Trouble in the morning

Perhaps that wasn't the best title for a post... But it's the morning, and I've been having trouble in the morning.

By temperament I'm a morning person. I wake up early, usually before my alarm goes off, and quickly, the old cogs and wheels humming away in no time. I'm a tea person in the morning, but if I miss the morning cup of the steaming, I can usually start my day just fine.

Until recently, when everything has changed.

The alarm rings. And I find myself immediately renegotiating with this beast of a thing. Five minutes of the news before I get up. Just five. Ten minutes later, I stir again since the news is still going and decide I need five more... And on it goes. Usually for about 25 minutes. I know that's not a lot (right?) but it's a new problem for me and I have been wondering why.

The easiest explanation is working later into the night than usual, so more tired in the morning.

But I also worry that perhaps part of the answer is not wanting to face the day ahead. Don't want to make it seem personally grim, because it's not. But there doesn't seem to be too much good news around. When I'm at the airport, I see people huddled around the television as though they are watching an update from the war front, but instead they are getting a market update. And the presidential debates. Don't get me started.

I've recently taken to not listening to the news in the evening. I just listen to Ella or Ethiopique (thanks Mia!) or (though exercise extreme caution) Mahler.

Wouldn't it be so appealing just to postpone all the dirty business just a little? Come to think of it, I suppose that's what I'm doing with this post.

BB