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  1. #1
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    I have become Nocturnal

    Living in Thailand, and with no job and few responsibilities to worry about, I have slipped into a fairly unusual routine compared to most human beings.

    I get up between 2.30 & 4 a.m, Usually just after 3. I love this time of day- it is quiet and cool. Not even any dogs barking, rarely a vehicle to be heard, no yammering Thai soap opera playing in the Living room. Only me and the dogs for company (but they are asleep again).

    In about another hour, the Village loudspeakers will come on. I have no idea what they drone on about (I used to think it was a Muslim thing, but not so) but this heralds the approach of dawn. With dawn, I make another coffee. First decision of the day- shall I do a morning swim before the sun is over the wall, or a late afternoon swim which might not happen if I get on the piss again? I don't like swimming when the sun is overhead.

    I don't do breakfast, but get hungry around 11ish usually. Lunch happens between 11am and 1pm. If it's a later version, we often go out for a bite. I eat lunch out more often than dinner these days.

    After lunch, I often start to feel a bit tired- Siesta time. Siesta is a bit of a variable- it generally starts between 1 and 3.30 pm. Lasts about two hours, although if I get on the piss over lunch it might not happen at all. It's the hottest time of day anyway- good time for a kip.

    Late afternoon early evening is drinking time, usually down the local shop. A reasonably typical session might start around 5-6, finish 9pm or so. Then home, check whats going on in TD world, scoff down some dinner at the computer, and to bed. It's unusual these days for me to be drinking after 10pm, although it does happen sometimes. Thats the benefit of having no routine- you can vary as the mood takes you. Sometimes I'm in bed around nine, occasionally I don't go to bed until after dawn.

    One unusual, and quite delightful, variation to the routine is the beer breakfast. This takes place down the local shop- if my mate Eddy has been on one of his all-nighters again he'll usually give me a call, or other times I just do it off my own bat. The shop opens at 6am. If you get there by 7, you see the monks come by collecting their alms- there is always this wizened old lady there giving them food, every morning, and a few others too. You see the Thai getting up and going about their daily routine- School, work and so on. The shop is busy early morning, a great time to witness village life. It's nice and cool too, at least until about 9 when the sun gets fiercer. I enjoy my BB's- think I'll do one this morning. If it's a long beer breakfast (it happens) I generally forsake the evening session. Gotta have some self control.

    So thats my 'Routine' as it has evolved with no foreign influence besides the sun and moon.

    Has anyone else evolved their own biological clock, or do you stick to the traditional get up in the morning, go to bed late evening sort of thing?

  2. #2

    R.I.P.


    dirtydog's Avatar
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    My hours tend to be really foked, I normally end up every 5th day or so staying up 24 hours to bring them into sync again.

  3. #3
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    Nice to hear that you have a routine you enjoy.

    For the past two years or so, I had an unusual routine, when I used to work for a UK company (I am in California):

    Wake up at 0500. Conference calls with UK staff until 0700. Then wake up the kids, get them fed, groomed, dressed, and walk to their school.

    0830-0900: my time, usually to shower, shit, smoke

    0900-1300: Work. On phone to late-working UK staff, US customers.

    1300-1425: My lunch, then a short nap.

    1425-2130: Get kids from school, take them to classes or play with them, do shopping while kids do tae kwon do, supervise their homework, settle sibling disputes (and apply first aid as applicable), cook dinner, do stuff with kids, bathe and dress them for bed, bedtime stories.

    2130-2200: Clean kitchen, start laundry, prepare their clothes and lunches for next day.

    2200-2400: Work on emails, documents, ... until UK staff start; I wish them good morning, they wish me good night.

    2400-0500: Sleep, perchance to dream...


    Although I settled into this routine easily, it did age me.

    I would 'caution' you that lack of a daily 6-8 hour continuous sleep does stress the body; perhaps better to say that lack of the continuous sleep will not allow the body to cope with stress, illness, ... as well as it could.

  4. #4
    Thailand Expat Texpat's Avatar
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    I'm spotty. Sometimes up all night -- like tonight. Sometimes I'm in bed at 10 p.m. Not drinking so that has no influence (lately, anyway) No rhyme or reason. I like to do yardwork after the sun starts to set behind the house. Those long shadow grow so quickly and steadily -- offering an inviting respite. I'll go to bed now but will likely be up by 10. I'll sleep 12 hours tomorrow.

    ^ I worked like that in Tokyo with a 1.5 hour commute each way during the mid 90s. Just about spelled the end of me after five years. Up at 3a.m. start work at 5 finish around noon, drive home and fall asleep immediately -- for 4 hours. Wake up for dinner, socialize with family for a few hours and go to sleep again.

    It was horrible. I never recommend split sleeping.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Texpat
    I never recommend split sleeping.
    I'm not sure about that actually. Look at the substantial Latino world, and their Siestas. It seems to work for them.

  6. #6
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    0551, the village speakers are on and droning away. A beautiful dawn is emerging- fire red, like theres a bushfire in the distance. Beautiful.

    They say 'red sky in the morning, Shepherds warning'. Will there be rain today I wonder? Oh, and mother in law has just got up- she always gets up around dawn.

    Anyway, heres what you missed out on-








    Nice, eh?
    Last edited by sabang; 09-04-2008 at 06:11 AM.

  7. #7
    たのむよ。
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    I'm up too early again, wish I had a Spanish body clock, blimey - where did those pics come from they were'nt there before.

    Very nice Sabbo, not treated in any way?
    Last edited by The Gentleman Scamp; 09-04-2008 at 09:11 AM.

  8. #8
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    zipcode's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sabang View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Texpat
    I never recommend split sleeping.
    I'm not sure about that actually. Look at the substantial Latino world, and their Siestas. It seems to work for them.
    Not sure, but I think they do get about 6 hours at night.

  9. #9
    ding ding ding
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    My body clock has been in tatters since I was about 5 years old. I could never sleep at night and dozed my way through school. Later in life I found that working nights was my forte and it provided enough income to afford to eat each day in the UK
    Now in Thailand I work New York times 20.30 until 3am. I'm normally not tired after work and goon around on here or watch a movie or something until 7am ish. I might go to sleep then or go for a run like I did this morning, best part of the day me thinks.
    I'll go to sleep soon, maybe until 11am or perhaps 4pm, never can tell
    When I get up I'll go and hang out with friends, drink a beer and watch some girls go by, great preparation for repeating the whole cycle again......

  10. #10
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    blackgang's Avatar
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    Here the WAT fires up the pole speakers at 0500 most mornings, noisy cocksuckers, to bad the muslims do not over run them and then immediately die of the screaming shits the first time the morning call to prayers is called..
    Be a perfect end to these noisy pricks.

  11. #11
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    Sabang,
    My routine is very similar to yours, but with less beer, always been an early morning person, my first memories are trudging to the cow shed with my Dad,well before sunup.
    So its normally up at 4 am for me, piss around on the PC, get the kids up and showed at 6 am while she who must be obeyed does her ironing.
    At 6.30 off for an hour and half walk with my Seppo mate, and take kids to school at 8 am.
    During the day its baking some bread, cooking, or a bit of rumpy humpy with Missus (but not normally that lucky) bugger around with my bike or go for a good fast ride. Pick kids up and sometimes go to the local shop for 2 beers or my Seppo mates place and listen to some music, and maybe smoke a joint or two.
    10.30 / 11 PM off to bed.
    The mid day siesta thing doesn't do much for me, makes me dopey for the rest of the day. If i get too much more than 5 / 6 hours sleep it makes me lethargic

  12. #12
    The cold, wet one
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    Quite a normal routine for me. Nowt interesting or exotic. Up at 6:10 or 6:15. Let the dogs who sleep in my bedroom out. Littl'un's on holiday, so I don't bother waking him. 9 times out of 10 he gets up when he hears me up, though. Get him breakfast & me a glass of juice & settle down to HHAD & TD for an hour or so. Check emails.
    Then clean house & prepare dog's dinner for evening (rice, veg, fish, blood cake & chicken in a huge rice cooker). Change paraplegic dogs beds & let them out for exercise.
    Breakfast & maybe back on here for a bit. If I'm doing admin, I'll keep a TD window open & pop in. Otherwise I'll be at the center or doing vet runs or at the temple I deal with injecting dogs & generally dealing with them.
    Lunch is anywhere from 12:30 to 2pm & the afternoons seem to be spent shopping more often than not for stuff I/littl'un or the dogs need (food mainly). 4:30 to 5pm feed the dogs & do some washing (our clothes &/or dog bedding). 6pm change dogs bedding & let them out again. 6:30 littl'un has dinner & he goes to bed 7:30 or 8pm. I'm on here most evenings, but rarely past 9pm unless I'm messengering my Mum in UK at the same time. I usually go to bed at about 10pm, sleep until 12 or 1 with all the lights & TV/music on, get up, check the dogs & then go to bed properly. I can't shut down the house completely until that time, as the dogs get edgy & bored & can be noisy if bedtime is too early.

  13. #13
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    Good routine sabang.
    Similar but start drinking at 4pm and bed by 8pm
    I love 4.30 am cool and quiet.

  14. #14
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    I've always been an early-to-bed person. These days I try to hold off on the beer until at least 6 PM and finish up around 8 or 8:30 and sleep around 9. I'm always awake by 5 AM, do up some coffee about 5:30 and get out in the garden before the sun is up. Best time of the day.

  15. #15
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    It is odd how my 'system' changes, have no rhyme or reason other than maybe its an internal thing centered around what I'm doing at the time.

    I used to do the US time thingy, 9 PM till 3 AM on the puter. When I moved to Makham I gradually started going to bed earlier and getting up around the normal time. It eventually has evolved to being in bed (normally) by 9PM and up before dawn. Generally around 5AM.

    I've always found, even working shift work the I'm at my brightest (no comments Marmite!) early in the mornings. At least that's when I'm most efficient.


    E. G.
    "If you can't stand the answer --
    Don't ask the question!"

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Gentleman Scamp
    Very nice Sabbo, not treated in any way?
    The Pic's were all taken this morning- it really was a lovely sunrise. I just snapped them, downloaded and added to my Post as an Edit.

    Apart from resizing for Web, the one in the middle I 'auto adjusted' on Windows picture editor.

  17. #17
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    Sabang: you and FF appear to have a lot in common...I always thought he kept the weirdest hours but now realise that he's not alone!..

    I'm always loathe to call Frankie cause I'm never sure if he's sleeping, in which case I don't want to wake him; or working in which case I don't want to disturb him...

    For me: I'm an early riser...years of milking cows back in the Waikato instill habits which are hard to break...at uni my first classes were at 9:30 but I normally left home at 5:30, arriving at my office at 6:00...a great time of the day as the only other person around was the maid...even now that I'm 'unemployed' I still wake up early in the morning...

    Oh and not drinking at the moment because I have been crook with the flu and that has dropped my weight back to 79kgs which makes me feel real good...I normally have a couple of months alcohol-free each year...

  18. #18
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    Schedule? I don't need no stinking schedule.
    Although I have been mainly a Night prowler most of my life and always seem to feel my best around 2200 - 2400 I'm all over the map depends on work and mood.

    Al last week I was waking up at 330 - 400 gong to be abut 2100 2200, This week I seem to have settled into a mostly normal routine sleep at 300 wake up 1000 - 1100.

    Staying up till dawn is nice, I can sit out on the back deck and listen to the sounds of the moobaan waking up. The deisel fumes even smell fresher when my next door neighbor fires up his dump truck. Waking up at dawn? Don't fuck with me for the first hour I'm up - stay out of my way 'till I've had may coffee. I usually stay up later and later each night waking up at the same time until something snaps and I go down for a 12 hour nap usually at eight in the morning some strange morning sleep until 2000. It then I know I need to stay up for 30 hours or so to ge back on track.

    No matter the times I wake or sleep my daily schedule remains very much the same just shifted. Wake up sit in front of the damn thing wait for the coffee, if I was in the middle of something it's usually still on the screen, waiting. I rarely drink, unless out or entertaining. I've got a bottle of beer in the fridge some one brought over for Thanksgiving. I may have a few fingers of Wild Birdy before bed on some nights mostly not. For a while is was Jameson, But Jim Beam is good. Discovered a store close by, that sells W.T. Haven't looked at another whiskey since A bottle will last me about three weeks, if I'm with a fried or two it might last one night. They say a routine is healthy for both your body and your mind. I guess I have a routine, just not a daily one.
    When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty -- T. Jefferson


  19. #19
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    Same as you Sabang i love the early mornings 4am mostly both here in the uk and in thailand.
    Its so quiet and peaceful my routine is to put the kettle on turn on the pc get the cat food out and open my back door to let my 2 cats in.
    IF the weather here is good i love to just look out side hearing cat bicuits being crunched and the kettle calling.
    I make a coffee and open up T/D my family get up about 7.30 so i make them all a drink we sit and chat for half an hour then the get ready to go to work.
    If i am not working i may pop over to the shop and grab a beer (trying to aviod the looks on the faces of people going to work,and wonder if they are wondering why i am buying beer so early)
    A good nap about 1 or and old film to fall asleep to is my idea of heaven.

    Damm gotta work today

  20. #20
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    In bed around midnight & up at 7.40. Finish work at 5.30 on a Mon & Tue and then home before working out for an hour.

    Home again about 9 then posting bollocks until it's bed time.

    Tue & Thu I finish work a bit later before going to study Thai. Still post bollocks at home later though.

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog View Post
    working out for an hour.

    .
    Working out where ? Wall street maybe

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by peterpan
    Working out where ? Wall street maybe
    That's Thursday after my Thai lesson.

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by sabang View Post
    0551, the village speakers are on and droning away. A beautiful dawn is emerging- fire red, like theres a bushfire in the distance. Beautiful.

    They say 'red sky in the morning, Shepherds warning'. Will there be rain today I wonder? Oh, and mother in law has just got up- she always gets up around dawn.

    Anyway, heres what you missed out on-








    Nice, eh?
    awesome stuff mate!

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