stupid o'clock
Coined by a graduate student while pursuing her PhD and teaching a full load of courses:
The time of day roughly characterized as being between 2:00 am - 6:00 am (depending upon your personal nocturnal patterns and time zone). It is the time when 'normal' people are asleep, because they have to be up and about during working hours the next day. You are exhausted and want very much to be asleep, too. However, you are awake at stupid o'clock because:
(1) you are grouchily doing work to meet a deadline (perhaps because you waited until the last minute to finish it or have perfectionist tendencies),
(2) you haven't yet gone to bed because you are too foolish/lazy to stop goofing off (surfing the net, talking to friends, watching TV/movies, playing video games, reading a book, etc.),
(3) you have to wake up much earlier than your usual time for an important event (which may be an unwanted obligation or an event you desire to attend),
(4) you experience tremendous inspiration and simply cannot stop writing, painting, coding, constructing or otherwise working on your personal project, whatever it might be (a rare usage of the term).
The time of day roughly characterized as being between 2:00 am - 6:00 am (depending upon your personal nocturnal patterns and time zone). It is the time when 'normal' people are asleep, because they have to be up and about during working hours the next day. You are exhausted and want very much to be asleep, too. However, you are awake at stupid o'clock because:
(1) you are grouchily doing work to meet a deadline (perhaps because you waited until the last minute to finish it or have perfectionist tendencies),
(2) you haven't yet gone to bed because you are too foolish/lazy to stop goofing off (surfing the net, talking to friends, watching TV/movies, playing video games, reading a book, etc.),
(3) you have to wake up much earlier than your usual time for an important event (which may be an unwanted obligation or an event you desire to attend),
(4) you experience tremendous inspiration and simply cannot stop writing, painting, coding, constructing or otherwise working on your personal project, whatever it might be (a rare usage of the term).
1. I had insomnia, so I was up until stupid o'clock learning new words on Urban Dictionary.
2. I stayed awake until stupid o'clock finishing the paper that was due today.
3. I can't believe I have to get up at stupid o'clock to meet with my idiot boss.
4. We have to leave the house at stupid o'clock to catch our plane.
5. The party lasted until stupid o'clock, but we all had a lot of fun!
6. Why, yes, it WAS stupid o'clock when I composed this entry.
2. I stayed awake until stupid o'clock finishing the paper that was due today.
3. I can't believe I have to get up at stupid o'clock to meet with my idiot boss.
4. We have to leave the house at stupid o'clock to catch our plane.
5. The party lasted until stupid o'clock, but we all had a lot of fun!
6. Why, yes, it WAS stupid o'clock when I composed this entry.
stupid o'clock by Lisa M May 5, 2006
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