Comments on: Everything Is Illuminated!

By: Venomous Kate

Venomous Kate — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 21:32:55 +0000

Oh, and just because you threw the ball so nicely across the plate… during the Nixon administration I was still wearing jammies with a dump truck and footies.

Thanks for making me feel young today!

By: Venomous Kate

Venomous Kate — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 21:32:05 +0000

The logo on the TV set? Really? I think if I’d discovered that last night/this morning I would’ve absolutely lost it. As for the green light blinking, yes, it sounds like you’re passing by a motion detector somewhere. Mine are positioned in the corners where walls meet, about 3 inches from the ceiling. Might want to have a look, because if you don’t dust those things now and then they stop working.

By: Venomous Kate

Venomous Kate — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 21:30:19 +0000

I tried my best to train both of my kids not to wake me up because that’s how I was raised, too. Unfortunately, since I wasn’t a spanker my rule didn’t have nearly the same effect that my mother’s had.

But with the baby you’ll be fine for the next 2 1/2 years or so. Enjoy your sleep while you can.

By: Venomous Kate

Venomous Kate — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 21:28:56 +0000

Note to self: make a point to step on the cat and blog about it soon.

By: Venomous Kate

Venomous Kate — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 21:28:21 +0000

I am ALL in favor of that movement. Back when I’d installed the blackout curtains and dry-walled over the arch window, I got a better night’s sleep than I had in years. That only improved when I informed VH he’d be sleeping in the guest room until whenever he got a CPAP mask *and* got used to wearing it all night. That was last January. The difference in my outlook, energy and temperament since has been shocking. His, too, now that he’s not getting elbowed and ordered to breathe or roll over every 20 minutes.

But I hadn’t thought about the gadget-based light pollution until last night. Now that I have, I’m moving as much of my electronics out of the bedroom as possible. Maybe I’ll put them in VH’s room and call it revenge for the, oh, 11 years of sleep-deprivation I endured.

By: CGHill

CGHill — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 20:23:26 +0000

In my own room, I have to tangle with a cordless-phone base unit (if charging), the alarm clock (LED digits), a status light on a multiple-outlet box, whatever filters in through my less-than-blackout curtains, and, most irritating, the logo on a TV set, which is illuminated in orange when the set is off unless I actually unplug the thing.

Weirdly, the green light on my security system winks off when I walk by, even if the system isn’t armed; perhaps there’s a sensor I’m tripping that I haven’t located yet. (Which is good news, right?)

Bladders, generally, are not to be trusted; they certainly can’t be bargained with.

On the other hand, I ditched my last pair of pajamas during the Nixon administration.

By: Wichi Dude

Wichi Dude — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 19:21:08 +0000

You will be (maybe) happy to know, there is a movement out there to “de-illuminate” (sometimes called de-electrify) the bedrooms. Some studies have shown that all the lighted gadgets screw with the bodies ability to get proper sleep. And that includes lighted alarm clocks.

Strangely, all it takes is moving that gunk to another room and putting the alarm clock in a drawer (provided you need one to wake up, that is). I’ve heard people swear by it (not at it) and say they’ve never slept so well.

But the “stepping on the cat” bit from “Twoma”, I agree. THAT would make a better story.

By: Twoma

Twoma — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 17:33:48 +0000

At least you didn’t step on the cat. Add that to the story and I would be ROTFL.

By: Beth M.

Beth M. — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 15:03:38 +0000

We must be related! I’ve slept naked almost all my life though… have no idea if I’ll even be able to change that after the baby arrives. My mom had me well trained to NEVER wake her up – maybe I can achieve that

Also – I hate all those little lights you’re talking about. Thankfully most of ours are in the living room and not the bedroom. But yes, I try to find ways to cover up the one or two in the bedroom. And yes, the one on the iPod speaker thingy is way too bright when I’m trying to sleep to music.