05/24/01 - In The Still Of The Night ... Not hardly! There's Nextels and shop radios and alarm monitors, sirens, electronic beeps and 10-4's!
Thought I'd contemplate the night life since I'm absorbed in it more than usual this week. The graveyard shift, it's a love/hate relationship at times. It's a good idea for practical reasons. I'm away from home while the boys are safe and asleep. I'm home when they are awake and might need me. I sleep while they are at school or out and about. However, none of my boys need babysitting; I've always encouraged independence. This is a good arrangement.
A couple of days a week I actually have some much needed peace and quiet, at least for a few hours. It's not as much as I probably need, but with five of us here with five different schedules, this place is jumping pretty much 24/7. It's somewhat of an experience to actually be at home alone. No, the alone part comes during the graveyard shift. I work graveyard alone. I feel very free during those hours, even though I am working. I just feel like I have some control. On the other hand, it is a little isolating. I tend to stay to myself even when I'm off duty. I'm not sure if that's good for me, though I haven't found myself walking around talking to myself or acting strange or anything ... Maybe I'm a bit more contemplative than some, but that's somewhat in my nature anyway.
The part that is worrisome to me is my inability to sleep much anymore. I'm not sure when to fit it in. Two of my work days are usually swing shifts ending at 11 p.m. And, my weekend includes no work at all and I attempt to conform with the world for a while. Don't set your watch by me, unless you want to be as confused as I am. Most of my sleep is just a series of naps. I wake up wondering whether it's time to go to work, or time to clean the house. And, one night a week I spend the night away, so I get to add that where-the-hell-am-I aspect to my waking up. Counting up the naps, I usually get seven hours of sleep in each day, just never all at one time. Funny thing is, I'm really very well adapted to graveyard work. I never feel tired on the job, never get sleepy eyes. So, maybe there is nothing to worry about after all. What appears to be topsey-turvey ... Is normal.
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