Big and small

I don't know whether it's because of my new energising Green Monster habit, but this week I have been able to stay up until 10.30 or even 11pm. That's huge for me (I often succumb to tiredness at 8.30/9pm). It could also be my addiction to knitting and crochet - I think they are perfect evening activities, as they don't require much thinking, but instead let your mind wander.
I tend to have several books on the go (hence the long-lasting occupancy of the sidebar by The History of Love - it's really good, it's just that I am reading other stuff, too), and my approach to knitting and crochet seems to be the same. Right now I have six unfinished projects lingering on the couch and in my crafts bag.
I am playing with extreme sizes - chunky wool with thick needles, thread-like wool with thick needles, thin bamboo needles, tiny crochet lace cuffs. I quite like alternating them; it feels weird at first picking up something delicate after knitting something gigantic with 10mm needles, but it shakes things up nicely.
Side note: I have a knack for purchasing the most expensive yarn - luxurious natural materials and beautiful colours tend to be more pricey. That is bad news if I want to sell them at some stage.

 So that's what's been keeping me awake and alert -green liquid and knitting. I've been wondering whether I simply need nine plus hours of sleep every night to function, but this week I have managed to survive on eight (it remains to be seen whether I'll have to catch up at the weekend). It's nice to gain an extra hour.

Yesterday I was in work from 7.30am until 7.30pm (ok, the first hour-and-a-half was in the pool...) and I felt fine. I usually take two hours off between my classes on a Wednesday, but yesterday I spent them running around doing work errands. Last week I made the mistake of working on the computer before teaching that evening, and that did not feel so good. So the trick is to get some fresh air and away from the computer if possible, as well as eating enough protein for lunch.

P.S.: Speaking of tiredness, this post by Zen Habits has some good advice.