Ever since I was a small child, I get very grumpy when I am sleep-deprived. My brothers would tease me about how angry I would get after about 8 PM, which usually just made me angrier.
As an adult, sleep deprivation tends to make me grumpy and nihilistic. It’s not a good combination, and I struggle at times with despair (a terrible sin, because it fundamentally fails to place faith in God and His Provision) as it is. Combine extreme exhaustion with a bad, or even just particularly stressful, day, and I can be downright insufferable.
Such was the case last Friday, 6 October 2023. It was perfect storm of a day: I released a new album to Bandcamp, which saw me awake at 3 AM to publish for Bandcamp Friday; I had to build out an entire pep band setup for a school pep rally in about forty-five minutes; and I had myriad Homecoming day responsibilities, including sound checking the choir (they sang the National Anthem Friday evening) and calling the game. It all meant a long, exhausting day, one that left me drained mentally, physically, and spiritually.
The Portly Politico 