Holiday Fun Fact: Baby New Year

The New Year is often personified as a baby wearing a diaper and a top hat — but there’s nothing new about it. Using a baby as a symbol of rebirth has its roots in ancient Greece and Egypt.


She’s a Night Owl… but It Works for Her

“I hate to break it to you, but night owls get just as much work done as early risers, though I do say that provisionally. It all depends on what you do for a living and your lifestyle. I am one of those night owls. The provisions are that I could not be a night owl if I had children, had an office job, or had a business that depended on a lot of live communication with clients. My day looks much the same as yours, just at different hours. I am a full-time artist, working at home.

“There are three reasons why this works well for me. First, I simply tend to work better in the evening. My energy and concentration for painting are at their best then. Second, I need as few distractions as possible while at the easel. The evening is my quiet time — when the phone rings less, there are seldom if any visitors, and all the other tasks and errands have been done. The third is flexibility.

“As a creative person, I need to be able to adjust my schedule. Sometimes I am very inspired and on a roll, and will work late into the night. For instance, I painted till midnight last night. As a result, my day started a little later today, but I will still be able to put the same amount of time into the tasks at hand.

“I love my lifestyle and what I do, and wouldn’t trade it for anything. As you can see, I get just as much, if not more, work done as any early bird, though it certainly would not work for most people. I am very blessed!”

Marie M. Vlasic

[Ed. Note: Mark Morgan Ford was the creator of Early To Rise. In 2011, Mark retired from ETR and now writes the Palm Beach Letter. His advice, in our opinion, continues to get better and better with every essay, particularly in the controversial ones we have shared today. We encourage you to read everything you can that has been written by Mark.]