Jet Lag - I've Got a Bad Case

Not as bad as when I threw up in Hong Kong, but just give me a few more hours. Won't be long and I'll be stumbling around the office like a drunken sailor.

I left the house in Milwaukee on Tuesday at 12:20pm their time (9:20pm Dubai time). First flight was a shorty into Chicago and then from Chicago the flight left around 7:30pm (4:30am Dubai time) for London. I had dinner while still on the ground in Chicago, so I got plenty of sleep on that flight over to the UK. Once again, London was putting on her most beautiful face. A gorgeous summer day greeted us when we landed. From London, we left around on Wednesday 12:30pm their time (3:30pm Dubai time) and got into Dubai just after 10pm local time. I had done a good job of staying awake during the flight to Dubai and was feeling pretty tired. When I called Russell to let him know I'd landed, I told him how I was feeling pretty good about how I was transitioning to the time change. I jinxed myself.

After getting my luggage and taking the taxi home, I arrived at just after 11pm (nearly 26 hours door to door). A quick perusal through the house - and then off to bed.

11:50 - So, to bed. My brain is going zing-ga-ding-ga-ding-ding at 100 miles per hour. Can't sleep, can't sleep, can't sleep, can't sleep, can't sleep.
12:20 - Turn on light and try a crossword. I'm so tired that my brain is heavy in my head and my eyes are aching.
12:40 - Back to bed. My brain continues to spin its own little vortex (who needs hurricanes?) House is quiet, I'm all alone, can't sleep, house is quiet, I'm all alone, can't sleep, house is quiet, I'm all alone, can't sleep. Is this what an over-tired toddler feels like?
1:30 - Turn on light and try to read. Really enjoying my book, Out of Africa. Keep reading, and reading, and reading, and reading - how come I'm not falling asleep? My brain is SOSOSOSO tired.
3:00 - Back to bed. Can't sleep, missing Russell & Lyra, can't sleep, missing Russell & Lyra, can't sleep, missing Russell & Lyra. Now I start to throw my own little pity party.
3:10 - Turn on light and go downstairs to call them. Talk to them on the phone for about 10 minutes. Lyra tells me how she had to have 4 people hold her down for her 3 jabs and 1 blood draw at the doctor. I ask her, "Wasn't it scary to have 4 people hold you down?" She said, "No, because when I saw those needles I wanted to be out of there." I asked, "How old do you think you'll be when you don't need to be held down to have a jab? six? seven?" She replied, "Probably eight." - Note to Lyra: Those pierced ears are going to have to wait.
3:30 - Back to bed. This time I will NOT turn on the light, even if I'm just laying there thinking over and over: I wish I could sleep, I'm so tired, I can't sleep, I wish I could sleep, I can't sleep.
4:28 - Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar. The two mosques start their call to prayer. I have missed those guys. They're so soothing in the morning.
4:56 - The prayers start.
5:06 - I tell myself, if by some miracle I have fallen asleep in the next 25 minutes before my alarm goes off, I'm just going to keep sleeping. I wonder if I'll fall asleep? Hmmm, am I asleep? Nope. Hmmmm, am I asleep? Nope.
5:30 - Alarm goes off. This is ridiculous - I should just turn that off and go to sleep. Problem is, it is now 8:30pm in Milwaukee and if I fall asleep now, I'll just want to stay asleep until 3 in the afternoon. That's just creating the same problem for tomorrow. Oh, but I want so much to SLEEP!
5:32 - I decide to get up and go to yoga. Maybe that will energize me.

Actually, the yoga was a very choice. Except for one thing. If you're feeling woozy, don't bend over backward.

The day stretches out before me like a long endurance test. I'm looking at things, but not seeing them. Hearing things, but not understanding. Saying things, but not even following my own train of thought. Walking, but not knowing where I'm going.

Tonight, I'm going to bed with a glass of whiskey - a tall one. Wish me luck.