Did you know that the concepts of tired and exhausted actually have multiple levels and degrees to them? That there is a complex and complicated system of quantifying these ideas for which the English vocabulary is seriously lacking? Well today, free of charge, I will offer the Cliffs Notes edition on degrees of exhaustion, or layers of tired (depending on if you want a pop culture reference, or a classic literature Dante reference).

1) Tired- you could continue what ever activity you are engaged in for a while longer, but it would be more comfortable to sit down and rest; with proper motivation you can find the energy to get up and going again

2) Drained- you are mentally tired as well as physically tired and are uncomfortable unless sitting or reclining

3) Sleepy- you are nearing the point of needing to sleep, and activities are becoming difficult

4) Groggy- it is time to sleep, your ability to focus and concentrate is gone and you are comical to observers as you are "sleepy drunk"; this is a great time for those not groggy to engage you in a conversation and laugh hysterically at your answers

5) Exhausted- you may or may not be sleepy/groggy but it is a physical effort to move your body; you debate whether or not you really need to go to the bathroom that badly because of the amount of energy required to get there and back; you ignore itches because scratching them is an effort

6) Beyond exhausted- sitting up requires vast amounts of energy which you do not have, and you discover that odd body parts like fingers and eyelashes suddenly weigh a lot; Activities that involve movement are a joke and you long to be just tired. You watch enough TV and DVDs to reach a point of detesting most programs, and you actually wear out an iPod from overuse listening to music and audiobooks. Sleep does not change this state, you fall asleep beyond exhausted and wake up the same way - sort of like a really warped version of ground hog day. And there is not enough Starbucks in the world to create the necessary energy.

My energy levels fluctuate between days last month when I wheeled myself 1 1/2 miles home from the store to more recently when I have been bouncing between exhausted and beyond exhausted. I keep telling God that I have too many things to do to be tired, and He keeps laughing and reminding me that this whole thing is out of my hands. Sometimes it is a little annoying, the whole "God is always right" thing! It makes debating and arguing in prayer a bit one sided and predictable. Not that it stops me or anything though! :) Today is totally my fault because yesterday I pushed myself far beyond the limitations of my body in order to prove a point to myself in cooking dinner. The cost benefit analysis at the time said it was worth it, and I still agree. Besides, I am too damn stubborn to play by the rules of this body. I am still the one in charge here, regardless of the coup it is trying to throw on the government. But for today I am curled up on my bed watching DVDs and pretending that it is because I am that into them instead of being at level 6. :) Denial is more than a river in Egypt!