Last week I had a comprehensive, annual checkup at my doctor’s, and one item on her checkoff list was to talk to me about my sleep habits. She said that I ought to be getting 8 hours of “bed time” per night. Now, that did not mean that I ought to have 8 hours of sleep–she only suggested that I lie down for 8 hours a day.

I told her that typically, we stay up to watch the news at 10:00, then go to bed after that. But nearly every night I wake up between 3:15 and 4:30, and for the last eight months I have had Bach on my brain and never go back to sleep. Oh, I have a slim chance of getting back to sleep if I purposely avoid looking at the clock, but many times I pull out my iPad and check my email. And then the music in my brain starts.

Frequently after a concert, I get no rest at all because I play the concert over and over again in my head. But guess what happened Sunday night?! I had already moved on, and in my mind began playing the music of my second Great Eighteen Chorales concert! Yes, it was the music of Nun danket alle Gott that kept me awake when I got up at 3:45 am.

The good news is that when my doctor checked my legs, she remarked on how strong they were. She said, “I ought to tell ALL my patients to play the organ!” But she also recommended that if I get up every morning at 4:15 am, I should be in bed no later than 9:30 pm.

Sorry, it’s not going to happen!

If you have not already bought your tickets for Sunday’s concert, the second in a mini-series on the complete Great Eighteen Chorales, you can click here.

Also, we have received permission from St. Clement’s for concertgoers to park in their lot at Makiki Street and Wilder Avenue should parking fill up at the Poki Street lot. Please, let’s reserve the lot directly behind the Lutheran Church of Honolulu for the elderly and disabled.