Night Shifts

Subject: Night Shifts
From: Kate
Date: 27 Aug 02 - 07:23 PM

I'm writing this on a night shift as I'm feeling sorry for myself and pretty bored. Haven't had much sleep after being woken up by workmen next door (moan moan moan!). Been reading Mudcat to keep me awake.

Any one else unfortunate enough to be working overnight?

Subject: RE: Night Shifts
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 27 Aug 02 - 08:06 PM

I worked as a night watchman in a factory, one year. Other than someone stopping in to make sure I wasn't sleeping once each night, it was me and a completely dark factory. Picture a guy sitting in a dingey, brightly-lit office in a dark factory, as painted by Edward Hopper and you get the picture. The good thing about it was that they didn't have any trouble with my bringing in my banjo, or reading. I didn't have Mudcat to entertain me, and I surely would have appreciated it. But, it was a good time to play music and not worry about making mistakes. Just me and the mice. :-)

Jerry

Subject: RE: Night Shifts
From: Kate
Date: 27 Aug 02 - 08:19 PM

Sounds like a scene from a horror film! The music side of things sounds good though Jerry. I'm afraid there's no banjos here though. Would love to hear a good tune at the moment. I only sing and I think it might freak my colleague out if I sang!

Mudcat is such a great diversion.

Subject: RE: Night Shifts
From: Genie
Date: 28 Aug 02 - 01:12 PM

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.