My Morning People

I've developed this habit of opening the slatted windows in the bathroom while I'm taking a piss. Partly because I can. Partly because I want fresh air while I urinate.

During the morning, though, another strange habit has consequently appeared. I've been trying to get back on the "early riser" routine, again. My first piss arrives around 6:30am. Even today, a Sunday I was doing my business with window open soaking in the morning air.

But I noticed that I've been keeping tabs on who has been awake around the same time as I am. It's just dark enough that people's lights have to be turned on. If I'm lucky, I can still see inside their dwellings.

In my split second assessment, I make my rounds from window to window. It's liking taking a roll call:

Shitty apartment dweller, who uses their deck as a storage area.... Here!

Nice apartment on the opposite hill with party lanterns hanging from their front window... Present!

The back of a poorly designed 60's apartment with a forrest on their deck... Awake!

Buhler...Buhler...Buhler...

I have an intimate knowledge of their sleeping habits. Or at the least, their lighting-usage habits. They are unknowingly part of my morning community and my morning routine. We are closer than they'll ever realize. Every morning for about 20 seconds we share the start (or end ) of the day together. I close the slatted windows and I start my day.

Taking showers in the dark

This is definitely going to be a TMI entry. You can stop now.

Or go on. You've been warned.

My last "tweet" was "about to take a shower in the dark." I thought it was worthy of explanation. About a month ago, when I was about to take a shower, I noticed that the sun was reflecting off the skylight alley of my bathroom window. The light was bright enough to light the bathroom but just dim enough that reading would be difficult. The electric light was already on, by habit. I decided, then, to turn off the light and take a shower in the reflected sunlight.

Interestingly, the shower had a different feel. It could have been because my sense of sight was dulled and I took more notice of my sense of touch. Or it could have been that the muted natural light was calming. Whatever it was, it just felt good. I was refreshed in a new way.

Since then, I've done it whenever there is any sign of light in the alley. There have been times in the morning when I can barely see what I'm doing. I highly recommend trying it at least one time. If you do, please make a comment and tell me how it was.