Nostalgia is a bitch

The web is such a different place then when it was when this started. I had a connection with a lot more people online then now. Twitter was just for the tech geeks and nerds, and thus very small. Facebook was just a MySpace alternative, reddit was digg and MrBaby owned the world.

We had a connection.

We had a connection...

Got all nostalgic and browsed through my old weblinks, and found insomnisquad and started reading everything. Remembered names like Leah and Daynah (php-princess was my jam!). I still love the internet and everything it has to offer, but just like my old post about face to face time, I feel the internet has just become to big to have that connection anymore.

My salute to you all from an old rambling dude.

Happy Turkey Day, Squad!

Hope the turkey helps you sleep like babies.

TEDTalks : Jessa Gamble: Our natural sleep cycle - Jessa Gamble (2010)

TEDTalks : Arianna Huffington: How to succeed? Get more sleep - Arianna Huffington (2010)

Blame it on the Decepticon Invasion...

It was Tuesday around 7pm and I noticed Transformers premiered at 12 01am. I finished my dinner, went.to theater and pickup a ticket. Returned to my hotel room, pounded out some emails and reports and went on to the Theater at 11:15pm.

Get settled into a great seat and there was a lot if energy in the crowd. I said yup I made the right decision....go to a movie at 12:01am (actual start time was 12:25). A yawn or two and I was able to pay full attention to the movie in all it's glory. It was cool, particularly bumble bee. 

So I get to bed around 4am and wired, woke up at 6am and in the office by 7:30am. When the movie came up some how during the day I shared my viewing experience. They looked at me as if insane and that I was still going strong. Still running strong the rest of the week....

So. I watched Optimus Prime, Bumble Bee and Sam defeat those mean Deceptions again. It was fun and worth the lack of sleep. So Blame my lack if sleep on that Deception Invasion. 

P.S.  anyone see the movie and note the link to Star Trek?

Help from HuffPo

3 Natural Ways to Fall Asleep Faster by Tracey Marks, M.D. Psychiatrist; Psychotherapist; Author, 'Master Your Sleep'. Hope it helps! Enjoy and good night...eventually.

Can't Stop

So I am currently living with my sister to help pay for funds, and get me back on my feet. Started school, so I needed any help I could get. The problem is, at least in her mind, is that I stay up until the wee hours of the morning. My sister, being a single mother, working 40 minutes away from our house, and driving a car that steals $50 a day in gas, goes to sleep around 9:30, 10 o'clock and naturally finds it abnormal that I stay up until 3 or 4am.

Being a geek, gamer, and a native to the PST stuck in CST, I pretty much have to stay awake because of how connected I am to the online world. It's just a normal thing for me, if my friends are up playing games on STEAM or Starcraft II, I'm naturally going to play with them. We've been doing this for years, and it's just who I am.

My sister is annoyed that I do this, and wants me to change. I can't change instantly and just fall asleep. My body just doesn't work that way, let alone anyone else, but like I said, I don't want to tarnish our relationship over something as dumb as me staying awake. I need to find a common ground. What can I do or say besides, it's just who I am?

Running, Melatonin, and Serenil = Failure to Sleep

Alright, so I haven't found any research to confirm this, but I've noticed that when I'm more physically active I have a harder time falling asleep at night - thought it was supposed to be the opposite. After a run or workout, I take a hot shower and am usually ready to pass out. If I do fall asleep then, I only sleep for a couple hours and then I'm up and wired. If I stay awake and try to go to bed at a normal hour, my body feels restless and like I could literally go out and run a half marathon at 3 o'clock in the morning - and probably complete it in my best time. It's maddening!!!

I haven't been able to fall asleep before 5am for several weeks now. I've tried everything. Avoiding caffeine late in the day, avoiding the computer super late at night - not now obviously, trying to make the bedroom a peaceful retreat from the rest of the house, etc, etc. I've also tried melatonin and now have added serenil to the mix, which is a natural Italian sleep aid - though, it's not like melatonin that you take before bed, it's an herbal supplement that is supposed to help you relax and set your biorhythms straight. It's only been a few days since I've tried that and it's not working, either.

Oh, and when I do finally fall asleep and wake up the next day I feel EXHAUSTED and not fully rested at all.

Anyway, I really don't know how to fix this problem. How do you all eventually get to sleep? Any recommendations for your squad commander? Please help!!!

Painting Ninja Turtles

In case you missed the previous post...

Watch live streaming video from fuckinartwithmrdelicious at livestream.com

Thanks for sharing, Goosecomics!

Distractions

The hardest thing about trying to go to sleep when tired, is Twitter and some amazing people that have the nerve of having the talent to paint Ninja Turtles, and live stream it! I mean really. How dare he?

Dave Rapoza on Twitter
Fuckin' Art with Mr. Delicious on Livestream

Gene May Determine How Much Sleep You Need via NPR

Gene May Determine How Much Sleep You Need.

Burning the candle at both ends

Working late tonight, 1:30am to be exact. Can't sleep, typical given the name of this blog spot. Then I realized it is partly my passion for driving change, that has ideas swirling in my head that I not only write down but think so much about then that I just dive in.

Well, I realize it requires more discipline because despite all this inspiration - what good is it if I can't exert the appropriate energy when in front of those looking for leadership. What are your thoughts?

What do you this k?

Sleep over rated?

Not according to Arriana Huffington. I agree sleep helps stay focused and healthy. I still am a night owl. 

1+ Year of Insomnia

Whoa. Happy (late) Birthday, Insomnisquad!

What/Who's Up?

How are all you Insomniacs doing? It's pretty quiet here, what's everyone up to these nights?

I've slipped back into animation-land and have been spending many a long night there. I've got 500+ hours of work in on my next animated short, The Girl and the Ghost and it's really starting to take shape!

Come on, Squad! Let's have some updates!

Back to the Night

Well, my period of sleeping like a "normal" person seems to be coming to an end for now. Funny thing is, it appears to be happening unintentionally.
I'm getting re-acclimated to the quiet, watching some movies again (tonight was Spirited Away, loved it), and trying to gear up to be creative again.
I finished animating my last movie in December and haven't done much (aside from a little writing) since. Suddenly, I have a handful of new projects clamoring for my attention, all requiring me to step it up to the next level. Once I figure out how to approach these, it'll mean many many all-night animation sessions.
Insomnisquad, Sir Drake is back.

The City That Never Sleeps

Greetings, insomnisquad!

Wow! It has been awhile since I've posted--as well as others--guess we've all been sleeping well, or probably just working on other things that keep us up late.

Anyway, a friend just said to me, "New York is the city that never sleeps and apparently neither do you."

How appropriate then that I'm in the process of moving to the Big Apple!?!? All the excitement of my new gig with Rocketboom and moving cross-country is keeping me up. Well, those two things and this little guy from dinner...


I know better, but...I couldn't help myself! Hope you're all doing well.

With love from your Squad Commander from the insomniac's playground!

It's Been A While...

Hi Leah, and the rest of the 'Squad! It's been a while since I've made a post here. I have had nights of imsomnia, but kept forgetting to type up an entry. In any case, my lack of sleep tonight is due to the hopefully exciting week ahead, and the fact my mind won't shut up.

I've been looking for work locally after graduating from Lethbridge College for three weeks. Nerds On Site finally got back to me, and I should know if I'm hired by the end of the online interview on Tues night. Technology is my passion, so to work on it and write about it through freelance journalism is my dream.

Otherwise, if 'Nerds' doesn't hire me, a construction company has said they'll hire me, and a couple of other labour positions look promising as well. I'll still look into par-time freelancing So, it's an exciting week!

The plan was to go to the gym later this morning, but now I need to raincheck to catch up on sleep. I hate when that happens.

If you want to follow me on Twitter, it's http://twitter.com/kevinlcc

A Bit of Imagery

Like Leah, I've been absent from the 'Squad for a while. I ended up in the hospital for a couple days back in March. Ever since my hospital stay, I've been on a "normal" person's schedule.

But, as I mentioned on my blog, I had some "interesting" dreams, thanks to a combination of medicine and dehydration.
I recently decided to whip up a visual recreation of one of my more freaky moments, where I saw my hospital room's wall turn into a hellish tunnel with an old lady holding a cat.
I must have been really dehydrated.
Anyway, at least it made for a pretty cool picture. At least I think so.

Click to see bigger.

Thoughts?

We're Still Here

Though I have been sleeping like a normal myself, tonight the insomnia is back in full force! Of course, I did drink a cup of black chai tea at 10 pm...probably not helping. Please keep contributing to the site and share with your friends! I always enjoy reading what the community puts up. Makes the early morning hours a bit more interesting. Now to start the day only to sleep later...

- Leah