Sleepless in Prince George
I share with my Free Press co-worker, Allan Wishart, only one thing – which I think we both agree is a good thing. We both suffer from insomnia – a lack of the zzz’s.
The condition came upon both of us as a complete mystery, within the last year. One theory suggests aliens are invading our brains (reporters make good subjects) and they need us to be awake and somewhat alert as they conduct their experiments.
One of my friends told me it’s because people like us – reporters – get over-stimulated during the day in our vastly exciting jobs.
Snore.
Here’s the thing. When I was younger, I, like most people my age, could work all day, stay up all night, party hearty, then go into work – sharp as a tack – do my job and then do it all over again the next night.
Naturally, I would never have confessed this to my editor of the day back then.
Not when parents were still chanting, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a (wo)man healthy, wealthy and wise.”
But now that my social calendar consists of my work-related arts and entertainment events, I can say it. The real difference is now I want to get to bed early and I want to sleep all night long. My brain does not agree. It tells me to stay up late and fight the yawns, warding them off with great tasks like peeling off wallpaper until dawn.
I think the good Lord gives older people like me insomnia so they can enjoy every last moment of their time here on earth. Why waste time sleeping? So imagine my horror when after a rare late night at the office, I turned on the TV at home to relax. What I saw jolted me into reality.
It was a commercial said to be distributed by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Big bold black letters on a white screen so even bleary-eyed, sleep-deprived dummies (like me) could not miss it.
“The average Canadian will spend their last 10 years in sickness and disability.”
Thanks, I needed that.
This just after my doctor gave me, if not a clean bill of health, at least hope that I may survive long enough to collect my old age pension.
Come to think of it though, he never promised me lots of good night’s sleeps until then.
•••
The Northern Women’s Centre is hosting its 13th annual Jezebel’s Jam event on Saturday, March 2. The event starts at 6 p.m. at Artspace with an eco-fashion show, Idle No More kickoff event, music, art, poetry, crafts and more.
Jezebel’s Jam is a fundraiser for NWC. Tickets are $10 and $12 at the door.
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