Monday, January 10, 2011

Time to Make the Donuts



Remember this? Who doesn’t!

Sometimes in order to get the freshest ideas we need to make little sacrifices, like waking up early or even in the middle of the night if that’s when our most creative thoughts explode.

I’m an odd bird (should not come as a surprise). No matter what, I cannot sleep past 7:00 a.m. It’s a circadian thing. It’s a rooster thing. It’s a groove thing. Who knows what kind of thing it is, but as soon as my alarm clock shines a Ghostbusters green 6:59 a.m. I’m up and at ‘em.

And it’s likely I’ve already been stretching in bed for a few minutes doing one of three things, praying, smiling as I think about lovin’ on my kidlets or piecing together plans for my blog or my novel.

Like practically every human on earth I crave a little jumpstart to my day. You know, caffeine in large quantities (Barry's Irish Tea). It’s necessary to help put my thoughts into motion. And that’s what’s it’s all about around here—thoughts that move.

How do you kick start your mornings? Do you find yourself making sacrifices to create what’s fresh?

27 comments:

  1. That was a great ad slogan!
    My hubby rarely sleeps past 7 either--6 really. I wish I had that problem.
    I need a BIG jumpstart to my morning: 2 cups of coffee and usually a little excerise before I'm ready to start my day.

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  2. Crazy but true, I sometimes say to myself "time to make the donuts" when I rise at 5:00 a.m. That's my only quiet time in this house. I've been doing it for years. One hour of writing, 3 cups of coffee, kids off to school and then off to work.

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  3. hahaha. This is awesome. I can just see you all happy at 659 while the rest of the world is IVd up to Starbucks.

    I don't need much to get me awake, but at night it's all I can do to stay awake. Are you a night owl or morning bird?

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  4. Have never seen this commercial - where have I been! Only work part-time, but even on days off I wake at 5:55, while hubby has already been up for an hour! We enjoy a toast and coffee breaky and our devotional time together! Great start to every morning! It's always quiet in our house now because we're retired!

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  5. I have to brush my teeth and put in eye drops first thing in the morning. If I don't there's a good chance I'll climb right back into bed :)

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  6. Ha! I used to jump start my morning with coffee but now that I'm pregnant, coffee sounds horrible to me so I need a new routine. This post reminded me about a day I spent with my grandma last year. She wanted to teach my sister and I how to make Finnish cardimum coffee bread so she taught us the entire process... mixing, kneading, rising, brading, baking. It took us 4 and a half hours. When we finished, my grandma explained to us that for twenty years, she woke up at 4 to make this bread fresh EVERY morning so my grandpa could have it at 8:30 before he went to work. WOW.

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  7. I'm up at 6 to make a hot breakfast for my kiddos (it's one of the few things I do cuz I often don't get to much of a dinner by the time the day gets going) but I dont like being up that early. I kickstart my day with some hot herbal tea.

    have a great week!

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  8. Um...not so much a morning person, not if I'm the only one up.

    I drink Diet Coke in the morning (and pretty much all through the day.)

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  9. I'm definitely a morning person. Wish we could go to lunch together today! I love you, friend.

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  10. Wow, you remind me of me! No wonder I like you so much!!!

    Yes, I sacrifice a sparkling clean house, lunches with friends, watching TV. But I want to DO something with my life.

    Excellent post, Wendy.

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  11. I sacrifice going to bed at a decent hour, usually. But lately I haven't been sacrificing much to write and it's actually making me sad. So, it's back on track now!

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  12. I've been more intentional about getting up early lately. The funny thing is my body wakes me up five minutes before my alarm is set to go off, no matter what time I have it set for. Must be one of those weird subconscious things.

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  13. Happy New Year, Wendy!

    My most creative thoughts come when I'm lying down to sleep...so maybe I just need to get up and write them down:)

    Great post!

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  14. I've never been a morning person, and I'm having a hard time being a night person, so I guess I'm a middle of the day type of person.

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  15. I'm seriously craving donuts now. Thanks!

    And yes, my day starts the same way. His mercies are new every morning. Thank goodness for that!

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  16. I can be up at a certain time if I have something planned. I usually set my alarm for 8:00 but lately, I find myself wanting to sleep in another hour. If I could give up the 11:00 PM TV shows, I'd do better about getting a good night's sleep. I do better with an earlier hour in the summer. I believe it has to do with seasonal affective disorder. I respond better to light.

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  17. Oh, I struggle with mornings. And I don't like coffee... so basically I barrell through everything until lunchtime comes and I finally feel awake. :0)

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  18. Hilarious! Haven't seen that commercial in years! Loved it. And Dunkin Donuts are my favorite.

    The Christmas break got me out of rising real early. Trying to get back into it. Two of the college kids were home, and their schedules are crazy. No mine is!

    I'm ready for rountine again (getting old?).

    wb

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  19. Hi Wendy, I'm an odd early bird too. My brain just works best in the early mornings. I'm trying to take more advantage of that time for the things that count most! But unfortunately, my kids are also all early risers. They just don't sleep in! So, I usually don't have a ton of time by myself in those wee hours.

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  20. For years I was a night owl. In the last few months that's changed, and now I'm getting up at what I used to call o'dark thirty. Gwynly is a morning person. He's adjusting to seeing me alert and functioning before he heads to school at 6:00 a.m. I guess even dinosaurs like me can change. =)

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  21. Today is a true testament to my lack of time and overloaded schedule. I crave at least four more hours in my day:)

    The key to a productive start for me is two steaming cups of coffee and a positive attitude. Thank God for new brand new mercies!

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  22. I'm not a morning person at all. My family knows to give me a little bit of time to drink my coffee before trying to have too much interaction with me.

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  23. I have yet to learn how to kick start myself in them morning! I am more a night person who will jump out of bed,fire up the computer for an idea!

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  24. I'll bet I could recite that entire commercial from memory, Wendy! LOL

    I'm a morning person, but not an EARLY morning person. Isn't that lame? I don't do late nights, either, so if/when I have a deadline, I will get up and at the computer by 8am.

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  25. I loved that commercial. And now I would love a donut, thank you very much!

    My weekday mornings always involve the alarm, me groggily wishing I had three more hours to sleep, then I read a chapter of the Bible. Sling the covers off and go!

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  26. Yeah, I'm definitely my best in the a.m. And I'll get up extra early if I think it's the only time I'll have to myself.

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  27. Hi Wendy,

    A novel, now that is a commitment. Now how do I kick-start my day?
    Read Bible, do devotions. I can't have caffeine at all, so I don't have the luxury of a boost of energy.
    Blessings to you :o)

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Taking Time

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