Falling Back, Moving Forward

Jet lag, creativity, and what to do with one extra hour

Spring ahead, fall back.

“It’s great,” they say. “Get an extra hour of sleep.”

That sounds like it would be invaluable to me, my body still grappling with 17 hours of jet lag that won’t let go. I crave an extra hour of deep REM sleep.

But I know that if I stay in bed, instead of softly snoring while dreaming of sushi and samurai, I will be tossing and turning, tugging at bed covers, disturbing Barb’s sleep, and annoying the kitten sleeping at her side.

There are so many things I can do with that extra hour. I can continue the revisions to my latest play, newly inspired by the informative comments at last week’s online reading. I could complete the blog about family dinners that I started yesterday, sitting half-completed on my computer monitor.

I could use the hour relocating the patio furniture to the garage—though that would be best put off till later in the morning, just before the Bears game. On a more relaxing note, the extra time could be spent trying to move from “Expert” level to “Genius” on today’s Spelling Bee, or tackling Sports Connections, freshly inspired by last night’s Dodgers World Series victory.

And I know Cooper will be rising soon, unaware of any time change, eager to get out of his crate and have his first morning walk. I can’t keep the big fellow waiting.

The sun is rising now, and I’ve chosen to use these last few spare minutes to write this short post and wish you all a happy extra hour. Use it wisely, use it well, and be refreshed for the day ahead.

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