Early Morning Thoughts

Well, it’s 4a.m. and sleep is impossible.  The house is silent but for the whirring noises of fans and power supplies that emanate from my computer room, a veritable geek's temple.  I have decided that, since sleep is running from me as fast as it can and I’m REALLY not in any shape to chase it, I shall sit here and think of something to write.

I put a CD in the personal player next to my computer and press play.  Yanni pours out of the headphones that lay draped around my neck.  I blink slowly and go to check my mail.  Nothing.  Well, we can’t all be popular all the time, so I decide to go read the news.  Hmmph.  I decide that maybe I’m not in geek mode this morning, so I go start up the coffee pot.

Everyone I know that is “into” computers, either lives and breathes coffee or Mountain Dew.  All of them.  It’s always one beverage or the other.  Is it coincidence?  I think not, and anyone who has ever pulled an all-nighter on Halo, World of Warcraft, or some really interesting programming will know what I’m speaking of. 

I pour the water into my wonderful little coffeemaker and wait impatiently for the 30 seconds it takes to brew the complete pot.  Awesome company, Bunn.  What a wonderful company to realize how delightful it is for a caffeine junkie such as myself to have only 30 little seconds before that first cup of java, the nectar of the gods.  I grab a cup and walk to the living room, my sock feet sliding silently across the linoleum floor.  I flop onto the couch and grab a book from the coffee table, then just as quickly put it down again.  Nope, not in the mood to read either.

Enough is enough, I’m going outside.  The street is quiet and all the neighbors are sleeping and dreaming of a day off work. Suddenly, above the trees to the east the first rays of the sun strike the clouds in an artist’s palette of hues.  I gape in awe at the spectrum of color from deepest blue to white gold that shade the sky above me.  Almost dropping my coffee cup, I glance around almost guiltily to see if anyone else is out to see the wonders of the rising sun.  Has anyone else around me seen this miracle of nature?  Has anyone else witnessed something so beautiful it could strike even a politician speechless? 

Slowly, as the sky brightens and the puffy clouds above me are being gilded by the rising ball of fire that warms this little planet, I turn and walk back to the door; stopping for a moment to feel the sun on my back.  I close my eyes, smiling to myself and walking back inside, greeted by my dogs.  I chuckle at their antics and walk back to my bedroom.  It’s going to be a beautiful day, and suddenly it doesn’t matter that I’ve been up all night. The sunrise has invigorated me; given my tired body a little lift and I feel like dancing through the house. 

Technology is fun, but nothing compares to getting a chance to see Mother Nature at work.  I head back to the computer room where I am greeted by a bright blue screen of death on  one monitor and warning messages from another.  Huh.  Looks like it’s going to be one of THOSE days.