Don't Knock Napping

My name's Alan, I'm a napper, and I'm not embarrassed to admit it. Okay, maybe a little. Only seniors and small children are allowed to nap and tell in our can-do culture, but whoever said "you snooze, you lose" should be given a blankey and told to go lay down.

For those daring men and women who risk ridicule to work a strategically timed nap into their work hard, play hard schedules, the results can be rejuvenating. Take me for example. At the age of 52, I'm often mistaken for 39 or 40 -- even younger when I remember to stop talking about my boyhood crush on Barbara Eden.

Napping helps keep your immune system strong so you can fight off germs and viruses present in your everyday environment. Take, for instance, that wheezing, gagging guy who touched the door knob right before you. Without a nap, you're a goner on a slow donkey ride to sick-bed city. With a nap, life is good, and gagging guy gags alone.

Those who do make time to "drop out and drop off" tend to resurface with enhanced mental skills. Just to offer a small example, I used to cover up my inability to remember people's names by calling them "Champ" or "Kiddo." With the mental boost I've gained through napping, I now call people real names like "Regina," "Garrett," and "Jamie." My accuracy rate is a respectable 71 percent.

Have you been covering up a napping habit for fear of public ridicule? Stand up, fix your hair, and help me set the record straight about this misunderstood act.