Stupid Roosters

I can’t be the only human being on the planet who cringes when that early morning rooster starts crowing on all of those on-the-farm movies. The thing gives me the chills. But I’m not a fan of mornings.

Still, at least the cock is up with the sun and not before it. Human beings have so tailored themselves to an early morning way of life, most of us have to rise before nature’s natural alarm clock (i.e., the sun, people) in order to get to work on time. Or do anything else of value, for that matter.

Case in point: I need to get my blood tested on a regular basis because of my thyroid. But in order to get blood drawn, I have to show up between 8 and 8:30 a.m., the only times the lab is open for blood work. If I can’t make this time, I have to schedule an appointment with the doctor.

Here’s something that I’m learning most people don’t know. Artists have a greater ratio of night owls to early birds than any other personality type. That means actors, writers, singers, painters, sculptors – you name it – like to work late and sleep in. I honestly don’t know why this is, but I’ve found it to be exceedingly true as far as I’m concerned. Several years ago, when I had to wake up at 4:30 in order to hit the road by 6:30 so that I could make it to work by 7:30, for instance, I didn’t write a damn thing. No creative juices whatsoever. All I did was zombie my way through life, eat a bunch, and wish for death.

On the other hand, when I’m free to stay up until 4:00, my fingers flying across the keyboard as my mind spins through universes filled with paranormal fantasies, I turn out a good deal of high quality work.

Now, if I’m not mistaken, art is important to people. When was the last time you saw a teenager who DIDN’T have ear buds in their ears? Music speaks to us, keeps us going. My readers yearn for sequels as if they were butter-cream-frostinged cake. And don’t even get me started on movies. Everyone loves a good movie.

So why are the early birds in charge? Why do they get to make the rules? And why – oh why – are night owls looked down upon as “lazy,” or “irresponsible?” I’ve even heard a few early birds go so far as to refer to night owls as “people who don’t contribute to society.”

I’m sorry. But if anyone isn’t contributing to society, it’s the early birds. When was the last time you turned on your stereo so that you could tune into your corporation’s 8 a.m. meeting minutes?

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3 Responses to Stupid Roosters

  1. Aravis says:

    Thank-you! You’ve just said everything I’ve been saying for years. Being the only night owl in a (large) family of people who equate sleeping past 8AM with wasting an entire day is guilt-inducing. I point out to them that they are wasting the night, an incredibly peaceful time, but they don’t get it. They wax poetic about sunrise. I say, “Give me a sunset anytime!”

    I like to write, paint, photograph, and was once an actor. You may have a point. I’ve since earned a degree in psychology and am entering grad school. You might have just given me a research project. :0)

  2. HRKW says:

    Thank you, Aravis! I’m glad you enjoyed it – and might even be able to use it! LOL And you’re so right about the sunset. I don’t understand how people can differentiate so disparately between two twilights the way they do. And in fact, I’d wager that more photographs and paintings have been made of sunsets than of sunrises. 🙂 xoxo

  3. Debra Campbell says:

    I hate the guilt trip I get when I don’t wake up early enough by other peoples’ standards. I am a creative personality and so are my two children. We are all night owls. I can get up early if there’s something I want to do like working in my garden on a hot summer day, but my natural tendency is to stay up late and create.