journal features

jetlag, nytol, and "wake-ups"

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

Toronto, 2011.01.06

At this time of year, Tokyo and Toronto are some ten hours off-set. This is my third switch across that big gap in eight weeks.

I don't know how people who routinely flit back and forth across such great distances do it. I've met several, I know that they're out there, I just don't know what they're made of.

As for me, I've had an average of about four hours sleep a night, and now that I'm back at work it's no more napping (damn these low cubicle walls). Enough of going it alone, I'm trying something new. As I write this, I'm currently stumbling through the late afternoon on a "wake-up" caffeine pill. They're like the migraine drugs I take but pared down to just the 100mg of (synthetic) caffeine. Doesn't ease the exhaustion but it certainly gives me something .. I've managed to knock off some to-do items despite being barely able to keep my eyes open.

And for tonight? I've lined up a date with "extra strength Nytol". Yes, yes, liver, I know. Shhhhhh.

rand()m quote

If a person has ugly thoughts, it begins to show on the face. And when that person has ugly thoughts every day, every week, every year, the face gets uglier and uglier until you can hardly bear to look at it. A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.

—Roald Dahl