Waking Up

The alarm clock must be one of the most hated inventions in history. The rude awakening from blissful sleep, the reminder that one must rise at an unnatural hour. For if it was a natural waking hour one would not need the alarm clock. And if the experience is not horrid enough already, the digital clock makers thought a buzzer the appropriate noise for the device. What happened to the melodic rooster crowing in the morn? The buzzer, however tortuous is very effective. I once had a roommate who could only awake to a clock possessing a buzzer loud enough to raise the dead. Every morning for a month I jumped out of my skin at 6:00 in the morning. Eventually I got used to it, and cursed her only briefly. The best alarm I ever had was my mom calling up the stairs every morning letting me know I was about to be late to school again. A familiar, harmonious, welcoming sound which created urgency but also carried the promise of breakfast.

With little care to my waking comfort a few years ago when in need of a new alarm clock I purchased the cheapest clock with large numbers available, though it did have a nine minute snooze. It came with only a buzzer, not even a radio. In a small attempt to improve life quality last week I replaced the alarm clock. I could have gone the chime route, or the clock that gradually wakes one with increasing light. But following my propensity to buy all things iPod I got the iHomeAudio clock radio for iPod. I don't really want to wake to my iPod, but I thought a radio might be nice. It's a very well designed, nice sounding piece of equipment and now I can have radio or iPod in my bedroom. As for the waking, things really haven't improved. I still hit the snooze until the last minute, I still groan when the alarm goes off even if it is morning edition instead of a buzz buzz buzz. Oh and if anyone has a good wakeup song please please comment!