A "Proper" Goodnight

This short clip from the Gilmore Girls (pre Rory leaving Stars Hollow, the show ending, etc.) demonstrates a "proper" goodnight. Oh, and quick heads up. The definition of proper has changed from "nice gentleman kisses your cheek at the doorstep" to "hot college guy climbs through your dorm room window to make out."

Ctrl Alt Sleep

Say goodnight to your ... computer? The thought hadn't occurred to me until I saw this girl's computer screen, complete with that weird-looking, sleepy green creature and "Good Night!" Post-It note. But I do have a bedtime ritual with my laptop. Each night, I remove it from my bedside, where I've had it propped up using books and my desk chair, and put it back on my desk. Then I have to exit out of most of my programs (save Itunes if I'm listening to my "falling asleep" playlist) because my four-year-old HP just can't handle all that overnight. Finally, I close the cover, lovingly swiping off any leftover dust or crumbs, and head to bed.

Security Piglet Pt. 2 - Find Your Own

After writing about my personal attachment to Pig Face, I realized that I probably left my companion-less readers feeling slightly deprived. If you want a bedtime buddy of your very own to say goodnight to, check out these options. They may not have the wear and care (and by that, I mean dirt and sewed fabric) that old Pig Face does, but give it some time.

1. Bedtime Care Bear – According to FreeBears.com, Bedtime bear’s mission is to help people get a good night’s sleep. He’s the one who’s there to give you a goodnight hug and make sure you have sweet dreams when you finally do fall asleep. You can buy Bedtime Bear for $18.99 from FreeBears, or you can get one of his other Care Bear friends from Target. The prices range between $12.99 and $24.99 depending on the sizes.

2. A Build-A-Bear – Yes, we’ve been inspired by our friends at Bear Building. Build-A-Bear offers not only the traditional teddy, but other furry friends, such as dogs, kitties, polar bears, and dinosaurs. And, they offer clothing, such as pajamas and robes, as well as accessories, such as slippers and sleeping bags, so you can make sure your companion gets a good night’s sleep too. Check out the Build-A-Bear website to buy a bedtime buddy or to buy new accessories for an old friend.

3. Raggedy Ann and Andy – My mom claims she used to sleep with her Raggedy Ann and Andy every night as a kid, with their heads pressed up underneath her chin. Her siblings teased her, saying the house could catch fire and Raggedy Ann and Andy might not make it out. Now, they’re a bit more old-fashioned of a bedtime companion, but that doesn’t mean they’re any less lovable or comforting to sleep with. Check out Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy’s website if you’re interested (prices range between $15 and $32).

Security Piglet Pt. 1 - My Bedtime Baby

I christened her “Baby” when I first got her. Then, when I was two years old, our household underwent a dramatic change. A new, slightly less pigheaded baby came to town. My brother Sean never realized the havoc he wreaked. Forced to rename my cherished childhood companion, I chose what any toddler would: Pig Face.

Yes, you heard right. I chose Pig Face, not Miss Piggy from the Muppets as you might have assumed. Unfortunately, I can’t recall my reasoning for this choice, but I’m quite impressed with my two-year-old self. She looks like a baby, except that she has a pig face. Genius. The more practical explanation, I suppose, is that we didn’t have a TV, let alone cable, in our household until I was in kindergarten. I probably had no idea who Missy Piggy was.

The result was all the same. Pig Face became my bedtime companion – from childhood to adolescence to college. Now, I’m not one of those fanatic security-blanket types. I’ve spent nights without her. In fact, I didn’t even bring her to London last spring for fear that something would happen to her. But still, I like knowing I have one person I will always say goodnight to, night after night, year after year.

My "Falling Asleep" Playlist

Technically speaking, these are the last people that say goodnight to me every night:

1. Bob Dylan - Tangled Up in Blue, Shelter from the Storm, Buckets of Rain

2. Coldplay - The Scientist, 'Till Kingdom Come, I'll See You Soon

3. Elliott Smith -Miss Misery, Sweet Adeline, Pictures of Me

4. Jose Gonzales - Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division cover)

5. Oasis - Wonderwall, Don't Look Back in Anger

6. Radiohead - True Love Waits, Motion Picture Soundtrack

7. Sufjan Stevens - Chicago, Casimir Pulaski Day, To Be Alone With You

8. U2 - Where the Streets Have No Name, With or Without You

The Sirens' Lullaby

In celebration of the Coen brothers coming out with a new movie (go see No Country if you haven't already), today's post features a goodnight video clip from O Brother, Where Art Thou? And, for the record, I wouldn't be averse to the sirens, no matter how dangerous, lulling me to sleep with this hauntingly beautiful melody. The song is just that good.

Best Bedtime Books

When I was younger, my mom used to read me books each night. And when I started to grow up, I would read some of these same books to my younger brothers each night. Sometimes we’d be in tents, sometimes we’d be in hotel rooms, sometimes we’d be cuddled in bed – it didn’t really matter. When I think of reading bedtime stories aloud to little kids and tucking them into bed, there are a few kids’ books that come immediately to mind. You know, the classics. The books that still, at age 21, you’d love for someone to read you aloud at night.

1. Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak

This story describes the imaginary adventures of Max, who’s angry after being sent to bed without supper (which seems like bad parenting in retrospect). In his adventures, he wears a wolf suit and encounters these great, vicious-looking creatures that “gnash their terrible teeth and roar their terrible roars.”

2. Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown

The story, probably the most famous on my list, shows a child saying goodnight all the objects around a room, including a light, red balloon, and cow jumping over the moon. They even have a Goodnight Moon game for kids to play now.

3. Make Way for Ducklings, Robert McCloskey

A pair of mallard ducks decides to raise their family on an island in the lagoon in Boston Public Garden. I can vividly remember really wanting to have pet ducklings after my mom would read this to me, in the same way that I always wanted pet penguins after reading Mr. Popper’s Penguins.

4. Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Virginia Lee Burton

Threatened by competition from modern shovels, Mike proves the worth of his trusty old steam shovel, Mary Anne. The best picture in the book is the last one, where Mike sits smoking his pipe with Mary Anne by his side.

5. The Tomten, Astrid Lindgren

This tells the Swedish tale of the tomten, a gnome-like creature that stands watch while the rest of the world is sleeping. Even now, I still like to imagine that a tomten creeps around our house at night, watching over our woods and cats.