Kate, I can empathize only in that I worked night shift for about 15 months about 20 years ago, and I know how hard it is on your health and disposition. Boredom was seldom a factor in my case, though, Jerry, because I was working in a mental hospital. (Police "holds" are typically brought in somewhere around 2 or 3 AM.) The big problem with that job was that when someone called in sick on any shift, someone from the previous shift would be "reassigned" to pull a double. Since there were so few of us on night shift to begin with, each of us would end up doing unscheduled double shifts every week or two.

I did have a guitar that I kept there. Couldn't really play it much between midnight and 6:00 AM (and then it got too busy until at least 9:00 AM.) The best time for guitar playing was between suppertime and the evening/night shift change, on those times when I was called in for swing shift duty.

Anyway, hang in there, Kate.

Genie

PS, I'm self-employed, and I am often up in the wee hours of the morning doing computer stuff. So sometimes I get to chat on-line with you night shift folks if you can visit Mudcat while you're at work.