I haven’t had insomnia this badly since I was in college. For this week, I am averaging about three good hours of sleep. At least, unlike college, I am not so jittery I can’t stay horizontal, so I am rested, but not well-rested.Our hotel situation worked out strangely, in that many of the AWP Conference goers received king-size beds instead of two double beds for groups of three adult-size people. I refuse to sleep in a king-size bed with two friends, no matter how close they are, so I volunteered to sleep on the floor. I don’t mind sleeping on the floor, but it isn’t as conducive to good sleep as I would like.
Tonight’s keynote address is with Margaret Atwood, the author of one of my favorite books, Oryx and Crake, and another book I have found becoming frighteningly realistic, The Handmaid’s Tale. After her address, several of us are going to go out for a bit. My plan is to exhaust myself and have a couple of nice hard ciders, so that I will be sure to get some sleep tonight. I also plan to run in the morning. I haven’t been exercising much the past couple of weeks, and I think the extra energy I’m not spending may be contributing to my insomnia. We’ll see.
*
Chicago is a spiritual meditation. Chicago is cathartic.
Stop Here to Get Chocolate-Covered Gummi Bears
Don't Forget to Exit I-90 Before This Toll Booth
Expect a Beautiful View of the Lake
Bring Plenty of Supplies
Eat at Lou Malnati's on State Street
Eat at Trendy Cafes
Consume the All American Breakfast of Sausage, Eggs, and Hash Browns
Wash It Down With My First Greek Coffee
Don't Swirl Well Enough
Watch A Worker-Artist Clean A Goddess
Watch Him Work Some More
Make Black & White Photos During a Session in a Ballroom
Revel in Beauty Whenever & Wherever She Shows Her Face
Hope and pray and wish and dream that I can sleep tonight.
Reason Breeds Insanity 
Is jealousy sufficiently Lent-like? It does lead to guilt, inevitably…. I decided against AWP for some dumb reasons, mostly just feeling overwhelmed and underqualified. Now I am green, green I tell you, Kermit-like green! You know, for all they’re charging, you shouldn’t have to choose between three-to-a-bed or the floor!! (Green eyes make me taunt, though, in nursery school fashion, “There were three in the bed, and the little one said, ‘Roll over, roll over.’ There were two in the bed, and the little one said…” You get my point:-)
Love it. Take heart in knowing that I’ve been to multiple sessions, and the best one so far was a reading! 🙂