RESTLESS SLEEPER

NO, THIS ISN'T MY BEDROOM, BUT CLOSE. I HAVE THE WHITE FURNITURE AND BLUE BEDDING. I ALSO HAVE AN ANTIQUE DRESSER, ARMOIRE AND BOOKCASE.

I HAD ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS LAST NIGHT WHERE I COULDN'T SLEEP AND KEPT LOOKING AT THE CLOCK THINKING WELL IF I ONLY GET 6 HOURS OF SLEEP I'LL BE ALRIGHT TOMORROW. AN HOUR LATER I'D TELL MYSELF I COULD SURVIVE THE NEXT DAY ON 5 HOURS OF SLEEP. AFTER ANOTHER LONG HOUR I'D TELL MYSELF 4 HOURS WOULD BE OK IF I COULD JUST FALL ASLEEP NOW. THEN AN HOUR LATER I'D PLEA WITH MYSELF TO JUST FALL ASLEEP AND 3 HOURS WOULD WORK BECAUSE I COULD JUST GO TO BED WHEN I GOT HOME FROM WORK........WELL, I DIDN'T GET TO SLEEP UNTIL 5 A.M.! I GOT 90 MINUTES OF SLEEP BEFORE I HAD TO GET UP.

I'M HERE AT WORK DOING SURPRISINGLY WELL, BUT ONLY BECAUSE I KNOW TOMORROW IS SATURDAY AND I CAN SLEEP.

AS I WAS LYING IN BED FOR AN AGONIZING 6 HOURS OF NO SLEEP I WAS THINKING ABOUT WHAT A FINICKY SLEEPER I REALLY AM. ALL THE THINGS THAT MUST BE A CERTAIN WAY FOR ME TO HAVE A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP. FOR ONE THE ROOM MUST BE VERY COOL. EVEN IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER I HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO HAVE MY WINDOW AIR CONDITIONER ON SET TO 60 DEGREES BECAUSE MY ROOM CAN GET WARM EVEN WITH MY HEAT VENT CLOSED. I ALSO MUST HAVE MY CEILING FAN SET ON HIGH BECAUSE I MUST HAVE AIR FLOW. I CAN'T STAND NOT HAVING AIR FLOW! WHEN I GO TO A HOTEL I BRING A LITTLE FAN. I ALSO HAVE MY AIR PURIFIER MACHINE ON AND IT'S A NOISY ONE, WHICH I LIKE. NO SILENT MACHINES FOR ME, I MUST HAVE THE WHITE NOISE. AS SOON AS I GET INTO A HOTEL ROOM I TURN ON THE AIR CONDITIONER AND IF IT'S A NOISY ONE I'M SO THANKFUL.

I MUST ALSO CONFESS I CAN'T SLEEP IN THE DARK. I'M AFRAID OF THE DARK SO I PUT MY T.V. ON MUTE AND LEAVE IT ON ALL NIGHT.

MY SHEET AND MY BLANKET MUST BE FLANNEL. I CAN'T STAND A TOP SHEET AND THE BLANKET HAS TO HAVE THE RIGHT FEEL NEXT TO ME. I ALSO WANT THE ROOM COOL ENOUGH SO I CAN HAVE AT LEAST 2 BLANKETS FOR THE WEIGHT. IT MAKES ME FEEL SAFE, IN A COCOON.

I SHARE MY KING SIZE BED WITH MY 2 DOGS. THEY CANNOT TOUCH ME WHILE I SLEEP AND THEY KNOW THIS. I HAVE MY HALF OF THE BED AND THEY HAVE THEIR HALF OF THE BED. WHEN I GOT THEM AS PUPPIES I TRAINED THEM TO STAY ON THEIR SIDE. MY FRIEND NATALIE SAYS I'M MEAN THAT I DON'T CUDDLE WITH THEM. I CUDDLE WITH THEM ALL THE TIME I'M HOME. I PLAY WITH THEM, TALK TO THEM LIKE THEY'RE LITTLE PEOPLE, MASSAGE THEM..........THEY ARE SPOILED. SO AT NIGHT THEY CAN RESPECT MY ONE TIME WHEN I CAN'T BE TOUCHED.

WHAT ARE SOME OTHER QUIRKS YOU MIGHT ASK? MY FEET CANNOT GO OUTSIDE MY BLANKET WHEN I'M TRYING TO FALL ASLEEP. THE MONSTER UNDER MY BED MIGHT GET THEM!

I ALSO HAVE TO HAVE MY NECKSUPPORT PILLOW WITH A VERY THIN FLAT PILLOW UNDERNEATH IT. I DO TAKE MY PILLOWS WITH ME IF I'M TRAVELING BY CAR TO A HOTEL.

MY SLEEPING ATTIRE IS A WHOLE OTHER ISSUE. I MUST SLEEP IN A COTTON LONG T-SHIRT WITH A V NECK AND SHORT SLEEVES. IT CAN'T BE A CREW NECK BECAUSE IT CHOKES ME. IT CAN'T BE LONG SLEEVES BECAUSE IT'S TOO MUCH CLOTH. IT CAN'T BE TOO LONG BECAUSE IT GETS TWIRLED AROUND MY BODY BECAUSE IF I HAVEN'T MENTIONED IT I'M ALSO A VERY RESTLESS SLEEPER. I TOSS AND TURN A LOT.

WOW. AFTER WRITING ALL OF THAT OUT I CAN SEE HOW WEIRD I AM. WELL I KNEW IT ALREADY ON SOME LEVEL BUT NOW YOU KNOW TOO, AREN'T YOU GLAD?

WHAT ISSUES DO YOU HAVE WITH SLEEP? PLEASE TELL ME SO I'M NOT ALONE IN MY FINICKY WAYS.