"Oceania" by Bjork

How I try to solve insomnia, which is a problem I've had all my life:

1. Physically exhaust myself throughout the day: Yesterday this involved 13 iterations of the sun salutation, interspersed with 101 pushups and then 90 minutes of yoga in a room heated to 104 degrees. The irony, of course, is that this never works and yet I insist on doing it. It's not physical exhaustion, but mental, that allows me to shut down.

2. Mental exhaustion: Last night I counted by sevens. 7, 14, 21, 28. I kept messing up and had to do division in my head. I got to 518 before I realized I had been doing it for too long.

3. Visual distraction: Keep the TV on CSPAN or a Spanish station. I particularly like sleeping with The West Wing.

4. Aural distraction: Listen to Dido's "Life for Rent" album. This was the soundtrack of a particularly restful time of my li. This usually works. I've also slept to streaming BBC news broadcasts. Their accent is soothing, unless it's that gross, poor-people Cockney or Newcastle drivel.

5. Read: There are books I continue to borrow from the library that I just cannot finish. This includes John Irving's "The World According to Garp", Graham Greene's "The Quiet American" and Herman Hesse's "The Glass Bead Game." They are great books but ones that require a more tranquil mind to digest.

6. Emotional purge: Write in a journal the anxieties I feel. This is helpful, because these entries ultimately turn into pep talks. I did not do this last night.

7. Mantras: "Do not worry about falling asleep, this will only keep you up," or "You will be able to function even on little sleep," or "It's alright to be anxious; tomorrow's an important day." These are desperate, desperate measures. I know I'm kidding myself.

8. Induce food coma: Take a trip to Denny's and eat their super breakfasts for $4.99 (limited time only) and then come home and lay myself on my bed. 100% effectiveness, but not without side effects.

I had my second round of interviews today at CG. Interview time was 9am. I went to bed at 10pm, fell asleep at midnight and was then so anxious I got up a full two hours before my FOUR alarm clocks went. That was at 3:30 in the morning. I got to the office at 7:30. I napped in the car.

Tomorrow, nothing is on the line. I will sleep well tonight.