Update! (aka oops it's been a while again)

Well hello again you fine people! I hope you've been well. It's probably fall where you are, and the leaves are turning and making a mess of your respective yards/streets/parking lots. That's cool. It's still hot here. And very green. They don't call Dominica "The Nature Isle" for nothing (at least I think that's what 'they' call it).  Much has been going on here, so why don't I tell you about it? That's probably a good idea. Yeah.

Melissa is 2 days out from her second mini of the semester (Monday bright and early!), so she's in super study mode. What that means is she only skype messages me once every 4 or 5 hours compared to 2 or 3. Even then, sometimes I can tell when she's clearly just looking for me to distract her because she's bored or tired of studying. It's ok; I'd definitely do the same thing if I were her.

In other news, I got hired by the prep school! I'm sort of a teacher aide that moves between classes and helps out. One of the major reasons I wasn't able to be a full-time teacher at the school while we were down here is because they require the teachers to sign a contract for the entire school year, and when I got here, they already had the 12-13 school year teachers. And now, since we're leaving in December, I couldn't do the 13-14 school year either. But I am glad they found a spot for me to help out and re-tune my craft! I forgot how much energy it takes to teach, especially when you're teaching 11-year-olds. But I'm getting back into it!

Now here's a special treat: a video that Rosco and I took last week of this crazy plant that grows outside our apartment. The pup found it because he thought there were bugs in the grass, but...well, just watch and see what he found.

Pretty cool, right? Sorry about the fumbling around; It's tricky pointing with something when you're looking through a lens. Also when you have a dog on the leash in the other hand. 

Well, that's all for me today. Be thinking of Melissa on Monday when she has her test! Go get some pumpkins for me!

Take care,

Eric

It was the best of naps, it was the worst of naps...

Actually, it was probably just the worst of naps. Bleargh.

So anyhow, here's the background: Melissa studies until pretty late in the day. And, like the good spouse I am, I stay up for her (partly because Rosco and I pick her up down the hill, but I would stay up anyway). So this means that I'm basically on the same sleep schedule as her. Which is probably about 5 1/2 or 6 hours, average.

Now, Melissa is pretty good at napping. She's told me that she can take a 10-minuter easily, if need be. Unfortunately for me, I've never learned good nap-taking. So when I try, usually I just end up laying down for a few minutes before I give up. Also, it's too hot up here for naps; Melissa has the benefit of AC-controlled classrooms to nap in. But I digress. All in all, the cumulative hours of sleep that I've neglected to "nap back" finally seemed to get back at me.

Yesterday at around 2:45, I decided I was just too doggone tired. So I went to lay down on the bed (first mistake, apparently) without my phone/alarm (mistake #2) and the fan cranked way up (#3). I read for literally 4 minutes before the tiredness overtook me.

I actually woke up briefly around 3:20 or so, but I think it was just to roll over.

The next time I woke up? 6:15. I took a 3 and a half hour nap. BLEARGH. For those of you who haven't experienced what it feels like to come out of a REM cycle as the sun's setting, it's like someone made your brain do a 360 inside your skull. I simultaneously was hungry, nauseous, energized, and sleepy. And Rosco needed to pee. Luckily (or not), he didn't try to bother me while I was asleep. But he seemed happy that I was up.

I feel for Rip Van Winkle. Waking up at the wrong time of day (or year) is extremely jarring. I guess I'm just used to my energy levels being at a certain point at a specific time of day, so when I feel like 9 am at 11 pm, it messes with my head.

In short, naps are hard.

But you know what else is hard? Med school! Melissa has her first mini on Monday, bright and early at 8 am (EST). So be thinking of her then! Apparently the first test of 4th semester is the hardest, mini-wise. I think this block is Neuro, but I could be way off. I just remember hearing the students talking about personality disorders the other day, so if that's not brain-related, then beats me. [Melissa: when you read this, feel free to correct me with a comment :)]  {Check out that double bracket going on over there; takes me back to undergrad math courses <shudders>}

Alright, it's getting a little out of control. Also, I ran out of brackets. I hope you're still enjoying autumn!

-Eric