What happens when you are asleep?

When I was a child, besides being extremely weird, imaginary friends and all, I hated going to sleep at night. I was absolutely convinced that everything remotely interesting in the world must happen after I go to sleep , otherwise why was life so boring and full of chores nobody liked doing, creamed spinach and miss Chloe with her ugly mole on her chin flunking everybody in her chemistry class ?

30 years later, I maintain the same philosophy even though I do not mind creamed spinach now and Miss Chloe is just a vague memory .I don’t sleep at night and instead I wander around the house trying to look busy and efficient. Intellectually efficient at least .I usually write my stories at night, read, or use any reason to connect at least two neurons.

Recently however, I have been failing to fire up the old noggin with any interesting thoughts and instead I turned the television on. Must be the menopause fogging my cerebral cortex, or just another phase in the aging process. Apparently fitting gravity is not enough, I have to keep senility at bay also.

But back on my train of thought. Late night television. I am sure most people either are sound asleep after midnight or, if still awake, employ some kind of creative process.

In the eventuality you do not fall in any of the two above mentioned categories, can we talk about choices on the old silver screen after midnight?

Some kind of soft porn is happening on most cable channels, lots of horror movies and of course, the infomercials on the local stations.

Things you never knew existed but based on testimonials (legit, I even saw a doctor, I kid you not) could change your life for only 14.95 plus S&H.  And  wait, because that’s not all, if you thought your life was not changed enough, your  spouse , your friend , your cousin or any direct blood line of yours could change their lives also for FREE if you call in the next 20 minutes!!

One day I will post my story about the Ginsu knives I purchased, but not now.

So besides these challenges to good taste and self-control in my case (I mean how could you not run to your wallet and pull the credit card out?) these retail halls of shame plugs, I have come across one of the creepiest broadcasts.

I listened in a trance of morbid curiosity to this preacher addressing his flock directly via the TV station and it left me numb with fear and some level of annoyance! Not sure, which one was more obvious. He was talking about forming a Christian army of God that could and should take over the world and show everyone else the right way. And the scariest part (to me) was the fact that it did not seem like this mighty army of god was going to be very flexible with, let us say anybody living by other believe systems. So obviously, my quasi Jewish heart started beating fast and I quickly went kvetching to my peacefully sleeping better half. I only got a perplexed look being that at 3AM most normal people sleep peaceful and do not worry about world domination.

Does anybody with some kind of common sense and authority monitor these loose cannons?

Is it just me? I certainly hope not, although I have reasons to suspect my antidepressant is not working as well all the times...