to do the job, and working in the heat (no AC) makes for bone weary, butt dragging days. I've had the NE Nat'l Guard, PA Nat'l Guard and the Virgin Islands Nat'l Guard to contend with. All great groups, they kept me busy but laughing. Had a group of Navy Sailors, too. Not easy trying to turn Sailors into Soldiers, but I love them like they were my own.

Today ended a bit odd. A friend of mine, who is currently a Deputy Brigade Commander, has been torn the past month between taking an assignment in FL that was offered to him or retiring. He really doesn't want to leave here, but he doesn't really want to retire either. Around 2 pm he called me and asked me if I had checked my email lately, something had happened that I needed to be aware of. I automatically thought he had ticked off someone I was working a project with and I was ready to wring his neck. Off I go to scan my emails, blood pressure steadily rising, find his email, read the first sentence..."read through the string of traffic below and take a moment to let it sink in before you call me." Second sentence..."Not sure what this means, not sure it's a good thing, or bad thing." Third sentence..."Is this the silver bullet to Colonel? Probably..." That's all it took, I started speed reading through all the emails at such a rate it would have put Evelyn Wood to shame. Seems he was nominated for a very high visibility Battalion Commander slot! I'm so thrilled for him and hope he's selected. I was so excited that I swear every 15 minutes I stopped and said a silent prayer for him. He could use all the positive thoughts he can get, so please keep him in mind. If that wasn't enough to get my adrenaline flowing, one of my employees stopped by around 6 pm and apologized profusely for forgetting to give me a message. The message came from my counterpart in the Special Forces world and simply said "I'm retiring". I immediately knew what that meant, and it wasn't "light the tiki torches and pull out that bottle of Puerto Rican rum you've been saving". It means he wants me to take his job. Even though we're "counterparts", his job is a coveted dream job in the headquarters, higher paying than mine, better hours, less physical work. On the down side it means jumping the fence to a different command and not interfacing with the soldiers, which I absolutely love. So, now I'm torn. This is the third time I've been offered a job in that command and I have a feeling if I turn it down, there won't be another offer. Call me mad but I've decided I'll wait and see if my friend gets his position before I make my decision. If he gets his, I'll take it as a sign that it's time to change and take this position. If he doesn't, I'll take it as a sign that I should stay where I am and decline.

See what you get when you summon the mad....
meldy_nva
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Josh, I had [more or less] switched lifestyle from night person to day person when neighbor called to see if I were ill because the house had been dark at 3 am, for about a week, lol.

Maryanne - glad to see you back. Now keep in touch so that we'll know whether you went for big change new job, or stayed with the same old, same old. If they keep asking for you, it sounds like that's a sign they really do want you.
rob333 (zone 7b)
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Oh Maryanne! I actually shrieked with delight to see you. I'm still beside myself. When I first moved back home from California, I hated the summers. (HATED. strong word, and I felt it). I thought, crazy people, how can you like this heat?! Looking up yesterday, I drank in the lazy breeze, noted the curled leaves of the heat abused trees, drank in the A/C as much as I drank in the atmosphere I'd just enjoyed... and realized I have become that which I once loathed. I now embrace what is the south. But you gal, Maryanne, no reprieve, that can't feel good. Take that headquarters job and just hang out with your beaux afterwards ;)

Going to an elegant party by the pool (Summer Soiree, as they call it) tonight. I wish you all could join in. Be saving a spot and some margaritas for you if you decide to head to Nashville!
Josh
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Maryanne, Hope you're feeling better soon, and decide to take the new job. You've well earned the
better hours/less work position...and that job needs filling too by someone who cares as you obviously do. Plus you might have time to visit with us here more often ~grin~ josh

Over Night Musin's

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