As a much younger man, I'd be coming home from a night's excursion in the wee small hours of the morning. That was then; today, it's still the wee small hours, only I'm waking up instead of going to bed. If I want a really good, informative radio program, that helps folks roll out of bed and regain consciousness, I have to start early.

At 3:45 a.m., my phone alarm clock goes off and by 4 a.m., I'm eating breakfast while at the same time looking through a dozen different news websites, while the television news is on overhead. What do I have for breakfast usually? I'll warm up leftovers on paper plates like chicken, rice pilaf, pitted Greek Kalamata olives, a few pepperoni slices to get my taste buds fired up and some fresh-squeezed orange juice.

The next 60 to 75 minutes bear resemblance to a grueling marathon. First, I look at our WBSM.com site for the latest local stories and then I eyeball a dozen different websites or more. Local stories and events are fundamental to the show's character. But remember, I have to fill four hours and make it all sound important, interesting and compelling, and that takes a lot of content.

What time is it? Gracious sakes, I spent 10 minutes more than I intended to on research, and it's 5:15 a.m. It takes me 20 minutes max to shave, shower, groom and zoom. I already picked out my clothes the night before, so I can be dressed and out of the house by 5:45 a.m., and walking into the radio station at 6 a.m. sharp.

Of course, I'm live on the air at 6:07, so I have to have all my stories, weather and sports in good order to climb in the pilot's seat, don my headphones and launch into the vast sound waves that my listeners are picking up on their WBSM app, or their home, work or car radio. And it's such a pleasure to join them for a morning cup of coffee and informative conversation.

And please, don't ask me what time I get to bed.

Phil Paleologos is the host of The Phil Paleologos Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Contact him at phil@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @PhilPaleologos. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.

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