Face it. The world of the typical call center agent is a pretty thankless existence. I guess there is the supposed reward of feeling that I am genuinely helping a few of the people that call the center, but for every client that hangs up feeling that their problem has been solved, it seems like there are two who are pissed off at the product and taking it out on me, and three that can’t get their new device to work because they can’t figure out how to plug it into the charger.
Perhaps I exaggerate, but only a little. If I am feeling a little snippy, it could because of the enforced stress of shift work. For me the one reward of working weird hours is that I get to sleep when the rest of the world is busy making a mess out of things. I have learned to take my sleep ritual very seriously. Especially when I am day sleeping.
When I began working nights and sleeping days, it was disconcerting to come home to the apartment when the rest of the world was coming to life. I would fix “breakfast” for “dinner”, and usually pass out in front of daytime TV. Not the most beneficial form of rest. Now I come home, knock out a few chores, shower and get into some soft jammies, ensure that the curtains are all drawn, and hide under the duvet.
What the heck is a duvet? First of all, learn not to say Do-vet, it is pronounced DOO-Vay. It is a traditional bed covering that originated in Northern Europe. It is basically a down, as in feather, filled flat bag. To me there are two factors that differentiate the duvet from a regular quilt or comforter. The best duvets are filled with high quality down, which is the fluffy lining beneath a duck’s feathers. There are a few duvets filled with man-made materials, but down is much lighter and I think more comfortable.
The second distinguishing characteristic of a duvet is the duvet cover. This would seem like just a frilly, decorative accessory, but it won’t take long to realize that it is a major pain in the caboose to wash and especially dry a full sized duvet. Washing the cotton duvet cover isn’t much more trouble than washing a set of sheets. Getting the duvet back into the duvet cover can be interesting. My duvet came with little loops sewn into the corners, and buttons on the inside of the cover. Holding the corners of the duvet in each hand, I pull the clean cover over my head and button the corners in.
For me the best part of the duvet cover is that it is a very effective light blocker. After getting into my jammies I will pop a glass of milk into the microwave and nuke it just long enough to warm it. Between the warm milk and the cozy darkness under the duvet, I know I will get several hours of good sleep, and wake up healthy and ready for another long shift between the headphones.