This is brilliant - Petrarch is the OG humblebragger. Performative productivity has a long and rich history :)
Also got me thinking about that idea of having a first and second sleep. So whether Petrarch went back to bed after his first session at midnight. Segmented sleep was much discussed a few years back, seen as a medieval norm.
And I'll be emailing you about possible speaking opportunities...
Well, crap. Always a disciplined twit to harsh my vibe. I love sleep. More than that, I love what I call productive nothing, maybe because I do so little of it. Nothing makes me happier than an unplanned day in which I manage to do a lot but never feel rushed or obligated to do anything. If I'm lucky, I get a couple of those a year. Ideally, I'd sleep until 8:00 and turn in around midnight. Guess ol' Petrarch and I would not have been good friends, but we would have been a perfect pair for guarding the castle. That is, until my mind wandered off. 😂
I typically wake up between midnight and one. I set an alarm for this. I like the quiet and the dark. I hate noise. I like writing when the city sleeps, though sometimes I just end up reading for three hours and then taking a nap. I've kept this schedule for nearly four years. I always take a nap before dawn breaks, at least an hour. Yes, I am always tired. I hate sleep almost as much as I hate noise. Both are disruptive.
I really enjoyed reading about Petrarch. The people that are kind of on the weird side fascinate me. It’s 03:59 and I been reading Substacks for about an hour. I’ve been doing this thing lately where I wake up around 2am and read for an hour. A little weird myself.
It's so funny to read Petrarch's antagonism towards sleep! (I personally love sleeping…)
Overall, loved this post! Especially loved this description of how reading & writing contribute to happiness in life: "I am well and happy, and I refuse those concerns that make so many unhappy.…whether in the fields or in the house I am busy thinking, reading, writing."
Sleep and I often part company at midnight too, but then I spend the next six hours flipping the pillow thinking about how tired I'm going to be the next day. Maybe I should try to find a horse. Great post as always!
This is brilliant - Petrarch is the OG humblebragger. Performative productivity has a long and rich history :)
Also got me thinking about that idea of having a first and second sleep. So whether Petrarch went back to bed after his first session at midnight. Segmented sleep was much discussed a few years back, seen as a medieval norm.
And I'll be emailing you about possible speaking opportunities...
Greatest photo captions…so good!
Well, crap. Always a disciplined twit to harsh my vibe. I love sleep. More than that, I love what I call productive nothing, maybe because I do so little of it. Nothing makes me happier than an unplanned day in which I manage to do a lot but never feel rushed or obligated to do anything. If I'm lucky, I get a couple of those a year. Ideally, I'd sleep until 8:00 and turn in around midnight. Guess ol' Petrarch and I would not have been good friends, but we would have been a perfect pair for guarding the castle. That is, until my mind wandered off. 😂
I typically wake up between midnight and one. I set an alarm for this. I like the quiet and the dark. I hate noise. I like writing when the city sleeps, though sometimes I just end up reading for three hours and then taking a nap. I've kept this schedule for nearly four years. I always take a nap before dawn breaks, at least an hour. Yes, I am always tired. I hate sleep almost as much as I hate noise. Both are disruptive.
dictating stories on his iphone while driving in his car ... like everyone else !
So what time was his bedtime?
I really enjoyed this. Thank you for sharing it Mason.
I really enjoyed reading about Petrarch. The people that are kind of on the weird side fascinate me. It’s 03:59 and I been reading Substacks for about an hour. I’ve been doing this thing lately where I wake up around 2am and read for an hour. A little weird myself.
I'm marveling at the portraits of this crazy workaholic! All very beautiful in their own way 👀
It's so funny to read Petrarch's antagonism towards sleep! (I personally love sleeping…)
Overall, loved this post! Especially loved this description of how reading & writing contribute to happiness in life: "I am well and happy, and I refuse those concerns that make so many unhappy.…whether in the fields or in the house I am busy thinking, reading, writing."
Sleep and I often part company at midnight too, but then I spend the next six hours flipping the pillow thinking about how tired I'm going to be the next day. Maybe I should try to find a horse. Great post as always!
Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread. Proverbs 20:13