The Human Body in "Overdrive"

Everybody's had those "long days". We all use the expression. Some more so than others. Some more deservedly than others. Some use it in exaggeration, when they got out of bed at 1pm but "worked hard" from 4 to 10.

"Man, I've had a long day." (Yeah, OK, and I'm a cycloptic Oompa Loompa in a banana suit.)

Then there's people like a particular co-worker of mine. Se gets up at 5:30 am every day to go to her first job, leaves there, goes to a few classes at the university, then procedes to the restaurant to work till 10 or 11pm. Then goes home to wake up the next day and do it all over again. That's just insane. But at the end of the night, it all becomes clear.

"It's been a long day," she says with an enduring pleasantness. Her eyes give her away, beyond the mousy smile. She's doing it because she has to. Rock on, Waitress Girl.

Saturday, is thankfully the ONLY day of my week I have to call a long day. I teach private music lessons all morning/afternoon, then go to the restaurant for a 5pm Closing shift. So that one day runs me about 8:30am to at 2am (because after a 14-hr work day like that, you definitely make time for a good stiff drink afterward).
But last night I caught rare form. I came home around one, poured myself a class of wine, and sat down in the living room. It was like I'd drank five espresso shots. Neither my body or mind could relax. My roommate was passed out in her room, and I felt bad that I was up and laughing loudly at the TV, and at a friend's IM conversation. I was on virtual crack, I think. But it ended up with her and I watching Robin Hood: Prince of Theives until nearly 5 am.
I usually am out by 2 or 3 at the ultimate latest. But last night I went to bed GIDDY. It took a bit to settle into bed. I laughed at myself, at how ridiculous this energy level was. Finally my body and brain looked at their watches and said, "Oh Shit, we need to get some sleep, or we'll be paying for it tomorrow!"

Well, as I get ready for another day of serving people and getting paid(or not, sometimes) to slave over their lunches/dinners, I realize I am going to pay for the "Overdrive" I put myself in yesterday. Blech. Maybe today I'll keep it in 3rd gear, more like.