Copyright 2009- All Rights Reserved
No matter if I’ve been out of town or not, transitioning back from summer vacation into teaching the fall semester of college is usually easy. I always have my syllabus copied and ready for each class since the copy machine is subject to break down from last minute overuse by instructors. No hassle. No frazzle. But…this time was different. I had to cope with an unexpected problem that started almost as soon as I landed in L. A.—jet lag. I haven’t really been plagued with jet lag before last week and it took me by surprise. Had I known that it would show up, I’d have made some changes in coming back to town.
Time zone change. Jet lag is born out of crossing time zones. Crossing time zones throws off the biological clock and upsets the body’s natural patterns and rhythms based on day and night, sunrise and sunset. According to what I later found out, a two hour change isn’t too bad but a three hour change is trouble. I had gone through a three hour change coming home from vacationing all summer down south. My watch said that I’d landed at 3 p.m. Sunday afternoon but my body recognized the time as 6 p.m. It was ready to wind down but now that I was home, there was way too much for me to do to give in to that.
My first class was going to be at 9 a.m. the next day and I had to get ready, jet lag or not. In the sixteen hours between my plane landing and walking into the classroom, I greeted my neighbors who’d kept watch on my mail and my apartment, unpacked and put my clothes away, drove to the grocery store for food, put my dinner together and ate, made some telephone calls, put my classroom materials in my pack bag, laid out my clothes, checked a box full of mail accumulated over three months, and, finally, at 10 p.m., I went to bed. I didn’t sleep well—not a good thing; still, I got up at 6:30 a.m. the next morning. Although I was feeling tired, I walked my neighbor’s dogs for 10 minutes (my usual morning exercise routine), fixed and ate my breakfast, bathed, dressed, and left for work.
For three months, my days had started around 10:30 or 11 in the morning and I’d enjoyed living life at a decidedly slower pace. No more. Here I was back to alarm clocks, time schedules, negotiating morning traffic, and setting myself up to do or accomplish entirely too many things in one twenty-four hour period. As I drove to work, I heard on the radio that the weather would be in the upper 90’s. Great. I thought I’d left that kind of weather in Georgia. But here it was again! By the time I got through my classes, I was definitely feeling jet lag symptoms—grogginess, tiredness , mild depression, and disorientation. The heat made things worse and I asked myself a thousand times what I’d been thinking of when I’d booked a plane back without giving myself a day or two to rest before going to work.
I was fading away by Monday evening and I knew I had to find a solution…quick, fast, and in a hurry. Logic and a little internet research helped me come up with a plan. What I decided to do was slow way down for the rest of the week, stay in a cool place more often than not, take afternoon naps and cool baths at night, eat light meals, and put a limit on the kind of exercise I’d do every day for a week. It’s worked pretty well. Next time I travel, though, I’ll find out what other things I can do to minimize jet lag. That includes coming back home a couple of days earlier, not a few hours before I have to go to work.
Jet lag made it a bit harder and longer that first week to shift back into L.A.’s fast lane. I do miss the lazy days of summer, the sound my “Songbird” singing me awake every morning, my leisurely breakfast each morning with my summer hostess. Oh, well. Time to take my sweet memories of summer into fall and the new school year. It’s back in the saddle for me.
66 comments:
I enjoyed you blog Ms.Lennon. It was very amusing and you always give great details. I love how the titels of you blogs always has me guessing what is it going to be about. I guess the wrong thing everytime. I also enjoyed the two word sentences it made me come to a hault and take in your thoughts and feelings. You are truley a profound writer.
In " The Books of Days V: Back in the Saddle" by Ms. Lennon it shows that Ms. Lennon has passed through a different cycle. A different cycle because she needed to get used to the different time, wheather, and being able to manage her time with all the responsibilities Ms. Lennon needed to do. Even though Ms.Lennon may have felt all tired, mild depression,grogginess, and disorientation. We the college student didn't really noticed because she look all confident and knew why she was here in Los Angeles and teaching in Mount Saint Mary's College students. Even though Ms. Lennon was so disorientated she look prepared and ready for anything that would overcome her. It may take a while to get used to the different time, but in the end everything would come out the way it needs to come out. I didn't really experience with jet lag during vacation because I was involved with the school and I needed to be waking up in time. The only thing that I still have a difficulty on is managing my time because of everything that I need to do. Getting my assignments done, having fun with my friends and family,and study time, but I just needed to look at my schedule and talk to the people that I won't be able to go to everything because of school. Ms. Lennon you should have like a planner that would help you know what you need to do.
I enjoyed reading your blog because i liked how you explained what jet lag meant and how next time you'll have a better plan. I also liked your tips on how to recover from jet lag now I know what to do next time I travel. I loved your details on your summer days in Georgia in made me want to visit.
I enjoyed reading your blog because I liked how you explained what jet lag meant and how next time you'll have a better plan. I also liked your tips on how to recover from jet lag now I know what to do next time I travel. I loved your details on your summer days in Georgia it made me want to visit.
Ms. Lennon, reading about your hard time adjusting back to "L.A's fast lane" is hard to believe. Having you that Monday during your 10:20 AM session, you had me fooled that you were up, alive, and ready to do anything! Thank you for not complaining about early mornings, long days, and sleepless nights like others would have. After reading your blog, I now have an idea of what you were looking for during this assignment. It was as simple as stating your problem, what really happened and why it really was a problem, and how did I fix that problem. I enjoyed reading your blog!
"The Book of Days III: Back in the Saddle" was very amusing to read. It caught my curiousity from the beginning, as I have heard of jetlag but I never knew syptoms it could bring. As a student, it gave me a different prespective of my teachers. I never imagined that they also had problems that they must work out before coming back to school. The detail that you gave in the paragraph where you explained everything you did, gave me a good sense of all that you had to do and put me into your shoes. It was a plus that it informed readers so that if they experience jetlag they know exactly what to do.
Reading your blog takes me back to my summer.I love taking vacations and so I can relate well to that jet lag feeling. It's hard adjusting from one certain place to another. In most cases, its not easy. The way you describe your story makes me feel like I am there. Very detailed and it gets me wanting more. I enjoy reading your writings, Ms. Lennon. Can't wait to read more.
Ms. Lennon your blog was great! I loved how you explained every detail about having jet lag. While I was reading your blog, it felt as if I too was feeling those same symptoms. It also gave me a better insight in regards to how to travel so that I wouldn't go through jet lag.
Ms. Lennon, your writing still manages to make me laugh. Not that I find some hard situations humorous, but on the deeper level of relating to your scenarios. It’s in a way, difficult to believe you go through all this, almost daily, and what makes even harder to cope with is the sudden transition from the lazy summer days, to the sleepless, restless night dealing with the jet lag dragging you throughout the day.
I really like you blog. I thought that it was interesting because personally I've experienced the same thing from Philippines to here which is, about almost 12 hours difference in our time zone. I remember those feeling when at morning I was asleep and vice verse. For me, sleeping it off worked. I slept for a little bit in the morning and stayed up until at night. My body was tired at the end of the day so that's exactly how I ended up catching on my sleep that I have lost during my flight. I believe that jet lag is one of the biggest cons of traveling but rather than that I'm glad that you had a great time during the summer vacation.
I enjoy reading this blog because I can relate to it. I came from the Philippines with a 16 hours difference. Jet lag was a big problem for me as well when I arrived in the US. This blog was very informative.
Ms. Lennon, your writing still manages to make me laugh. Not that I find some hard situations humorous, but on the deeper level of relating to your scenarios. It’s in a way, difficult to believe you go through all this, almost daily, and what makes even harder to cope with is the sudden transition from the lazy summer days, to the sleepless, restless night dealing with the jet lag dragging you throughout the day.
Ms.Lennon every time I read your blogs I find myself more and more amused with you as a person. Your writing makes me laugh.Giving details is what you do best!!Everytime I read something of yours I can actually see myself in the picture.
Reading your blog takes me back to my summer days. I love taking vacations and so I can relate well to that jet lag feelings. It's hard adjusting from certain place to another. In most cases, it's not easy. The way you describe your story makes me feel like I am there. Your story is very detailed and it gets me wanting more. I enjoy reading your writings, Ms Lennon. I can't wait to read more.
Professor Lennon’s blog was very amusing to read. I personally identified myself with her, because I myself felt jet lag on my first days of school. Reading her blog is not so much of just reading its more as hearing her speak and listen to all the great details. I can truly imagine everything as I read her blog!
I enjoyed reading your blog Ms. Lennon because it was filled with detailed descriptions and I felt the tireness you were going through. Coming out from vacation is always difficult because you know those late nights and free time are over.The actions you took to improve your jet lag situation is helpful information that can benefot many when they are in your situation.
I liked they way you explained and described what you did daily. Your story Ms. Lennon captured me and kept me interested.I liked how you explained the term jet laged and used it in many ways.
I really enjoyed your blog Ms. Lennon. The way you gave details for jet lag and expressed your difficulties. Ms. Lennon you gave great advice in the blog that will surely be useful for the future.
Reading "The Book of Days III: Back in the Saddle" I can relate to how you had to adjust to transitioning. Even though you probably wished that the world would pause for you it wouldn’t because things don’t always work your way. You had to quickly adjust to being placed somewhere out of your element which I can say from personal experience is the hardest thing in life.
I can relate to Frankie Lennon's experience. I once came back from Mexico a few days before the fall semester had begun. My time schedule had changed and the food had a completely different taste. The entire week I had an upset stomach and a horrible headache. Thinking about the situation gives me goosebumps.
After having read "The book of Days |||: Back in the Saddle" I feel I too can relate to your situation. Fun and relaxing summer days are always hard to walk away from. Although the transition is something we must go through every year our bodies always have a hard time accepting it. Reading your blogs makes me happy for some reason. I envision every detail you give and it truly makes the reading of it quite an adventure, just like you call it. Thanks for writing the way you do.
Once again Ms. Lennon has succeeded in giving the reader great details! she does a really good job at making me as a reader have an image of what she's really talking about. She expresses her self greatly. Her blog "The Book of Days|||: Back in the Saddle" is really interesting. I, in a way relate it to how difficult it was for me to come from high school to college. It is very different when one is used to a scheduled for months and having to adjust to a different daily routine. But one can do it!
I enjoyed your blog Ms.Lennon.It had so much truth in it. I remember a few years back I went to El Salvador and I spent two months there. It was a great experience, I loved it. I left a day before school started. Next day in school I felt dreadful. I was so tired, sleepy and cranky.I also think that next time I go on vacation I should arrive a week earlier, even though it is really hard once you are enjoying yourself.
Ms. Lennon I was very interested in your blog from the moment I started reading. All the details you provided made me feel as if I was the one that had jet lag. I also learned some advice not to book a flight a day before having to come back to school! Great blog!!
I found "The Book of Days III: Back in the Saddle" very interesting. It definitely caught my attention from the beginning. I was unaware of what jet lag was the symptoms it can cause. I was fond of how you included it in your essay because it was a necessary explanation. I also enjoyed the detail of all the things you needed to accomplish on the day you came back. It made it seem as if I were the one needing to accomplish these things. The detail gave the reader a sense that they were experiencing the same thing. The essay was also informative because it came with solutions needed to avoid major affects of jet lag.
Ms. Lennon, reading about your trouble adjusting to "L.A.'s fast lane" is hard to believe. You had me fooled! I would have never guessed that you were suffering from jet lag. Thank you for not complaining about sleepless nights and long days as others would have. After reading your blog I better understood what you wanted from this assignment. I took this as something to learn from next time planning a vacation and, advice on how to cope with jet lag.
Ms. Lennon reading about "The Book of Days III: Back in the Saddle" was interesting. I know how hard it is too get adjusted to different times and wheather. But I wouldn not be able to get up the next morning and get all my responsibilities done just like you did. That is amazing how you managed to do everything you had to do no matter what. You did not let anything get in your way.
I quite liked reading your blog, Ms. Lennon. I did not expect that you would have an extreme of jet lag on the first week of school.
I have only experienced jet lag once when I went to New York City. The 3 hours difference really killed me, and it took me over a week to adapt to the hour change. The body can be a very cruel thing when jet lag comes around.
Hey Ms. Lennon, I liked your paper because of the fact that you gave so many details. I didn't get lost at all. It was very organized and I enjoyed it a lot. Great writing!
Ms. Lennon, what stood out the most to me of "The Book of Days III: Back in the Saddle", was that it was very similar to the first paper we wrote in your class of our first week in college, our troubles, solutions, and view toward the end of the week. It was indeed both amusing and frustrating to read of "jet lag" a term I actually had never heard of. Your details seem so vivid, it made me engage as a reader and feel the same set of emotions. The frustration of the time change,transitions and the heat were moods transmitted to me as the reader. Primarily your body paragraphs were eye-catching for the reason that you introduced yourself as a women affected by these issues, but also as a woman looking for solution and executing those solutions at the same time. Very entertaining and emotions were easy to relate to.
Although you have a couple words that throw me off, i can clearly see your thesis and can follow what you are writing about.I like how you clearly stated the problem and had a solution for it.
Although you have a couple words that throw me off, i can clearly see your thesis and can follow what you are writing about.I like how you clearly stated the problem and had a solution for it.
Ms. Lennon, I know how jet-lag can be. I once lived in Chicago for a period of three months and then my mother decided to move back here. The first two weeks was difficult for me, I would sleep really early and I was up way too early the next morning. I liked your solutions; they sound very relaxing.
Ms. Lennon I enjoyed reading your blog. You have nice imagery and it is very vivid for me to visualize the actual scenery.
Although you have a couple words that throw me off, i can clearly see your thesis and can follow what you are writing about.I like how you clearly stated the problem and had a solution for it.
Ms. Lennon, while reading your post I recalled our body’s circadian rhythm, which is our 24 hours clock that allows us to get use to changes. I can closely relate, because I also found myself jumping back into California’s time zone when I came back from New York. I admire how you found a quick solutions to your problem.
I enjoyed reading your blog Ms. Lennon. It was very detailed and descriptive on what a jet lag is and what would follow after. I too experienced a jet lag when i took an EF tour to London. My body had a difficult time trying to adjust to the time zone differences. It took me at least a week or to to adjust back to US time zone.
Ms.Lennon you are truly a wonderful writer. I like how you used a lot of detail as to where I had a mental picture of everything that happened. I also like how you explained the symptoms to jet lag and why you had it because I did not know much about jet lag.
Your blog was so true. I lived in Atlanta for 9 months, when I came back to California I had jet-lag for a week! In order to regulate myself I went to bed earlier and I just relaxed, seeing as how you had to go to work the next day, I think that was a little harder for you. I’m glad that you had a good time in Georgia.
"The Book of Days III: Back in the Saddle," has described her routine over the summer as well as her routine during the year. She adds enough details to keep the reader intrigued and entertained.
I can truly say that when I read this paragrah it was like reliving a trip I had a while ago as well. A few years ago, I had gone to another country and i needed to take two planes to get there and one getting back. And surpriseingly the jet lag was harder to deal with on the one trip back. The feelings she describes sounded very familiar and i could really relate.
I enjoyed reading your blog Ms. Lennon. I like that your title made me think of what your blog would be about. This blog was very informative on how you felt because of jet lag and i know that next time you will be better prepared, or atleast as prepared as someone can get.
Ms. Lennon your blog on "Back in the Saddle" was great. I loved how detailed you were throughout the entire blog, it felt as if I was feeling the jet lag. It also helped me for the future in regards to taking a vacation and setting up ahead of time so that I would not go through jet lag.
I enjoyed reading your blog because I liked how you explained what jet lag meant, not everybody knows including me what jet lag meant and you explained it very well.I also liked your tips on how to recover from jet lag now I know what to do next time I travel. Your story have a lot of details and descriptions on your summer days in Georgia and they all well supported by an explanation. Reading the title of your story left me with a curiosity of what your story was going to be about. That's a good thing because you leave the reader with curiosity and makes them want to read the story.
I enjoyed reading your blog. It must of been really hard for you to go through the changes of time. I can relate to this blog in a way that I too took a trip during the summer to Nicaragua and I had to get use to the two hour difference. The time change I know can really ruin the routine and it is such a hassle to get use your regular routine. I felt the same way when I came back from Nicaragua. It was so hard for me to get use to the time change once I came back. I got on track in the end. I am glad that you managed to get back on track with your problem. You are truley a very good writer and I am looking forward to reading more of your blogs.
I enjoyed reading this blog because it explained what jet lag is and how it effected you. I have also experienced jet lag coming home from China.There is about a eight hour difference between the two and as Ms.Lennon wrote the symptoms in her blog I remember experiencing all. I had a harder time than you bouncing back to my regular schedule.I commend you on doing so as fast as you did ms.Lennon. GREAT STORY!
Ms. Lennon I enjoyed reading your blog. You have put your feeling and thought in your story which I need to learn how to do. I believe I can relate to you story because I felt the same way when I got back from my vacation from Arizona and had to go to my classes the next day. I've learned that when you take a vacation you should rest because walking up early in the morning isn't easy for someone who loves to wake up around 11 like me. Overall, your story made me want to keep on reading to know what happened next.
Reading your blog was very imformative, and interesting. I have also had a experience with jet lag I am from New Haven, Connecticut and I go visit them every summer. There is a 3 hour difference as well, and when i come back home to la i feel the difference as soon as i get off the plan. Ms. Lannon give me alot of advice as into what i can do when i get jet lag every summer. Usually i just sleep it off, but now since im getting older and have more things to do i do not have time to sleep it off. Thank you for your blog on jet lag.
Ms. Lennon I really enjoyed your blog. It was really good. I can relate to you with the 3 hour change because I had gone to Hawaii this summer and it was 3 hours behind from Los Angeles. I was getting used to waking up later in Los Angeles, and I was waking up earlier in Hawaii. The first day of Hawaii for me felt different because my body hadn't gotten used to waking up early. That's a good idea in coming back a couple days before because you wouldn't want the same thing that happened to you this time happen to you again, and also you never know what can happen.
I can say I enjoyed reading Back in the Saddle because I was able to picture images in my head to certain descriptive events. For example the way you explained and described what you did the next morning before going into work. Overall, this essay was very interesting, it had many interesting facts and I learned interesting key terms like jet lag.
really enjoy reading "Back in the Saddle." I especially appreciate how you were able to overcome this challenge by keeping yourself busy, but not overworking yourself.
I remember five years ago, my family and I went to Atlanta, Georgia in May for my step-sister's graduation. The weather at the time was very humid and it was raining that evening after my step sister graduation.
It was my first experience flying an airplane and so far it has been my last. I have,too, experienced jetlag arriving from Georgia. My mom and I have stay with my grandmother for a week towards quate's graduation. Since then I have slept mostly in my cousin's room or the floor in the living room catching up with my slept in California. I was not use to three hours Georgia time. When my mom and I arrived back to California I was ease and looking forward going back to school.
I can say that I enyoyed reading "Back in the Saddle" since I found it very interesting and at the same time I was able to picture images in my head.
As I read through "Back in the Saddle", I felt amazed on how the great details you used Ms. Lennon created images that made me feel as if I was there. I was impressed by the fact that even with getting back the day before school started you were ready right away. When you came into to class you looked so well prepared, as if you had prepared with days in advance. It usually takes me days to prepare for things. Ms. Lennon I really liked your great use of vocabulary because at first I didn't know what jet lag meant but now I do thanks to your blog. Good job Ms. Lennon your blog was great.
Post a Comment