Breathe (2AM)

Well, it is only 1:57, but you get the idea. I struggle with insomnia, and I have as long as I can remember. 2-3 nights a week, I'm up for hours, sometimes until dawn; sneaking in a hour of sleep before work.

Sometimes I fall asleep with minimaple around 8:30pm, but am usually up again around 11:30. It has been a crazy month...blizzards, sickness, grant-writing, minimaple's b'day parties, giving a professional presentation on visa and taxation issues for artists from abroad, and preparing for an arts advocacy trip to Washington DC in 2 weeks. I'm a little overwhelmed, under the weather, feeling guilt-ridden about not being more energized with my family, letting laundry pile up, and not reading the blogs of my family and friends.

I've thought about using that awake time to blog (as I am doing now) but it tends to really awaken my senses - so I try to do soothing, warm tea types of activities. I found myself watching a rerun of Grey's Anatomy during a recent late night. It was the "(As we know it)" episode - part 2 of "The End of the World..." and one of the songs caught my attention: Breathe (2AM).



Maybe it was the references to being awake at 2am, maybe it was singer/songwriter Anna Nalick's honest voice, the strings in the background, or the vivid images her imaginative lyrics paint. Whatever it was, I had to seek out the song, especially after hearing the verse below, as that is often how I feel about posting or reading others' blogs.

2 AM and I'm still awake, writing a song
If I get it all down on paper, it's no long-
er inside of me, threatening the life it belongs to
And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd
Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud
And I know that you'll use them, however you want to

I also love the musical mantra "Oh breathe, just breathe" - something I need to remember to do more often.

If imeem is working, you are hopefully hearing the song, otherwise, please check out Anna's website or download Breathe (2AM) from


I will try to come around and visit your blogs, plus post here again soon. Until then, listen to the music and just breathe...

Photo courtesy of http://www.annanalick.com/
Music and player supplied by imeem