Postcard from the Small Hours

Nearly half past midnight. I'm up at 5:00am, so I really should get to bed. Just waiting for my iPod to sync, and then a short four hours sleep, and then an incredibly early waking. Maybe I should make it 5:30, but I just want enough time to make sure I have everything... now where did I put those train tickets? I know I had them this morning...
Deep winter cold tonight. Sat here cross-legged on the floor of my room shivering in a t-shirt. Pile of horror comics to my left and right. My old laptop humming as albums I've are put onto the i-pod; Abscess, Candlemass, Nina Nastasia... Feels like an old winter tonight. One of my old winters I mean, referring to when I was a student and staying up into the black as pitch small hours was a regular occurrence.Seasons of slowly creeping insomnia, sometimes I would feel trapped in the cycle of the small hours. Had to set my alarm if I was to get up anywhere before 2:00pm.
'Syncing iPod. Do not disconnect'
Nearly done now I think; 'copying 44 of 165'.
Hope I remember everything in the morning.
Racing nightfall across the country - and I should arrive well before twilight, at about 2:30pm. Will be strange without Misty there to greet me, a sad dog-shaped absence.
'iPod sync is complete'.
Well, time for sleep.
When I leave the house, dawn will still be a couple of hours away. Actually, when I leave Brighton, it will still be dark, and we're still a couple of days away from the winter equinox.