"Sleeping in" for me is now 6:00 AM

I have almost always been an early riser.

When I was in 3rd grade, my mom was still making me go to bed at 9:00 PM even though I usually needed no more than 7-8 hours of sleep. So it was common for me to be wide awake by 4:30 in the morning, just looking for something to do in my room until it was time to get ready for school.

Often I would listen to the old WWWE 1100AM radio station, which back then featured music on its overnight show (something that may have been unusual for an AM station even then). The hosts were local, and I would sometimes call in to request a song.

Having this little 8- or 9-year-old kid calling to request a song in what was essentially still the middle of the night for most people must have been hilarious, but they usually humored me...as long as the song I requested fit their mostly mellow format.

One time I asked for "Rock Around the Clock." It was the first song I could think of. The DJ, whose name I believe was Vicky, laughed and told me she couldn't play that one, but she would play the theme from "The Goodbye Girl" and dedicate it to me.

And she did! All 17 people listening at the time heard it.

Anyway, other than a stretch during my teen years when I would stay in bed until nearly noon on the weekends, I've continued my early-rising ways for decades. On the mornings when I exercise, I'm awake before 5:00 AM.

On the days like today when I "sleep in," I roll my lazy bones out of bed at the advanced hour of 5:30 AM.

I am a wild man, I know.

You tend to need less sleep as you age. So if I'm like this at 51, I figure I'll be waking up around 3 in the morning by the time I hit my 70s.

No wonder old people want dinner at 4 in the afternoon.

Ten random thoughts on a Wednesday

(1) A while back, I made mention of my fascination with the Duggar family of "19 Kids and Counting" fame. Or is it 20? I don't know. Anyway, the point is, there's a new kid on the huge family TV block: The Bates. Their show, which is on TLC just like the Duggars, is called "The Bates Family: Baby Makes 19." I caught part of an episode recently and actually liked it (and them). But do they meet the basic criteria for reality TV families with lots of kids? Well, let's see: Are they white? Check. Do they live in the South? Check. Are they very religious? Check. Do they give their kids names that all begin with the same letter? BUZZ! Ohhhhh no, I'm sorry. Your family is very Duggar-like, but Jim Bob and Michelle still reign over this particular corner of the TV universe.

(2) On the subject of lunch meat: Am I the only person in the universe who likes Dutch loaf? It seems like I am. And if I am, why do they still make it? I appreciate the effort, but we hardly ever buy it, so really fellas, maybe you should concentrate on some other processed, food-like item. I'm not worth the effort.

(3) I would give almost anything right now to see an episode of the old "Hollywood Squares." I'm talking 70s-era "Hollywood Squares" hosted by Peter Marshall with Paul Lynde in the center square. That was good TV.

(4) I can't believe our telephones used to have cords. Remember that? You would answer the phone in the kitchen and you actually had to carry on your conversation in the kitchen because the cord would only go so far. If you had one of those fancy extended cords, you might be able to make it into the living room, but that was about it. Cordless phones are one of the most underrated inventions of the last half century.

(5) This is true: When I was little – like 5 or 6 years old – I learned all of the U.S. presidents in order. We had the 1964 edition of the World Book Encyclopedia, and I read the article on "Presidents" so many times that the pages eventually became ripped and dog-eared. My dad thought this was hilarious and would have me recite the presidents to anyone who cared to listen. What a freak I was. Anyway, I must have displayed this talent in school at some point, because one time Mrs. Potts put up a timeline of presidents on her classroom wall, and she invited me to come in and look at it. She wasn't even my teacher. I had no idea what my reaction was supposed to be. So I stared at it for awhile, said something to the effect that I liked it, then returned to my own 2nd-grade class. What exactly were they expecting from me? This is still baffling.

(6) I've been going around telling people that my 13-year-old son Jared is 6 feet tall. It turns out I'm a liar. Jared recently contracted strep throat and had to see the doctor, and they officially measured him at 5 feet, 11 3/4 inches. This makes me feel infinitely better about my 5-foot, 9 3/4-inch self.

(7) Speaking of my strange body, I know I've whined to you before about my freakishly small hands, but now it's getting out of control. My 11-year-old daughter Melanie's fingers are longer than mine. I'm a 42-year-old man, for Pete's sake. What is wrong with me?

(8) Rush is one of those bands I'm supposed to like, as a rock/pop music fan, but I just don't. I feel bad about this, but there's nothing I can do about it.

(9) About a month ago, I came out of my office and was walking to my car when I was approached by a young man in a wheelchair. He asked me for some spare change. I told him I didn't have any, which was 100% true. I usually don't carry cash (though I should). He said that's OK and shook my hand. But instead of releasing my hand, he then put it up to his lips and kissed it. Really. I'm generally not a germaphobe, but believe me when I tell you that I advanced directly to the nearest bottle of Purell with all due haste.

(10) I have never – really, never – met a girl named Vicky whom I didn't like. Same thing with guys named Dave.