Good morning!

I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world.  This makes it hard to plan the day. 

~Elwyn Brooks White

Do you find it hard to get up in the morning?  I certainly do!  Perhaps (in my case) it might be because I stay up too late blogging and such!  But if I wasn't doing this, there would be something else that would captivate me past a normal bedtime hour.  I remember when cross-stitching was my obsession of choice.  I would tell myself, 'I will just finish this colour, then I'll go to bed.'  But after I finished that colour I would see another even more lovely colour that I just had to finish!  I also used to stay up very late when I was into cake decorating, for myself and others.  So I can't blame this latest obsession for my refusal to go to bed at a decent time.  It's just something I do!

But mornings are truly a beautiful time of day.  If I could live without sleep I would spend more time admiring the morning light.  So here is my musical tribute to morning, along with some purely gratuitous pictures of Richard Armitage.  That will surely wake up my senses!

Morning Mood / Grieg

As John Porter in Strike Back

I seem to do my best napping after I press my snooze button. 

But nevermind me ... look at how the morning light shines on his gorgeous face!

Cherokee Morning Song

We need some faster music to get us going!

59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy) / Simon and Garfunkle

As Claude Monet in The Impressionists arising to capture the morning light on canvas.

That's better!  Now we're finally ready to get out of bed.

Good morning Starshine / Oliver

Are you alert yet?  Perhaps some coffee might help? 

As Lucas North aka John Bateman in Spooks /MI-5

How about in your own special mug?

Lots more stuff like this here.

This is sure to wake you up!

Goodmorning from The Beatles

The following Canadian band is the one that Howard Shore used to belong to in the 1970s.  Please see Calexora's interesting post where she actually met him at the Governor General's Awards Ceremony.  I have been a big fan of this band since before I ever heard of Mr. Shore.  But now that I know he is scoring The Hobbit, it makes me even more interested!

 One Fine Morning  / Lighthouse

And in case the music is not enough to wake you up, how about some more coffee?

As Faboamanto tells us, Coffee Fixes Everything 

(especially when we can look at pictures of Richard Armitage drinking it!)

It's half past Phylly's bedtime!

Lucas North in a Russian spy's bedroom

I didn't really make any New Year's resolutions. Well, sort of... but only two and they really go together.  That is, I want to go to bed earlier in order to do more reading. Oh, of course, also to sleep...perchance to dream...of you-know-whom! I do need much more sleep. But I also want to do more reading and the best place for me to do so is in my bed, just before going to sleep.

The way Lucas North is looking at the bed in this picture makes me think of how much I like to be in bed, but how difficult it is to get me to go there!

Here is a video about the television miniseries character Wallander and how he is so tired that he falls asleep in somewhat inappropriate places.  I was able to catch only a couple of episodes of this terrific series starring Kenneth Branagh on PBS's Masterpiece Mystery. Ruth at Booktalk and More has done a wonderful job reviewing the series on her blog. Servetus from Me + Richard Armitage has also made reference to her enjoyment of it.

****UPDATE***

Sadly the video I once displayed here, has been made private.  It was scenes of Wallander falling asleep (even while driving!) set to The Smith's song Asleep.  While I wish I could show it to you, at least you can still listen to the song -which is wonderful.  

Asleep / The Smiths

It amazes me how The Smiths's music seems to fit so well to Wallander's personality.



Here is a lovely fanvid about the dreamy romances of Period Dramas:

Only When I Sleep / The Corrs by Joanamafalda

This magnificent fanvid about Guy of Gisborne and Maid Marian from BBC's Robin Hood series is like a sad lullaby.

Eternal Sleepsong / Secret Garden by JulietD001

My favourite way to go to sleep...Richard reading me a story! This is a fanvid compilation of all his CBeebies stories set to music. It has a very intriguing title:

Bedtime with Richard by AuzMoz

Shhhh! I think he's sleeping. I guess I should do the same...

***UPDATE!***
I actually had my first RA dream on Saturday night (or Sunday morning to be exact).  I should have written it down immediately because it's a bit fuzzy now. I do know that he appeared as Harry Kennedy! He towered over me as he was leaning over me with a big grin on his face. I was very calm, in the dream -- like it was something that happened all the time! I do remember feeling very happy and comfortable and safe. Sorry, it's not more exciting than that, but it was lovely all the same. :)  Now that I know I might have another RA dream, perhaps I will be more willing to actually GO TO BED!