I make my lunch and prepare all snacks for the next day sometime after dinner is cleaned up and put away. Breakfast (frozen waffles with some sort of sugar-free spread on top such as the current pumpkin butter from Trader Joe�s), two snacks (soy yogurt for the morning and Wheat Thins with a small container of spicy black bean for after lunch munchies), and lunch sit stacked in the fridge, ready for easy removal the next morning. My backpack, purse, binder that contains everything I ever needed to know, and cell phone get laid out on the kitchen island, in front of the fridge, to remind me to take everything there and to turn around for food before leaving the house.

Pre-shower, I lay out my eye makeup remover, a cotton ball, two q-tips, moisturizer, eye cream, lotion, and a piece of dental floss. While in the shower, I wash my face, brush my teeth, and do all of the normal cleaning in the same order each night.

When finished, I wrap my hair in a small towel, dab my body dry, and then wrap myself with a large towel. I squeegee the shower panes before even getting out of the shower to minimize any scrubbing in there. I make use of the items I laid out, finalizing my flossing with a Listerine swish and then slathering lotion over my entire body.

Now completely dry, I put on my Houston Astros sleep-shirt and head to the closet. I pick out what I�m wearing the next day and lay out everything I�ll need such as undergarments, stockings, and the right shoes. Come morning time, there�s no thought wasted on what I�m supposed to wear. It�s truly a grab-and-go, and it�s just as convenient as the pick-up salad places boosting that same slogan.

I get into bed, turn on the alarm, adjust the time settings because I no-doubt changed them that morning to go off at 8:23 instead of the 7:23 that would allow me to run and lift weights prior to going to work. I read between one and four chapters of my current book, and then move it to the empty passenger side of the bed. The big blue pillow goes between my knees (otherwise my back hurts the next morning), the not-so-big blue pillow goes under my head just-so, and the pink sateen-covered pillow�s coolness nuzzles my face.

Then -- and only then -- can I get to sleep.

Since high school, I remember always having difficulty with getting to sleep. There was one summer that I swear I didn�t sleep at all. I was aware of time passing (hours upon hours upon hours), and my rest was merely at a topical level. I got up at 6 each day since I felt rested and no longer like pretending to sleep, and that was that.

Besides that summer (1993, if I recall correctly), it usually takes a good 30 to 45 minutes for me to get to sleep -- many times much longer than that. Benito�s witnessed my eyes fighting to stay awake to watch Beavis and Butthead, only to actually wake up once we turned off the TV and tried to get to bed.

It really stinks to be exhausted but unable to rest, and occasionally there�s really no use in continuing my attempts at sleep. Last night, unfortunately, was one of those nights.

I went through my bedtime routine without hitch. After three chapters of The Age of Innocence, I snuggled myself with the appropriate pillows, covering three-quarters of my body with my sateen sheets and my goose down comforter. I truly was tired, wound down, and ready to get some rest after a fairly busy day. However, such was not the case.

By time 2:30 hit, I was still unsuccessfully counting sheep with hopes of getting some shut-eye. It was then that I gave up on that notion and caught up on my chores and read some more in my book.

Everything got dusted and Windexed. The tiled floors are all swept. The mirrors no longer have those little toothpaste splats on them. (I blame this on Benito...) Hambone�s poop tub is poop-free (for now). I even used the Dust Buster under the couch�s cushions, and I listened to a German music CD sent to me by my dear friend Chandler.

After the cleaning was finished, I forced myself to bed to no avail. A few more chapters of my book and some more counting of sheep, and I finally fell asleep sometime after 4 o�clock.

When the alarm went off at 7:23, I certainly didn�t hear it. Perhaps I unknowingly hit snooze every nine minutes, but I eventually heard the BEEP-BEEP-BEEP at about 8:40.

That�s been my entire day thus far -- half a step better and no less sleepy than I was at 8:40 this morning. Damn insomnia.

And here it is, 11 o�clock at night, and I�m at work, just barely making it. (Have no worries, I went away for 3.5 hours. I don�t enjoy working nearly that much...)

In other news, Happy is having a house party tomorrow night, and pretty much everyone I love is showing up. I�m very happy, as I snagged myself something shiny to wear during the 3.5 hours I was away from work. I also made a homemade pizza, but that has nothing to do with sating or lace. Yes, I said satin and lace.

I picked myself up a little lingerie top in red satin with some black lace that goes just a bit too deep to not be considered a bit naughty. Put the black strapless bra underneath, and all is fine. Pair this duo with the one-two of a 3/4-length black shirt and some black slacks, and I�m looking h-o-t.

I�m sure there will be pictures to prove it.

For now, just take my word and count some sheep for me. I want to be able to stay up tomorrow night for the fun.

G�nite all. Hope your dreams are sweet.�