SethMathers.com

“Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” Is a quote we often attribute to Benjamin Franklin. I don’t know much about good old Ben but Wikipedia says that he was a “leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, Freemason, postmaster, scientist, inventor, humorist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat.” Some of those sounds absolutely fascinating, while others I’m not getting excited about.

Political theorist and politician. I think I’ll pass on that.

Freemason, not interested.

But I could be down with learning how to be a printer. An inventor. A humorist. Maybe a couple of others. But there is also that healthy, wealthy, and wise part. Maybe he was onto something. A quick Google to see what his day looked like and I pulled up a few sources that said the following.

5am-7am Rise, wash, and address Powerful Goodness, contrive day’s business and take the resolution of the day: prosecute the present study: and breakfast.

8am-11am Work

12pm-1pm Read or overlook my accounts, and dine.

2pm-5pm Work

6pm-9pm Put things in their places, supper, music, or diversion, or conversation; examination of the day.

10pm-4am Sleep

To be honest I should be doing some of those things every day. I mean other than sleeping and eating. I’m pretty sure I have both of those things down. I’m pretty good at those. I mean napping is one of my greatest skills that I have acquired.

It has taken years but I believe I have it down.

I do work. Sometimes it is more play than actual work. But still, there is work in there.

I really should be reading more.

Planning my day sounds like a good idea. I get so distracted sometimes.

I think that’s what contrive means. Hold on let me Google it.

Contrive create or bring about (an object or a situation) by deliberate use of skill and artifice.

I guess I need to add studying the dictionary to my list of things to do when I contrive my day. Boom look at how fast I am applying what I learn. Why couldn’t I have done that in High School?

I mean all of this sounds great. I don’t even know what address Powerful Goodness is but I think I could use a little more Powerful Goodness in my life. Is that kinda of like Red Bull? I’m sure Google will help with that as well.

I guess I should have seen that coming. It sounds like addressing Powerful Goodness was Benjamin saying his morning prayers. That’s what it seems from what I found out. I guess I didn’t need to run out and get my Red Bull. Or did I? 😉

Yeah, I probably should be doing that. I might even start using the term Powerful Goodness instead of saying the word prayer.

I like this Benjamin Franklin guy.

Oh, bother, I think I found a problem.

I have to go to bed early.

But if I go to be early what if I miss something? What if someone posts something awesome on Facebook and I miss it? That does seem to be what I do in the evening. And morning. And while I eat. And while I sit on the toilet for longer than I really need to. Okay. I really could go to be early if I’m not doing anything productive with my time. At least nothing that is helping me grow as a person. As a father. As a husband. As a person. Okay, you got me there Benjamin. I can agree with that.

Now that waking up part.

Ha! I have you one that one. I HATE waking up in the morning. No, really I do. Ask anyone that has had to deal with me hitting the snooze button 9 times in the morning. It is annoying! I mean even for me. You know how frustrating it is to walk across the room half asleep to hit the snooze button. It makes me want to swear. And not one of the Utah swears.

Like crud.

Or fetch.

I hate it. That’s it I don’t think I can do it. Nope. Benjamin, you lost me.

I’m out.

But Benjamin did do some great stuff in his life. I’m sure there has to be some upside. I mean 20,000 people came to his funeral.

I do like being awake early in the morning. I like the quite. The calmness. How cool it is outside.

Damn you, Franklin, you sneaky little bastard. (It’s in the Bible that means it’s okay to use it. Damn is too.)

You win.

But maybe not yet. I’ll give you 7 days. I’m going to adjust this a little bit but you can have 7 days.

After that, we are going to reevaluate this little schedule of yours.

Now, where is Tavia?I need a little diversion before I go to bed.

Monopoly Deal! What do you think I was thinking?

Get your mind out of the gutter.

I need to collect those Blue properties to increase that wealth good old Ben was talking about.