Blog the third

Today was a stumble. My alarm went of at 4:45, but I didn't get up. 

The dog had gotten me up to go out at midnight, about two hours into a deep sleep, and we walked for twenty minutes. By the time I got back to bed, I was thinking, so it took me some time to fall back asleep. And I was exhausted. I could feel that special fog of the brain that comes from being overtired, but I still took more than a half hour to get back to sleep.

So, when the alarm went off this morning, my willpower had already been drained away, and I set the alarm for 6:00 and rolled over.

When I did get up, I knew my body needed some rest. I'd gotten off to a good start with exercise this week, but I'm no spring chicken, and I'm carrying around an extra forty-five pounds, so I don't exactly recover quickly from anything, much less exercise when I haven't done any in a while. I decided to make it a light day and just walk the dog and do some stretching. 

I don't know if those two things set the tone for the day, but the rest of the day sure snowballed away from discipline. Not that it was a terrible day, but at the end of it now, I feel unsatisfied. The biggest hole is the writing. I didn't get it done today, and I'm not going to stay up the extra hour and do it right now. That would just be throwing the baby out with the bath water.

Instead, I'm going to keep this fledgling blog streak intact, go read a little, and get a good night sleep. Tomorrow, I'm going to wake up at 6 (not 5, not yet. I'm shooting for 5 by Monday.), write until 7, exercise, shower and eat breakfast. I'm going to get out of the house by 8:45, get gas, and start working by 9. I'm working until 7, coming home, hanging with the babe for a bit, blogging, and getting to bed by 9. Asleep by 9:30, then up at 5:30 Friday. Rinse and repeat. Saturday 5:15 wakeup, Sunday 5:15, Monday 5:00 A.M. sharp. By the end of next week it will be 4:45 and I'll be asleep by 9:15 every night like it's my job.

That's the structure I'm going for. Once I get it locked in, my schedule on most days will be:

4:45 - wakeup

5:00-7:00 - writing

7:00-8:00 - exercise

8:00-8:45 - shower, dress, breakfast

8:45 - leave for work

9:00-7:00 work

7:00-9:15 - hang with babe, write, read, blog

9:15 - sleep

There will be variations. Wednesday is usually date night, so I'll only work til 5 or 6, latest, depending on what time babe gets home. Saturday, similar situation - mornings remain the same, but work is dependent on weekend plans. At the very least, I'll spend Saturday nights out to dinner with the babe. Sundays, mornings are again the same, but I usually don't work, so I have a good day to relax, read, watch television, maybe hang out in the yard.

That's the plan, the goal, and the structure of the life I want right now. It will take me a little while to get it locked in. I will stumble. I'm only human, and I've never been a morning person, but the only way I know I'm going to be able to get writing and exercise in every day is to get up early and get them both done first.

Alright, I had more in me than I thought. Now it is time for me to read some Dresden, snuggle up to a warm babe (and interjecting dog), and get some sleep.

Blog streak - 3 days

See you tomorrow.