Latest update on polyphase

Well, I think I've finally got a polyphasic schedule that will work for my school schedule this semester. That is, one that will allow me to be alert during all waking times, and yet not require that I give up more than five hours to sleep each day. Basically, it's a pentaphasic schedule, with a three-hour core at night. In polyphasic parlance, "core" sleep is basically any sleep that lasts longer than a normal nap length (in my case, roughly 20 minutes), and cores generally come out to be some multiple of the normal 90-minute sleep cycle. At least, most people have a 90-minute sleep cycle. I am finding, however, that I do not, quite. I always thought that I did, but it turns out that at least some of that ninety minutes was spent in the getting to sleep stage because, now that I can drop off within the first three minutes, my three-hour core actually lasts somewhere between 2 1/4 and 2 1/2 hours. Weird eh?

I've also been doing a LOT of sleep shifting in order to fit in a social schedule during the past week and a half. Not so good. I even overslept one morning, and got to my Precalc class late. Turns out all I missed was a pre-test which had no bearing on my grade (whew!), but it freaked me out sufficiently that I've stopped sleeping in the van (which was my "bed" for all intents and purposes before I began polyphase, and thus has long-term sleeping associations for me), and I've started adding an extra alarm for the time right before school. So far I haven't needed it...hope I can keep it that way. Also, I don't go out on school nights, which will hopefully help.

In other news, Mom goes in for a surgery later this morning. It's elective, so it will hopefully be no big deal. But it means that I will be apartment- and cat-sitting for the next however long until she gets home from the hospital. Yay! A real kitchen for a week or so! Whom can I invite over and cook for.... :D

In other, other news...perhaps I can blame a certain ultra-embarassing occurence on my sleep deprivation...i.e. trying to wreck my friend Rob's car. :( Nah, I won't try that. He knows better (after all, he was there!). In fact, I was hyper-aware, because it was SOOO cool to be driving such a fun car. And the incident itself is irony of the highest order. It wouldn't dare happen when I'm careening around corners at 70mph. Oh no. It waits until I'm doing...2mph. In a freaking parking lot. I'm executing a U-turn, no big deal, right? And, I see this thing looming in the headlights that I would SWEAR is a Miami drain (side note here: apparently no one else in the world calls these Miami drains besides myself and my ex-father-in-law. So, for clarification, Miami drains are the shallow, v-shaped ditchlets that you often see running down either side of the road in this part of the country. They help with drainage. Where the Miami part came from, I don't know for sure, but, I would guess they're common in Miami? I never paid that much attention when I was down there. Neither do I know if they have a more commonly accepted name. But, if you know what I'm talking about, and you know the proper noun for them, please, by all means, comment away and let me know! Now back to our regularly scheduled blog post). So, yeah. I think I'm going to be driving over a little divot when...WHUMP! I run the car up on a nice, 6-inch-plus curb. Now, if this were my car...no big deal. I have 6 inches of clearance, easy. But NOOOOO! Rob's car is not just lower...it's LOWERED. With the uber-cool low-profile tires & wide-ass rims...big brakes...incredible-sounding exhaust system...short-throw shifter...ah, but I digress. Again. So embarassed I am literally feeling pain, I back down off the curb and pull over to a better-lit area so we can assess the damage...and hear a gut-wrenching dragging sound. He looks over his shoulder and announces that his entire bumper is laying in the road...AUGH! I get out and look at the bumper...intact! Then I run over to the item in question...turns out it's the splashguard/liner of the wheel well. Not good, but...not as bad as I had feared. We pore over the tire & rim with great attention to detail, and look around for any other broken bits, but there miraculously appear to be none. I guess there is SOMEthing to be said for low-speed impacts...So I deposit the curvy plastic in the trunk, and then discover, oh yes, the damage HAS indeed been done...he wants to drive. :( *snif* Much to his credit, however, he neither curses me nor takes a swing, so I don't think I've ruined the friendship. *crosses fingers*

Seriously...Rob...if you read this, thanks for being so cool about the whole thing. I'm not sure what I would've done in your shoes, but you probably did it better.