As any computer user knows – – when it all gets wonky, there is no better or more sophisticated cure to use then the alt-control-delete. Easily more then half of the problems are remedied with these three magic keys. And – if that doesn’t work – then just yank the damn thing out of the wall, go have lunch, come back, and plug it in.
It is the same with me. It is even more the same with me the longer I work. By noon, I am ready for a reboot – and certainly, if I am going to be here till 8pm or so for rehearsals, a reboot is mandatory.
It is no secret to the student body that I take a nap each and day. I take my 30 minute lunch and divide it into 20 minutes of eating and a hardcore, serious 10 minute slice of deep napping sleep. I, in fact, bought my own office chair – rather than using one of the rather sad assortment of school furniture that one can find. It is the perfect chair for the nap. I also increase the intensity of the nap by a space heater that pumps up the temperature of my small concrete office to a toasty level. Alarm clock set for 10 minutes and I am out in 15 seconds. It is heaven.
Some people just cannot nap. The nap kills the momentum of their day and makes the night impossible to get to sleep. I pity these people; they will never know the joy of a mid-day reboot. I can nap. Two decades of these 10 minute naps have taught me to get the very best out of the experience. I wake up kicking and moving and ready to lead the charge.
Thank God I am able to reboot so easily. I would hate to think of pulling my plug out of the wall, waiting a few minutes and then plugging me back in.