Every day is a new day and with that, a new opportunity.
EVERYONE is welcome and please join us each morning at 7:30 AM PACIFIC
to tell us what you're working on, share your show & tell, vent, whatever you want...
...this is an open thread. Nothing is off topic.
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Have you been sleeping well lately?
I was thinking about sleep two nights ago when I wasn't able to sleep well at all between 3:42 AM and 6:30 AM. Some person drove a truck with a very loud engine down our private road at a very fast speed slamming on the brakes at each corner which screeched loudly...then they went back up the road flooring it to squeal the tires around each curve. This woke me up at 3:42 AM because we don't have any traffic at night on our private road so the contrast between total silence and loud screeching brakes and squealing tires woke me right up.
I was unable to really get back to sleep very well after that until I got out of bed. I kinda drifted in and out of dreams, but I knew I wasn't falling into the deep states of sleep. This didn't bother me because I know about sleep cycles. And I know we must get into the deep sleep levels to have what's known as "restorative sleep." Here's a chart of a typical sleep cycle:
As you can see there are four stages or depths of sleep. You must get into a deep sleep of stages 3 and 4 to obtain "restorative sleep." We typically get our deepest sleep during the first half of our night's sleep. If you don't, even though you may be asleep for hours, you aren't getting the type of sleep you need to stay healthy, both physiologically and psychologically. Each time we pop up to the REM level we dream. In the REM stage we are as close as we get to being awake while still sleeping. It's a tweener place between being awake and the first actual stage of sleep.
The reason I wasn't worried about being awakened by a screeching truck at 3:42 AM and not being able to get back to anything but in and out sleep after that, is because I'd already had my restorative sleep time. It is normal to have fleeting periods of being awake briefly after that.
The effects of sleep deprivation are cumulative and profound over time. A few nights of not getting restorative sleep isn't really a problem. We all have those nights. But if you have an ongoing problem of not being able to get into the deep sleep stages, you're going to have trouble staying healthy and thinking right. You'll get sick more easily and will be pretty bad in performing cognitive mental tasks. You won't enjoy life and will have very low tolerance to anything the least bit emotionally upsetting. On top of that, physically you'll just feel lousy all the time with no pep or endurance.
When I had my cancer treatment my sleep was severely affected. I was "sleeping" as far as I knew, but I wasn't breathing worth a darn it turns out. My blood oxygen levels were going down into the 50's! That's dangerous. I had severe sleep apnea due to major swelling in my throat which meant I was never getting into deep sleep at all. This went on for several months. Eventually I had a sleep study and ended up with a CPAP machine. Fortunately I no longer need to use it. Believe me, I was totally gorked during that period. I was unable to think even remotely right. Short term memory didn't exist for me. And it certainly wasn't helping me recover from my treatment.
Here is an chart showing our normal circadian rhythms...our biological clock. If you don't get proper sleep, this all goes haywire.
Another thing that totally influences sleeping and wakeful states is our cortisol levels. These levels have a big swing each day. If they are high, you can't sleep. When people go through periods of stress for a fairly long time, the normal cortisol cycle shifts so that it is high in the night when it should be low...therefore these folks can't sleep. If this goes on for a protracted period of time...months and months to years...it has been correlated to a person having twice the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia later in life. Here is what a typical cortisol cycle looks like. You'll see it should be lowest between 10:00 PM and 1:00 AM and spikes up rapidly between 6:00 and 9:00 AM.
So, how's your sleep normally and lately?
Latest Updates on Kossack Regional Meet-Up News Below the New Day sunrise cloud
:: COMMUNITY BUILDING UPDATES ::
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Let's build communities!
Every region needs a meatspace community like SFKossacks.
We take care of each other in real life.
I urge YOU to take the lead and organize one in your region.
Please tell us about it if you do and we're here for advice.
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THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY
>>>Instructions on HOW TO FORM A NEW DAILY KOS GROUP
NEW GROUPS IN THE PROCESS OF ORGANIZING:
Send a Kosmail to the organizers and ask for an invitation to the group.
• Northern Indiana Area: Kosmail Tim Delaney
• Long Island: Kosmail grannycarol
• Northern Michigan: Kosmail JillS
• Nebraska: Kosmail Nebraska68847Dem
• Westburbia Chicago Kossacks: Kosmail Majordomo
• New York Hudson Valley Kossacks: Kosmail boran2
• North Carolina Triangle Kossacks: Kosmail highacidity
• Caprock Kossacks (Panhandle/Caprock/Lubbock/Amarillo area) : Kosmail shesaid
• West Texas Kossacks (including Big Bend Region and El Paso) : Kosmail Yo Bubba
Note to the above new leaders: Feel free to leave a comment any day reminding readers about your new group. Also, tell us about your progress in gathering members. Kosmail me when you've chosen a good name for your group and have created a the group. Then I'll move you to the NEW GROUPS LIST. When you've planned a date for your first event I'll make a banner for you to highlight your event in our diaries and your diaries.
These are the groups that have started since * NEW DAY * began. Please Kosmail navajo if you have started a group before that.
NEW GROUPS LIST:
• California Central Valley Kossacks - Formed: Jul 29, 2012, Organizer: tgypsy
• New England Kossacks - Formed: Aug 6, 2012, Organizers:
Clytemnestra for Lower New England (Conneticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island)
nhox42 for Upper New England (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont)
• Houston Area Kossacks - Formed: Aug 7, 2012, Organizer: Chrislove
• Kossacks in India - Formed: Aug 14, 2012, Organizer: chandu
• CenTex Kossacks - Formed: Sep 9, 2012, Organizer: papa monzano
• Central Ohio Kossacks - Formed: Sep 26, 2012, Organizer: VetGrl
• Kansas City Kossacks - Formed Oct 15, 2012, Organizer: [Founder stepped down]
• Phoenix Kossacks - Formed Oct 16, 2012, Organizer: arizonablue
• Chicago Kossacks - Formed: Oct 31, 2012, Organizer: figbash
• Koscadia the Pacific Northwest coast from Northern California to Alaska
- Formed Oct 17, 2012, Oganizer: Horace Boothroyd III based in Portland, OR
• Boston Kossacks - Formed: Nov 7, 2012, Organizer: GreyHawk
• Motor City Kossacks South East Michigan (Detroit) Area - Formed: Nov 10, 2012, Organizer: peregrine kate
• Pittsburgh Area Kossacks - Formed: Nov 12, 2012, Organizer: dweb8231
• Salt Lake City Kossacks - Formed: Nov 17, 2012, Organizer: War on Error
• Twin Cities Kossacks - Formed: Nov 17, 2012, Organizer: imonlylurking
• Dallas Kossacks North Texas - Formed: Nov 21, 2012, Admins: Catte Nappe and dalfireplug. Please contact them to join the group. An Event Organizer needed.
• The Southern California Inland Empire Kossacks - Formed: Dec 3, 2012, Organizer: SoCaliana
• Los Angeles Kossacks - Formed: Dec 17, 2012, Organizer: Dave in Northridge
• Northeast Ohio Kossacks - Formed: Jan 16, 2013, Organizer: GenXangster
• Kansas & Missouri Kossacks - Formed: Jan 17, 2013, Organizer: tmservo433
• I-77 Carolina Kossacks who live from Columbia, SC to north of Winston-Salem, NC. - Formed: Jan 30, 2013, Organizers: gulfgal98 and eeff
• Indianapolis Kossacks - Formed: Feb 6, 2013, Organizer: CityLightsLover
• Southwest Ohio Kossacks - Formed: May 10, 2013, Organizer: Dr Erich Bloodaxe RN
• Northern Arizona Kossacks - Formed: Jul 5, 2013, Organizer: Sam Sara
• Mexican Kossacks - Formed: Apr 14, 2013, Organizer: roberb7
ESTABLISHED GROUPS LIST: (List will grow as we discover them)
• SFKossacks Founded by navajo, Formed: May 2, 2005
• Maryland Kos Founded by timmyc, Formed: Feb 23, 2011. Contact: JamieG from Md for a group invite.
• New York City Founded by Eddie C - Contact the group organizer for meet-up events: sidnora
• Baja Arizona Kossacks, Event Organizer: Azazello
• Three Star Kossacks Tennessee, Founded by maryKK, Formed: Apr 8, 2011
• Nashville KosKats, Founded by ZenTrainer Formed: Jan 30, 2012
• Virginia Kos Founded by JamieG from Md, Formed: May 3, 2011
• Kos Georgia Founded by pat208, Formed: Feb 13, 2011
• Colorado COmmunity Founded by Leftcandid, Formed: Feb 13, 2011
• New Mexico Kossaks Founded by claude
• Philly Kos Founded by mconvente Formed: Aug 29, 2011
• DKos Florida Founded by ThirstyGator, Formed: Feb 14, 2011, Currently organizing: Kosmail Vetwife to be included in next event.
• Oklahoma Roundup Founded by BigOkie, Formed: Feb 13, 2011, Currently organizing: Kosmail peacearena to be included.
• DKos Asheville Founded by davehouck, Formed: Feb 13, 2011 - Organizing Assist by: randallt
:: Events Currently on the Books for ALL Kossacks ::
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Saturday, September 28th
Indianapolis Kossacks First Ever Meet-up
TIME: 2:00 PM
LOCATION: Shapiro's Deli
808 S Meridian • Downtown Indianapolis
ORGANIZER: Send CityLightsLover a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. CityLightsLover
2. annan
3. Mokuar
4. Alexandra Lynch
5. dylanfan
6. zenbassoon
7. Hawksana
8. MKDAWUSS
9. Greek Goddess
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: Indianapolis IS More Than the 500 and Basketball!
Saturday, October 19th
DKos Asheville Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: 1:00 PM
LOCATION: The Bywater
796 Riverside Dr. • Asheville
ORGANIZER: Send randallt a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. randallt
2. davehouck
3. Joieau
4. Gordon20024
5. gulfgal98
6. DawnN
7. Sandy on Signal
8. Mr Sandy on Signal
9. Munchkin
10. Alecia
11. Mr Alecia
12. cultjake
13. flwrightman
14. Otteray Scribe
15. Burns Lass
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Maybees:
people power granny
One Pissed Off Liberal
Christian Dem in NC
SteelerGrrl
SteelerGuy
polecat
Audri
Phil S 33
emmasnacker
bobwilk
Elaine
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Latest diary: DKos Asheville - Weekly Open Thread
Sunday, October 20th
MEGA Philly/NJ/NYC Kossacks Meet-up!
TIME: Noon
LOCATION: Stuff Yer Face
49 Easton Avenue • New Brunswick, NJ
ORGANIZER: Send mconvente a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. mconvente
2. belinda ridgewood
3. thankgodforairamerica
4. gchaucer2
5. sidnora
6. rubyr
7. mattc129
8. hayden
9. mallyroyal
10. Avilyn
11. blue jersey mom
12. ericlewis0
13. Rogneid + husband
14. aoeu
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Maybees:
aravir and son
ask
Cinnamon
No Exit
andgarden
asterkitty
pfiore8
joanneleon
renzo capetti
MRA NY
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Latest diary: Philly/NJ/NYC Mega Meetup! Additional Call for People Interested in Attending!
Friday, October 25th
LAKossacks & SoCal Inland Empire See Lewis Black!
TIME: 9:00 PM
LOCATION: Agua Caliente Casino Resort & Spa
32-250 Bob Hope Dr. • Rancho Mirage
ORGANIZER: Send 714day a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. 714day
2. jakedog42
3. susans
4. Otoelbc
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Maybees:
Shockwave
SoCaliana
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Latest diary: L.A. Kossacks, Lewis Black Fans in So Cal
Friday, October 25th
Meet the Daily Kos Editorial Staff!
TIME: 6:00 PM
LOCATION: Daily Kos HQ
Address given privately to RSVP'ers • Berkeley
ORGANIZER: Send navajo a kosmail to attend.
You will need to bring Potluck.
HQ will be providing the main course like before. Please sign up for a beverages or side dishes below.
- POTLUCK SIGNUP BELOW -
Beverages:
16 six-packs of beer [5 down, 11 to go]
20 bottles of wine [7 down, 13 to go]
4 packs Bottles of water
4 packs Soft Drinks
I'll be bringing my large ice chest with ice, as before.
Appetizers:
Anything goes here. Whatcha' got? [3 down]
Side Dishes:
6 green salads needed, each to feed 10 [4 down, 2 to go]
Desserts:
6 desserts, a dozen hand-held desserts each [4 down, 2 to go]
RSVPs:
1. Markos
Editorial Staff:
2. Susan Gardner
3. Meteor Blades
4. Joan McCarter
5. Hunter
Staff:
6. Faith Gardner
7. Will Rockafellow
8. Jen Hayden
Activism Team:
9. Paul Hogarth
10. Chris Bowers
11. Rachel Colyer
12. Michael Langenmayr
SFKossacks:
13. navajo
14. Lusty + dessert
15. side pocket + two 6pks beer + 2 wines + stuffed mushrooms appetizer
16. paradise50 + two 6pks beer
17. smileycreek + 2 wines
18. citisven + beer + beet dip
19. norm + pumpkin bars
20. Lorikeet + big bowl of fruit
21. kimoconnor + appetizer
22. remembrance and TLO? + 1 wine
23. Glen the Plumber + Pasta Mystery Dish
24. madhaus
25. dharmasyd + brownies
26. ceebee7 + green salad
27. lineatus
28. Dave in Northridge + 2 bottles of wine
29. linkage
30. LinSea + bottled water
31. Shockwave
32. Eyesbright
33. catilinus
34. FogCityJohn
35. justiceputnam + grilled balsamic veggies
36. zmom
37. exlrrp +souvenirs ;) !
38. shanikka + salad
39. DAH
40. BroadBlogs
41. jpmassar + dessert
Maybees:
Cedwyn
LaughingPlanet
Saturday, October 26th
New England Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: 10:30 AM
LOCATION: Silly’s
40 Washington Avenue • Portland, ME
ORGANIZER: Send nhox42 a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. nhox42
2. rebereads
3. Portia Elm (a potential mileage winner!)
4. bjedward
5. nailbender
6. Bill in Portland Maine
7. Common Sense Mainer
8. mdevine
9. theMarti
10. patmoshimer
11. commonmass
12. Actbriniel
13. LoreleiHI
14. mayim
15. Jane in Maine
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: C+J Kossack Fall Meetup (Updated 9/25/13)
Saturday, November 2nd
SFKossacks BBQ in the Wine Country
TIME: TBD
LOCATION: Andrew McGuire's home in the Wine Country
Address to be given privately to RSVPs • Windsor
ORGANIZER: Send navajo a kosmail to attend.
Andrew McGuire is Executive Director of California One Care
RSVPs:
1. Andrew McGuire
2. navajo
3. Shockwave
4. Hunter
5. elfing
6. Hunter/elfling offspring
7. smileycreek
8. paradise50
9. dharmasyd
10. maggiejean
11. norm
12. Lusty
13. dksbook
14. Mr. dksbook
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15. kimoconnor
16. jpmassar
17. side pocket
18. Mrs. side pocket
19. ceebee7
20. ceebee7's sister
21. leema (will carpool from Marin)
22. Meteor Blades
Maybees:
Glen The Plumber
remembrance
TLO™
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Send navajo a kosmail if you post a diary about an event so we can update our round-up.
Okay. Floor's open.
Tell us what you are doing on this NEW DAY?