Are you a lark or an owl?

Are you a lark or an owl?

I was reading a medical news service, viz., The Medical Republic (TMR) and an article on early and late risers caught my eye. TMR had republished the content from The Conversation. The Conversation picked it up from Nature.

You can read all the versions here, here and here.

[maxbutton id=”10″ ]

I’m decidedly a lark. I like waking up early and try as I might, I don’t sleep in. I’ve been an early riser all my life. I have memories of my childhood home. My bedroom faced east and in Brisbane the light would wake me in Summer soon after 4.30 am. I’d get out of bed, wake up Mum, and she’d drive me to Chermside to go swimming training. She’d pick me up at 7 am, I’d have breakfast, and go to school.

During my university years I’d get up early and study and then be at university (University of Queensland) early. Medicine was basically 8 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday in the pre-clinical years. I enjoyed the clinical years because I could get to the hospitals earlier and start the day. I burnt the candle at both ends during those years. Two nights a week I’d start working in the laboratory at 6 pm and I’d often finish between 1 and 2 am. On Friday nights I’d go out with friends and stay out until 3.30 to 4 am most times. I’d be back in the laboratory on Saturday morning at 6 am. I’d also start work in the laboratory on Sunday at 6 am too.

Life as a first year resident and junior house officer was fun because I could get to the hospital early and listen in to the nursing handover and do a quick round before the registrar showed up. The rest of the day would then fall into place.

The flip side of early starts is going to bed early in the evening and avoid late nights. I really don’t like late night teleconferences for work. I have fallen asleep once when I did one in bed. I’ll never do that again. I usually start preparing to go to bed at about 8 pm and I’m usually in bed by 8.30 pm. I’ll listen to a podcast and scroll through Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. I’m often asleep by 10 pm and then awake at 4.30 am ready to start the day.

I thought the article from The Conversation was a little alarmist. The majority of people I know are owls and not larks. I’d hate to think that they are really more prone to health problems because they tend to go to bed late and wake up mid-morning.

Are you a lark or an owl?

Moving work stations

I moved work stations this week. Can you guess which day? Apart from a couple of pieces of furniture I did a lot of walking between the old and the new work station.

An old lesson taught again

On Friday night, I had two sous vide chicken thighs in the refrigerator. I also had two pieces of puff pastry in the freezer. There was an Hass avocado too which was ripe.

You’ve heard of the saying “your eyes are too big for your stomach” haven’t you. I never learn.

I peeled the skin away from the chicken thighs and shredded the perfectly cooked chicken thigh muscle from the femur bone. There was a heap of congealed meat jelly in the vacuum bag which I added to the bowl of meat.

To the bowl of meat I added two handfuls of grated Coon cheese, two tablespoons of hot chilli flakes, and the creamy flesh from an Hass avocado. I used my fingers to mix everything together and then put it all between two sheets of thawed puff pastry which had been egg washed.

I put the two pieces of chicken skin on top of my chicken pie and cooked it in the oven.

• 

• 

This was an amazingly delicious meal but so filling. I felt uncomfortable for about three hours and there was no way I could lie in bed at 8.30.

I compounded the problem by eating a bowl of vanilla ice cream with salted caramel topping. After the ice cream past my throat I could feel it sitting in my dessert stomach (medically known as the œsophagus).

When I woke up on Saturday morning, I was still feeling uncomfortable.

What have I watched this week?

Star Trek: Discovery

Point of Light

It’s good to see the Klingons back in this episode.

I’m really loving Star Trek: Discovery.

Law & Order

Season two (1991)

I was a little sad to see Max Greevey (George Dzundza, aka COB from Crimson Tide) killed off and replaced by Phil Cerreta (Paul Sorvino, who played Worf’s human brother in Star Trek: The Next Generation). I’m not a fan of Paul Sorvino as an actor.

Bird Box (2018)

I watched this on Netflix. It was weird. I can see why it’s popular. I mean it stars Sandra Bullock and John Malkovich.

It’s been described as a horror movie but it wasn’t that scary.

What have I listened to this week?

Episode 34 of “Keep it Quirky” by Katie Quinn had Rachel Khoo as her guest. This was a fantastic episode to listen to and to better understand Rachel’s creative nature.

What have I eaten this week?

On Tuesday morning I went to Alter Ego with some friends from work. I sampled the so-called “bene-bar” which offered a selection of variations on Eggs Benedict.

I wrote a quick review on Google Maps.

• 

• 

This is a gallery of photographs of food and some other stuff I photographed during the week. Click on one image and scroll through the rest of them.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Yummy Lummy this week

I’m not sure there will be a post this weekend. I don’t feel inspired.

If I do post anything you’ll be able to read it at the Yummy Lummy food blog page. It’ll probably be up by Sunday night.

[maxbutton id=”11″ ][maxbutton id=”12″ ][maxbutton id=”13″ ]

Final thoughts

• Are you a lark or an owl?
• Do you like to sleep in late?
• Have you watched Bird Box yet?
• What did you think of the movie?