So here’s how this is going to work this year. While it’s not written in stone, I’m going to more or less do this. For the first post of the hour, I will blog about whatever crosses my mind (and lordy, I can’t promise anything deep after 3 am). Then for the second post of the hour I will give you some sort of list. So here goes!

The SIX things that will get me through Blogathon 2009:

1. Coffee! I’m having one this morning, and then I’ll probably have one much later tonight, around 11 or midnight. I don’t want to drink tons of it since too much makes my heart palpitate and leads to panic attacks, but I’ll definitely need one late tonight for a boost.
2. Chocolate – Again, I can’t have too much or I’ll end up with a stomach ache (or worse, a crash) but a little will help. This year though, I’ll try to skip the Mars bar for breakfast at 5 am, that wasn’t very good.
3. Getting out – If the weather holds, we’re supposed to go swimming in our friends’ pool later today. I’m bringing my laptop with me (luckily they understand and won’t be offended) and setting an alarm so that I get out every half hour to update.
4. Movies – Last year I watched Hostel (not for the first time) and it’s just scary and gross enough to not really make you inclined to sleep. This year I’ll either watch something else scary or at least something really exciting and adrenaline-pumping. I sit on the floor instead of the cozy couch to help keep myself from drifting off.
5. YOU! All of you will help keep me awake, it’s always the best motivator every year that I’ve done this (this is my 4th time). I stay awake because people have sponsored me, and I stay awake because people leave me comments to encourage me or email me. I’m also around to chat in gmail if you’re over there. Help me stay up!
6. The refugees – I’m blogging for UNHCR and having read so much I know that there are refugees out there walking for days, not sleeping much if at all, crossing dangerous areas. When I read Angelina Jolie’s book about her first four UNHCR missions, she stood in a blistering hot desert for a minute and remembered that women had walked through that same desert with their children with little to no food or water and somehow found the strength to survive. If I can’t stay awake for 24 little hours in the comfort of my own home so that I can raise money for those people then that’s pretty sad.

Breakfast time!