Undeniably a Night Owl!

I am, without a doubt, a night owl! I come by it quite honestly, Mom & Grandma are/were too, although I have the worst time getting up in the morning. And I firmly believe it's innate - like being left-handed. Why would I choose to be out-of-synch with most of the world? I can get up and function in the morning when necessary - but it's not natural, and I can't do it well for very long.

I was first really aware of this when I was in junior high - the effort to get me up and moving in the morning was miserable for all concerned and falling asleep any time close to when I went to bed was almost impossible. I told myself a lot of stories, waiting to fall asleep. My senior year of high school, I worked the closing shift as a fast-food place - and had an absolutely dreadful time staying awake in 1st period English. I tended to lean against the conveniently placed wall and drift.

One of my smarter job choices was night auditor at a motor inn - 11pm-7am Sun-Thurs. Perfectly natural hours for me. I'd go home, have breakfast, and go to bed and then I'd be awake in the evenings when my friends were home from work.

Someone recently said he thinks he's on a 26-hr schedule. I can relate. I've been working from home/unemployed/a student for most of this year, and my sleep-patterns have shifted forward around the clock for much of it.

And since this is part of it - I love to sleep. I especially like the dreamy, drifting state between being awake and being asleep. I can sleep through almost anything - as various pets, sisters, niece, nephews and Mom have discovered.

Dining Out

I love eating out - I just don't get to do it very often on my own account.

My favorite places to eat? A toss-up between Roberto's and the Pelican Inn.

Roberto's is a nice neighborhood Italian place my parents eat at weekly. So, everyone knows them, the bartender brings Mom's martini in a special glass, and there's a lot of teasing and flirting going on. The food's very good, too. Start off with sourdough bread dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Then a Caesar salad - best one I've tasted, and I've tried plenty. For the main course, I usually choose the rosemary steak. Sometimes a fish dish, and occasionally pasta - but usually the steak. It's got a wonderful rosemary and red wine sauce - mmm. Once in a great while Mom & I split a dessert, but usually I finish with vanilla ice cream.

The Pelican Inn is definitely for special occasions. It's out on the coast, and it's for all the world like a 16th-century English country inn (which is, of course, what St. Alban's guild runs at the Faire!) We go out there when Kage gets a fat royalty check and Kathleen wants to treat the core members of the guild. I favor prime rib here, and hard cider. They specialize in British fare, of course - Beef Wellington, shepherd's pie, bangers & mash. We haven't, yet, attended in costume - but there are plenty of other reenacting groups in the Bay Area who have, and do, on a regular basis.