"I'm Only Sleeping." -- J. Lennon

Yes, I watched some of the Oscar show. It reminded me of events I have tried to avoid all my life: the yearly school picture, Homecoming, Prom, all the Graduations (Grade School, High School, College) etc. This ritual celebration by the Establishment, has always seemed a little hollow and creepy to me, (others will judge, label, catalog) although, I just read an article in the NY Times that Oscar winners live longer. It seems there is a global phenomenon that rewards those at the top of any social hierarchy with greater life expectancy. It's not the money (although, obviously money is one of the means) no, the key factors: health, autonomy and opportunity for full social participation. People can acheive this in any profession. Another article I read, mentioned that Hairdressers are some of the happiest in their chosen profession (Lawyers, Teachers, Nurses - not so happy).

Anyway, yesterday, the real mind-blowing experience had to do with sleep and lack of it. Carla and I went shopping for a new mattress, (it seems our present one is no longer doing the job - I actually woke up with a bad back - no, I swear, it's not the man!) So we went to the store and the first question out of the mouth of the sales guy: "Are you a back-sleeper, or a side-sleeper?" (I guess you could also be a 'stomach sleeper' but that practice is considered so hideous it isn't even broached). I recoiled, never having really thought about it; did I ever have a choice, are there really only two choices (like Democrat/Republican, Northerner/Southerner, Catholic/Protestant, Optimist/Pessimist), did I make some kind of unknowing, irrevocable, existential decision early on when I was sleeping? Which is better to be? Can I change my ways?

I clammed up, I wasn't going to admit one or the other, so, Carla jumped into the breach and offered up the goods: "We're both side-sleepers!" So the cat was out of the bag. This dictated what type of mattress we should purchase. It was all over fairly quickly, the appropriate choices were pointed out, tested, purchased, and we were out of there. I felt strangely unsettled, was it really that simple? I wanted to think about it, maybe decide what I would choose to be, but no, that decision had been made long ago, kind of like the color of my hair, my height, my genetic makeup. I was a side-sleeper and that was that! I had been judged, labelled, and catalogued. I don't like to be put in a box like that, as Groucho once said, 'I don't want to be a member of a club that would have me as a member.' But of course, there are some clubs you just can't escape.