Rules for Peaceful Cohabitation

I think most people I've lived with will tell you that I'm actually a pretty easy person to live with.  I do my share of the cleaning, take out the garbage, keep common areas clean, pay bills on time, etc.  Now I'm not saying I'm a great roommate - hell I'm not even saying that I'm a good roommate.  My point is really that I tend to keep to myself, try to clean up after myself.


But I know that there's at least one part of living with me that's an absolute nightmare.  And its called the hours between 5-9 am.  I don't do mornings well.  I never have and I'm beginning to think that I never will.  Quite honestly I'm a bitch in the early AM.  


I'm not quite sure what it is, but I have a few theories.  First, I think that maybe everyone has a certain amount of  meanness in them that they need to get out.  Most people who know me would say (at least I think they would say) that I'm generally a nice person.  But most people who know me never see me in the first 30 minutes I'm awake, otherwise known as the Death Zone.


My other theory has to do with my parents.  My mom loves to sleep in.  My dad loves to be up early when he can have quiet in the house to wake up slowly and peacefully.  I think I'm a blend of the bad parts of both of those.  I love my sleep, but then I need PLENTY of time to wake up.  This process usually involves a coffee, a shower, coffee, the Today show, coffee, a crossword puzzle, coffee, oh and did I mention coffee???


Now one good thing about this whole situation is that I know that I do not mesh well with the early hours of the day.  And while I love my sleep, I'm willing to wake up early to ensure that I have enough time to do what I need to get done at a pace that I like to get things done at that time (read: super slow).  So I plan accordingly.  Class at 10:30?  That means up a few minutes before 7.  I am NOT one to rush, but I am willing to lay off the snooze button to make sure that I don't have to.


All of this means that I'm a routine person, at least I start off my days with my routine.  Up, shower, coffee, Today show, breakfast (with more coffee), hair, make-up, dressed, get some coffee together for the ride into school, and off I go.  Its perfectly timed and well-practiced.


Which brings me to THE most important rule for peaceful cohabitation with Andrea.  Don't talk to me in the morning.  Seriously just don't do it.  Anything more than a hello will put you on my list for several hours.  And you don't want to be on the list.  Besides what happens for breaking THE rule, well its just not worth it (Let's just say that I don't think that Medusa was really a monster, I think she had just woken up and was kind of pissed about it, then someone talked to her and her look turned them to stone).


Anyway, this actually hasn't been a problem for most of my life.  But I will say that I've gotten crabbier as I've gotten older and my coffee addiction has gotten bigger.  When I was an undergrad, I had my own room AND my own bathroom, so I would just take out all of my morning rage in there, away from innocent bystanders.  When I was working I was living at home with my parents.  My dad and I were getting ready for work at about the same time, but our morning routine was well choreographed, we never even saw each other for most of the morning.


And honestly it isn't really an issue right now.  Except sometimes.  Like today when an individual that I live with woke up significantly earlier than normal (I'm talking between and hour and a half and two hours earlier - they're a fast mover in the morning) and proceeded to take a long time in the shower (breaking Rule for Peaceful Cohabitation #2 - don't mess with the routine) which put me significantly behind schedule.  Once out of the shower, this person came downstairs and tried to strike up conversation, AT 7:24 IN THE MORNING.


And then doesn't get when I'm annoyed.  I know its silly.  That's not the point.  I'm just hoping this doesn't become a regular thing.  Because waking up at 4 am to squeeze my quiet time in just isn't going to work.