Not a Morning Person After All........

I have always considered myself a morning person, but perhaps I need to refine my definition of what exactly constitutes a "morning person."

I thought I was a morning person because I don't mind getting up early, and I even enjoy getting up before I have to. What I have discovered lately, though, is that I don't really want to DO anything that early. If I can get up and spend a couple of hours (or more) drinking coffee, reading the paper, checking my Facebook, checking emails, and reading a few blogs, then yes I am indeed a morning person.

It occurred to me yesterday when I was riding my bike that even something I really, really enjoy, like cycling, is best left until later in the day. When I retired, I told myself that I would get up early, early every morning (or at least once in a while) and ride my bike before it got hot. That almost never happened.

When I'm on organized rides like BRAG, I don't have much choice about riding early, but I find I'm not at my conversational best until I've got about 12-15 miles behind me. At least an hour.

I realized yesterday that I am particularly fond of the weather at this time of year, not only because of the high, brilliantly blue skies, but also because I can wait until almost lunchtime and go for a ride without suffering from heat stroke.

In retrospect, I wasn't the morning person I thought I was all those years I was a teacher either. I was always THERE early, even at the school where teachers had to report by 6:50 AM. I was usually there by 6:30. Being there, however, didn't mean I wanted to interact with anyone. I wanted to be there before anyone else so I could check email, copy tests or other materials, plan class activities, and generally get my ducks in a row before I was forced to have conversations. I dearly loved being in a mobile classroom at the back of the school, because people didn't just wander by there and stick their heads in the door. If it was raining, they didn't even come if they HAD a reason.

Perhaps I should start my career over with this new found self-knowledge.

Never mind.