Ah, sorry, Lee. XD My email didn't give me a notification of your pokity post and I've sort of been procrastinating a lot... I've kinda been missing from the forum for a bit because I was too lazy to log on and post.
inotherwordsilurked >.> But now let's break out of that habit! I miss chatting to you guys - especially now that a certain
Gena-chan is back. :3
What? How did I end up replying to this shout-out two months late!?!
I'm soooo sorry PB. You must have been sitting in front of your computer just WAITING for me to answer this entire time (well, you have a life so you probably wouldn't have done something pointless like that...but just let me pretend that you did and make myself feel like I was missed).
Like krissy said, sleep is what you need! Here is an (extended) version of what I do: (I used to have horrible insomnia and night-owl sleeping patterns, as you could tell because I was sending messages to you at 8p.m. YOUR TIME).
-Try to avoid watching any T.V. or looking at computer screens two hours before you go to sleep (somehow, doing these things makes your brain "wake up" more and can keep you up, on average, two hours later than you intended).
-Take a really nice, long, warm, skin-wrinkling bath and/or shower (I don't like baths personally, but some people do).
-Wrap your hair and yourself in a towel and just sit there in bed for a while with a book and/or decent reading material (but not too good, so that you don't want to keep reading), while putting on your favorite lotion, smelling something nice, or drinking tea (but try to avoid falling asleep that way...because I have done that before, and it's not the best thing to wake up on a soggy pillow).
-Get into your P.J.s or whatever (maybe dry your hair like I do) and make sure at least MOST of your tasks are done that might bother you when you're trying to get to sleep.
-After you feel like everything you need to do is done, start turning off your lights methodically, preferably with warm socks on so the cold floor doesn't wake you up again.
-Breath deeply (A breathing exercise I learned from a book: Count in your head while inhaling...1,2,3,4 and then exhale for the same amount of time...1,2,3,4. Concentrate on air coming in and out and try to make it where your stomach expands as you breathe instead of just your ribcage, like a singer does to get a really clear note).
-Think simple, but not philosophical, thoughts (and don't you DARE think about anything important).
-Now clear your mind of all things that have happened that day.
-Think "black" or just concentrate hard on your breathing. Allow your conscience to slip away (To remove any doubts: No, counting sheep has been scientifically proven to be an ineffective way to get to sleep. It just eventually bores people into light slumber).
-Make sure your sleep patterns stay reasonably consistent so that you're body clock stays on schedule, so that the process of sleeping and waking up will become easier.
-And listen to gena's really long bullet-point rant on how to get to sleep (I'm looking at how terribly long this is...and realizing how often I don't listen to my own advice...)
On a less motherly and overbearing note (I have good intentions, and I know how sleeplessness feels), is your vacation over?
If so...
If not, would it be terribly selfish if I suggested that you maybe...write a little? If I maybe...requested for some more "Only Human?" As sort of a celebration for my long delayed return?
I know, I'm sounding like Lee (but at least Lee is a nice person who is worthy of imitation).
Hope everything is going well! Be sure and keep us posted!