In other news…
How about a non-bike entry for a change?
On the last Wednesday of the month, the staff at Presbytery go out to lunch together. We usually go Dutch, and anyone whose birthday falls in that month gets to pick the venue.
There are no April birthdays on the staff and no-one got around to picking a restaurant until it was too late. Yesterday was one of those manufactured holidays—Administrative Assistant’s Day or some variation thereof—and every place worth a nice lunch was already booked. So they moved it to today. And the office is picking up the tab.
That also means I can attend. At the library, our branch does a Staff Appreciation Day and my boss sends out for pizza, cookies, snacks and stuff. Since I was already there getting appreciated, I stayed and put in a couple of hours checking DVDs. Every few months I get to go through all the DVDs, VHS and audio books where patrons have complained there’s a problem. (Music CDs just pile up.)
Of the dozen or so discs I went through yesterday, all but one went back into circ after cleaning. All but one (a different one) didn’t seem worth watching—and that was stretching it too. I don’t know how people can put up with such dreck, let alone enjoy or even rave about it. It’s no wonder that people seem to get more and more stupid as time goes by.
Anyway, my two days off this week have completely disappeared through all this concentrated staff appreciation. I hope they appreciate that.
Another reason not to drive downtown
Last Friday at 5pm, the exit ramp of a downtown parking garage collapsed. Amazingly, no one was injured. Engineers are working to see if the whole garage needs to come down, or only the ramp.
It’s too bad because it was a nice-looking ramp. It was a cantilevered spiral running from the roof to the basement connecting eight or nine levels. Being supported only by the hub is what made it look so nice, and what made it vulnerable to falling. I’m certain that whatever replaces it won’t look nearly so nice and will be supported along the outside as well.
Meanwhile, two streets are closed pending inspection and demolition. Across the street, the Central Branch of the library is opening early so pedestrians can walk through. They’re even giving them free coffee. I haven’t a clue as to how they’re re-routing buses. And I’m glad I don’t have to worry about it.
Sleep
Last Thursday I took delivery of a new futon for the bed. I’ve slept there every night since. I generally sleep on my side, so I miss being able to lean against the back of the couch, but I like not feeling so confined. And when I sleep on my belly, I can hang my feet off the end.
I was in such a state last week when it was delivered, that I couldn’t decide what to do with the old one. I folded it in half and stuck it between the bedframe and the wall. It’s like having a big padded headboard. I’m not sure if I’ll keep it there—or keep it at all—in the long run, but it’s different having space—soft space at that—at the head of the bed.
The reason I was in such a state, is that for four weeks I hadn’t slept well at all. Since I have a two week break in the study, I’ve returned to using melatonin at bedtime. And I can sleep again. It doesn’t cure all my problems, but it helps enough that I can make it through most of the night.
More importantly, my overall mood is returning to my “new” normal. By all measurements, by last week I was on the verge of another depression. One could argue that I was already there. No matter what else happens in the study, it’s confirmed for me the cause and effect releationship between my sleep and my depression. Clearly my depression is caused by bad and inadequate sleep.
Next week I return to the lab for two more nights wired-up. I’ll have to quit the melatonin before then—probably over the weekend. And I’ll have to lie about having used it. On either Monday May 8 or May 15 I’ll start in the alternate therapy.
That’s if I decide to pursue it. I’m feeling so much better after just five nights, that I’m not sure I want to risk it. On the other hand, there’s hope for further improvement. I really don’t know what to do.
