5.45am, what time are you up?
July 3rd, 2008 by Gareth inThailand
As a younger man I was useless at getting up in the mornings, Mr Snooze Button was used often and led to me missing many important lectures at uni and some overtime in my first job.
These days that is not so much the case, at least Monday to Saturday anyway. In general I’m pretty keen to get up and get on with life and living it. Normal start is; 5.40am alarm goes off, by 5.45 I’m on my rowing machine, by 6.30 in the car for the hour long drive to work clutching orange juice, coffee and a ham and cheese sandwich, of course having a great view from my balcony has made the experience even more enjoyable since I moved to Thailand.
I decided almost 10 years ago to relocate my alarm clock to the other side of the bedroom so that I have to get up to turn it off, I also bought one with the loudest, most annoying and insistent wake up tone I could find. That simple action made my life hell for about 6 months as I got used to it, but the last decade or so have been great as a result of being able to easily get out of bed and hit the day hard.
So do you need a crow bar to get you out of bed ? Are you up with the lark or are you lucky enough to not have to worry about getting up at all (careful life doesn’t pass you by) ? Any advice?
hey Gareth
nice view….
weekends and holidays crowbar require… but normal week to week its easy enough
like you my alarm is on the other side of the room, but on my computer speakers turned up.. and it is the most irritating repeating sound known to man….
What, you mean a recording of a woman screaching ‘You just don’t understand me?’
Not quite… lolololol..
To tell the truth I dont say that… it doesnt work anyway….
but nah more like Finger nails down a blackboard … not very pleasent but does the trick.. heheheh
Well, there is before depression and after depression. Generally, I have never, ever, ever been a morning person. Before, I was depressed my alarm would go off at 6 am and sometimes, I’d be up by 6:45, but usually at 7 am rushing to leave by 7:30 for my one hour drive into work with lots of coffee. Then, it would take me about an hour to actually function ( don’t let the part about being on the freeway in this condition scare you). My secretary would tell new employees not to be offended if I did not respond in the morning or say, “good morning” because I wasn’t a morning person. That is the normal me.
Now, with depression I can’t stay asleep I wake up and get up anywhere between 1 am to 5 am. If I am lucky, I will go back to sleep until 7 am, but I am unable to work now. That makes it easier because I don’t need to get up and can nap if I need more sleep which does not seem to interfere with how I sleep at night.
And, you thought this was a simple question?
By the way, your view is amazing. I would love just to stare all day at it or at least in the morning when I’m awake early. Gorgeous view…I’m jealous!!!
ClinicallyCluelesss last blog post..Where am I…I feel disconnected.
Hi,
You have a very nice blog. I just voted for it for Bloggers Choice Awards
Could you please return the favor at:
http://www.bloggerschoiceawards.com/blogs/show/21620
Thanks,
SpEdLaw2
Thanks for the nomination!
I’m with Clueless… there’s before/after depression. And which phase of depression I’m going through. Also, what I’m doing and where I’m living. At one point in my life, I worked a job that had me start at 7am 3 or 4 mornings a week. So I was often up at 5.30. For the last few years I’ve been living by myself - and that can be a major factor in motivation or lack thereof in getting up. Then after suffering assault and dealing with depression and PTSD, I found myself getting up later and later. Often it was because I stayed awake later, but sometimes it didn’t matter how much sleep I’d had, I’d still oversleep. Right now I’m camping out at my folks’ place before a big trip away. And with my dad getting up every morning at 5am, I find I have no troubles getting up at 6am. And, I’m about to head off to my yearly yoga retreat, which often sees me going to bed around 8.30pm and getting up at 3 or 4am.
I must say however, when I can and do have the motivation to get up before sunrise, I really enjoy it and find my day starts much better!
Svastis last blog post..Counselling session #6
GIT, serious question, do you actually have the ability to write anything without trying to impress about how efficient and clever you are?
This post is yet another in the series of comments / posts telling us, yet again, of your organizational skills and self disciplined way of life. Really, it smacks of ’small man syndrome’ and its constantly being reinforced by you.
Have you spent long periods being ignored by others?
Does no one take you seriously in your real life?
Hmm, had a feeling you’d pop up as soon as I posted. I guess it’d be useless for me to answer this as I would be biased. So………….
Readers,
Does the Fish man have a point? Are my posts condescending, self centred and markedly the work of an insecure, often ignored ’small man’ who needs to post here to feel valued and loved.
Or is it just FFish has an unnatural fixation with me because I had the temerity to once chastise him for openly abusing new visitors to the site for no reason and he really can’t take criticism or offer anything that might smack of being constructive.
All answers welcome from all readers - except of course myself and FFish, as we are the ones being debated we should stay out of it.
Well now that’s an interesting response GIT, you set the rules (naturally) and then rely on the Founders’ Club for support. Hmmmmm…… I think it unlikely you won’t get support in this regard (Lib’s comment below taken into account and appropriately accorded respect by myself).
I think that given it is me whom you accuse of being obsessed by yourself, it is right that I be able to express my position in defence of your tabled motion and any points raised thereof.
And I will begin this right now in response to your sentence reading, “FFish has an unnatural fixation with me because I had the temerity to once chastise him for openly abusing new visitors to the site for no reason and he really can’t take criticism or offer anything that might smack of being constructive.
Firstly, because you had the “temerity”……. Oh you big brave boy, no, of course FF can’t deal with rash behaviour directed at him. You really think anyone would believe that? I don’t.
However, in itself this sentence sums up how my opinion is formed of you. Let’s continue with the next bit for openly abusing new visitors. You are so resolute in your belief that you can’t be wrong and it does not surprise me that you are still so certain you were right on this point, when the post subject was ‘Blog Idol’.
No one but me had the balls to say anything other than warm fluffy rubbish to all contenders and no one else up to that point was prepared to take on the ‘Pop / American Idol, America’s / Britain’s Got Talent’ controversy angle telling contenders they were useless / off the mark when they were, which is what makes these talent (lack of talent) shows entertaining. Neither do you take into consideration the praise I also gave when it was deserved.
I still stand by my point that Blog Idol was boring up until I got involved and stirred it up. That was not only reason enough but was also in the true spirit of ‘Whatever Idol Has Talent’ show you care to mention.
Next part regarding ‘can’t take criticism’. Well I would say I have taken plenty of criticism on GSTF, primarily from you, but also from others. I also believe I have successfully rebuked your repeated and therefore unimaginative accusations of being a “teenage w@nker” (of course your descriptions were more cryptic, but very clear non the less). Got any more variations on the theme? Bring em on……
Final bit re not being able to offer anything constructive, I refute this. I suggest you revisit the Blog Idol post once more and in there alongside my highly justifiable pops at potential Founders you will also find constructive comments.
In addition to this, I also redirect you back to my defence of your accusations regarding McDonalds’ employees. Your accusations being clear vindication of my position that you are both smug and condescending. And my response being based on fact and was well presented in support of this global, major, equal opportunity employer.
Furthermore, I even went as far to praise your own post on the Chinese earthquake disaster, though admittedly did withdraw this during the FF Imposter episode.
I will close this comment by asking you another question Oh Great One, why do you really suppose I bait you?
(I’ll give you a clue: Lib is possibly 10% correct - or even more - have to think about that one - in her response below)
Come on, Urban Pagan does this style of response much, much better.
Regarding the picture and showing off - I post one of Thailand and you think its to impress? It was all for you and following your sage advice that I moved here. I was thinking of making it into a post card and sending it to Dubai but I’m not sure where the asylum is.
Rash behaviour directed at you? Pots and kettles there son.
But I must express my heartfelt thanks for being the saviour of this web site. What would we have done without you breathing life into the Idol competition. I didn’t realise that we were on the edge of disaster and that the way to attract people is to cane them the minute they visit. Must talk to our Business Development Director and recommend we take a trips to Detroit & Tokyo and punch a few senior OEM presidents, we should clean up.
By the way for ‘always right’, ’smug’, ’self opinionated’ and the additional one of ‘mad as cheese’ please read your above comment again - its a beaut. I’ll be happy to make a donation for the therapy you desperately need.
The site is supposed to be inspiring and a place to grow and learn. From this post I hoped to share a step that really altered my life for the better (as others are also doing), this was one of the targets outlined to me by Jim when he invited me on here but as a bonus I’ve learnt a bit about clinical depression, that I’m not alone in taking the step of managing my early morning life and that you are sliding deeper into a chasm of mental illness and I probably need to consider hiring Uma Thurman’s lawyers and not hang my washing out in case it proves too much of a temptation and you need a souvenir.
Do you have a bedsit with walls plastered with surveillance type photographs that your family will claim not to have known about when you finally go ape shit in a shopping mall with a Kalashnikov?
Come on, take a deep breath and calm down, your heart will thank you for it in 20 years or so.
Yes yes yes,
blah blah blah,
drivel drivel drivel,
etc etc etc……..
Well so far only childhood friend Bo has had the mettle to stand by your side. I must admit, I really did expect more. What’s going on folks? Do we interpret this as:
1) Silence = agreement with Fish? ie “We see the smug, condescending, pomposity but are too polite to get involved.”
2) Silence = no interest in GIT’s proposition? ie “We see the smug, condescending, pomposity but are bored by it.”
3) Silence = something else?
Anyone out there prepared to share a point of view on this?
What is it you think you win?
Eh?
See like I will share a point ov view on this Mr FF, an youz is wrong!
GIC is like dead clever an proper shrewd an a natcheral leader an all he is. An my David really fancies im too, cos he is dead dead sexy an all, saw is weddin pics we did, lovely he is.
Shut up Mr FF!
Mmmmmmm……. yes Elton………. What if I was to offer you an unlimited supply of rent boys?
Hey, this has the potential to be entertaining! If it doesn’t get into personal ground, or is it too late for that? Hmm… probably, what the hell, here goes:
Sorry Gareth, but I can see how Fertile Fish might interpret your post and subsequent responses as he does. Honestly, I do detect an element see-how-clever-I-am going on there, whether it is intended or not. The reference to picking on Directors and Presidents also suggests I-am-in-the-big-league-and-have-to-deal-with-important-people-you-folks-don’t-you-know.
However it seems your spat is longer than just this post? What did happen previously?
Anyone got a link for Blog Idol? Would like to read……..
Aaah!!
I knew I couldn’t be alone! Vindication playmates!!
Don’t have the requested link there TS, but think you must be able to see all this stuff in the archives?
What’s wrong with good organisation and self-discipline? Thing’s like that are an inspirational factor to most,are’nt you impresssed? I grew up and am still good friends with GIT, i began to read your rant below but to be honest it bored me to tears,i don’t understand your personal attacks,you’ve got issues.
Good on you Bo! But if you are that bored, why respond?
But then, let’s face it, almost by your own admission (not to mention my prediction) your response was predictable (sorry about the word repetition).
Keep up the good work, and do tell us about those tractors again sometime.
You can have a go at anything on here FF, absolutely anything but you’ve crossed the line with the tractors me thins.
Once someone comes in between Bo and a Massey Ferguson, thats it.
Why? What’s wrong with tractors?
I prefer John Deere tractors though.
Round cab or square cab, that’s the question.
oh dear! - gotta be Ford’s - (the first tractor you saw your Dad drive in a who was the best bond kinda way!)
No Lib, round balers or square balers takes precedence as THE question……..
Stop stop stop…John Deere rule,round cab type the first with less than 80 decibels of sound level in the cab.Square balers are out in are the new giant bales, mass production.
Tractors?
OK, tractors.
But what is the decibel output of the square baler versus the round one?
I can’t be subjective because I know you off the blog. However, please continue your row, it absolutely makes my day. Every time I read a comment from you both, the Benny Hill theme tune pops in my head.
Regarding the post, are you staying at the Shangri La in Singapore? That view is exactly the same, minus a few ships.
And I don’t tend to have problems getting up, I tend to be the one sat at their desk when everyone walks in, not doing any work but I’m still here.
ps I know you’re not staying at the Shangri La.
hi g - always a morning person - never a prob getting up - I blame a succession of weekend jobs as a kid - newspaper delivery (all 10 of them in my tiny village) then working at the egg farm (chickens are also early rises) and it really is the best part of the day - when i’ve driven long journeys in teh small hours - the sunrises i’ve seen - I’m not religious but you’ve got to thank someone/something for the spendour….
And then of course there’s breakfast with bacon and black pudding when at b and b’s
Jonathan Crouchs last blog post..July’s Competiton - Wedding theme - win a photo panel
yep tend to be morning person myself, so up at a similar time, more out of being border-line insomniac than any drive to welcome the new day.
Try & get down the gym at this time of day, too, otherwise i find there’s a million & one excuses - get in whilst half asleep & seems to trick my body before it knows what it’s let itself in for. & getting into the Concept rower, but it’s pretty nails - never seems to get much easier. What sort of times/distances do you do? At one point me & Jim were trying to break the 7min barrier for 2k, but think i might kick the bucket if i ever get close.
Not 100% sure why FF is kicking off, but from here i’m green with eny at the view - you jammy b’stard, Napoleon, small man, insecure, etc., blah, makes me feel slightly better. But i’m still stuck in Manchester … & it’s still raining.
Interesting comment O’DB, “Not 100% sure why FF is kicking off”.
So therefore, there must be an undisclosed percentage of you that does understand my point.
No, just not sure why you were having a pop.
But for me, driven by envy, I’m more than happy putting the verbal boot in. Small, personal justice, shallow & puerile, but no one’s perfect.
It’s the tone of ’see how well organised and disciplined I am’ that I refer to, it being such a recurrent theme in GIT’s contributions.
As for the residential view, beautiful without doubt (though the cynic tells me this GIT showing of again, but I would concede that might not be the case) however, jealousy of this is not my motivation, I live in Dubai which is fascinating in its own right, but I don’t suffer from sun deprivation as a consequence as you do in Northern England.
Still I am happily waiting for people to join in the debate that GIT has started and would have thought more people would have said their bit by now…….
Does this mean that people side with good ol’ Fertile Fish and agree with his point of view? ie they are simply too polite to risk offending the big man.
Using the oft trotted out words of the Founders’ Club in closing their posts, “Do tell……..”
hi O’DB - i’ve only just taken on the gym so still aching after every session plus I hurt my knee on one of them running/arm pumping gadgets second time around so that hasn’t helped. Rowing was a gentle 2000mtrs in 9.22 mins at level 7 (out of 10) - not bad for an ‘old boy’.
Jonathan Crouchs last blog post..July’s Competiton - Wedding theme - win a photo panel
Nice one JC.
The resistance makes no odds to how hard/easy, apparently. The distance travelled will change according to how high it is set: so to go the same distance in the same time on 1 you have to row faster than 10, so extra strokes at 1 vs more force/stroke at 10 (pure double-entendre gold there for all you Finnbarr Saunders fans); resistance 3-4 is the resistance equivalent to water, so most proper rowers will set at this. Since my technique is bobbins & have to rely on brute, ahem, strength i put it at 10.
Fascinating stuff, eh? Do I win £5 for the most banal posting? Or am i pipped by tractor talk (above)?
Hi Gi Thailand, welcome back…..
We tend to aim for the 6am mark but on our travels tend to go with the body clock flow.
Anything past 8.30am seems that half the morning is gone and we’re chasing our tail whereas in our teens 2pm was a lie in!
My alarm clock I use to shut off all the time and oversleep. I sometimes used two of them. I learned now though to get up when the first one rings.
Mikes last blog post..Marc Anthony
Nice View Gareth…who wouldn’t want to jump out of bed to see that daily! As for me I am an early riser…I like having as much of the day available to me as possible to do all that I want to do. I think a lot of embracing the day for me has to do with the fact that I wake up to each and every day knowing that the time it offers is mine to play with in any way or shape I wish…..
Life is good!
Mighty Morgans last blog post..The Miracle
Amazing View!
Depends on the day with me…I normally like to get up early and go to bed late! I don’t like to miss anything.
Jessicas last blog post..Wordless Wednesday
Nice post Gareth and great view….My will to wake up in the morning goes with the seasons,bright and early in the summer,cycle to work on the odd occasion,should be more often i must admit. In the winter however,i have to resort to your tactics Gareth and make the whole alarm routine as annoying as possible,i then tend to wake up in work.In the winter at the weekends it’s TV on and get up when hungry.
I tend to wake about 6a.m. do twenty minutes punching the bag, then she gets up and does my brekkie
LOL!
arise Sir Urban!
Jonathan Crouchs last blog post..July’s Competiton - Wedding theme - win a photo panel
‘arise Sir Urban’
is that UP’s alarm call message or foreplay?