What Gets You Up in the Morning

I get cold feet. If they're ice cold, I cannot sleep. If I cannot sleep, I have to get up and put on socks, warm them in front of the fireplace, take a bath or wrap them up. That's just one of the reasons I get out of bed. There are many others, such as bright light shining on my face, incessant dog barking and my least favorite reason, the rowdy neighbors next door.

We all have our reasons for getting out of bed, with the most common one being because the alarm goes off. I get out of bed for that too. But it's never voluntary. You know those commercials for coffee, or sleep aids or crescent rolls where the people wake up with a giant stretch and a big smile? Yeah. Who are those freakin weirdos? I'd like to once, just once, see someone I know get up in the morning like that.

Christmas is just around the corner, which is one of the very best reasons to get up in the morning. Even when December 25 rolls around, I still slide out of bed with only one eye open (whichever one isn't closed shut with eye goop). The kids may jump on the bed with excitement and shriek with delight, but that doesn't mean I share their immediate enthusiasm. Yes, I'm happy to be up and excited about presents but the truth is, I've likely stayed up the night before wrapping presents until some ungodly hour with duct tape, chewing gum and glue. It probably doesn't help that I've most likely had a few too many glasses of cheer, which often puts a damper on enthusiasm (or anything that requires loud noises). But, Christmas does get me up in the morning.

The holiday season is also almost here which SHOULD mean lots of extra sleep and NOT having to get up in the morning. But like so many other painful Murphy's Laws, I almost never sleep in on holidays. There's always an unexpected knock at the door, or the kids are especially rangy given the fact that there's no school, or someone in the house has run out of toilet paper and is calling my name. In those instances I hearken the spirit of my dead mother and say "I've changed my name!" which was often her retort.

This week I have a day off of work (it's the one day between jobs) and I won't have to get up in the morning. But, I just might. I hope to spend the day visiting cool shops, taking a leisurely lunch with friends and wrapping gifts. Part of me hopes I don't get up and nap until noon. Part of me wishes I could rise out of bed with a big ass smile on my face and hit the mall at warp speed. I doubt it will happen though cause I'll probably get cold feet.