Brooke Writes Books... and Other Musings...

And sadly (or maybe not so sadly...), I don't mean the Holiday Season. Instead, I'm talking about Santa Ana Wind Season...which is now pretty much synonymous with fires.

Already an arsonist was at work early this morning setting a fire that's burned thousands of acres and killed four firefighters with a fifth fighting for his life. The scary part is that this particular fire was not only intentionally set, it was started right as the winds picked up. The timing was carefully mapped out for maximum destruction.

I cannot understand, no matter how I try, the appeal of this crime. To watch beautiful land destroyed and ravaged, wildlife killed for no reason...it's beyond my comprehension. I am perfectly aware that lightning storms can and do cause the same devastation, even to the point of taking human lives, but at least that's Mother Nature wreaking the havoc. I am also perfectly aware that with the destruction by fire comes the rejuvenation of the land. But again, that's Mother Nature at work.

My heart goes out to the families and friends of the firefighters who were lost today. As anyone who knows me, one of my biggest fears are the wildfires (a fire in Antarctica is too close to me in my opinion...yeah, yeah, yeah...one would also think I'd move, huh...go figure that one!). For me, the freedom of the Santa Ana Winds blowing through the valleys, cleansing the air, means tension and worry. And now sorrow.

One can only hope that the person or persons who set this morning's fire suddenly gains a conscience and realizes what horror they've caused. But somehow, I rather doubt it... nobody with a heart would or could intentionally set out to destroy so much--much less take joy in it.

Ah, yes. Tonight is the first of two nights in a row of sleeping on a "Heavenly Bed". And, as you can probably tell, especially since the last two posts were devoted to the mysterious world of sleeping soundly, I am totally looking forward to the adventure.

My plans for the next two days are simple: arrive at Westin Hotel Number One. Check in as early as possible to gain the most time in the room for my expenditure of bucks as possible. Briefly poke around said room to admire all the amenities. Then...drum roll... indulge in an afternoon nap in the Heavenly Bed. Get up to take an amazingly long shower in the Heavenly Shower. Crawl back into Heavenly Bed for luxurious hours on end of a good night's sleep. Sadly, one must awaken no later than 4:30AM and abandon Room Number One to get to Westin Hotel Number Two in Seattle. (That 4:30AM wake-up call is just obscene in my book...but that's a whole other story...)

Upon arriving in Seattle, the plan for the afternoon is again simple. Arrive at Westin Hotel Number Two as early as possible...check out the room... another afternoon nap (hey! it's supposed to be raining in The Emerald City tomorrow!), another shower in the Heavenly Shower... and more sleeping! Fortunately Thursday morning brings no ungodly-hour wake-up calls.

Do I have sleeping on the brain? Maybe just a wee bit. Is this any way to start out a vacation? Well, it *is* my vacation...and I can do whatever I want, I say a bit petulantly... And no... I shall not be traveling from hotel to hotel and sleeping or showering the entire time. But the first two days...I am enjoying them to the max!

And...now... the subject of sleep is put to bed!

It's apparently an annual thing...to rank the best and worst cities for sleeping.

For Year 2006, the "winners' of the worst were...drum roll, please:

Number Five: St. Louis!
Number Four: New York!
Number Three: Houston! (one more reason to not attend the RT Convention in April...)
Number Two: Nashville!
and we already know who took top honors (if you read my last blog entry, that is!!!)
Number One: Atlanta!

What's more interesting, however, are the best places for sleep. Topping the list is: get ready...your eyes are probably gonna fall out...:

Number One: Anaheim! Anaheim, California!!!
Number Two: Los Angeles. Los Angeles???? Yep...Los Angeles...
Number Three: Raleigh-Durham
Number Four: Minneapolis
Number Five: Chicago

Okay...so maybe Anaheim wins this year cuz it's the home of the "happiest place on Earth"...that would be Disneyland just in case you are still in a state of stupor over the fact that LA came in a close second...

And last time around it was second...Minneapolis was first, followed by San Diego in third. This time around, San Diego didn't even make the list!

So...I am thinkin' that my sudden lack of being able to sleep has nothing to do with the fear of beer bottles, eggs, firecrackers, etc. hurtling themselves into my backyard while I slumber, but rather whatever unknown reasons that no one seems to want to divulge on these surveys at work that has tumbled San Diego out of the top five of best places to sleep. I am just confirming the truth of the survey.

It a hard job..but somebody has to do it... And no...Seattle is not on any of the lists...