The fuzziness of this picture is symbolic of the haze I've experienced all week. Every red eye flight I take evokes memories of college. That's right, I was one of THOSE students. Starting at about 9 PM the night before a major project was due, I'd conceive my thesis, research, draft, edit, and finalize. Oh, and don't forget the bibliography, in Turabian format. All by 7 AM the next morning. (This was naturally made possible by majoring in a subject that consisted primarily of reading the New York Times and pontificating about current events - my condolences to those who studied "hard" sciences).
There's a unique point in the all-nighter where you feel beyond tired. "Abnormal" is the most explicative word that comes to mind. Motor skills deteriorate, speech slurs, and an unusual hunger pains the stomach. It's an entirely unnatural sensation.
On Monday my boss, welcoming me back, commented that I looked "very relaxed." Sedated? Yes. Eyes dilated and out of focus? Most definitely. Relaxed? Not quite, but hey, as long as I appear conscious and can string together a few short, coherent phrases, the paycheck still rolls in.
There's a unique point in the all-nighter where you feel beyond tired. "Abnormal" is the most explicative word that comes to mind. Motor skills deteriorate, speech slurs, and an unusual hunger pains the stomach. It's an entirely unnatural sensation.
On Monday my boss, welcoming me back, commented that I looked "very relaxed." Sedated? Yes. Eyes dilated and out of focus? Most definitely. Relaxed? Not quite, but hey, as long as I appear conscious and can string together a few short, coherent phrases, the paycheck still rolls in.
6 comments:
Did you major in Poly Sci? I did too. I thought you looked familiar. I really did. I think we must have had a class together...if you really did major in Poly Sci.
Thanks for not posting a picture of ME. That would have been bad news... I am not pretty mid red-eye flight.
And Missy (Mike can't access blogger at work... he can respond later)- you're right. Mike was originally International Studies (?) then switched over to poly sci his senior year so that we could graduate on time. :) And he's not kidding about the all-nighters. I don't think he ever wrote a paper outside of the 24-hours-before-its-due window (including his final thesis, which he was writing up until 2 days before our wedding- yikes!).
Okay, I was wrong- he was the OTHER one- International RELATIONS, not studies.
I knew it when I read Turabian format. Aaah.
Not sure why but your my first impression of your picture was "somebody took Mike hostage". Dumb thought but I am just glad you are O.K.
Oh man, that was the best description of exactly how I felt oh-so many nights in college when it was 1am and I figured I'd better start a paper that was due the next morning.
So glad those days are over.
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