Gather - The New Insomniac Theater

      Did you ever have one of those nights?  The kind where you're out of your regular sleeping pattern.  I've seen this commercial on TV that says XX% of all adults has sleep pattern disruption several nights a week.  I'm one of them.  Are you?

      I don't know what it was like when I was a baby.  I was too young to remember.  More than likely, I didn't sleep normally, especially seeing how the situation is now.  I can remember the stories of how I always had ear aches and used to just constantly scream.  And there were the bouts with whooping cough, so I'd cough myself awake.

      I can recall, from about the age of 8, I didn't sleep as I was supposed to.  I was "put to bed" at 6:00 every night even though they knew I didn't stay in bed.  That nightly ritual took place until I was 15 and finally left home.  But I would occupy myself usually until at least 11:30...sometimes midnight...until after the late news and my parents went to bed.  And I would wake up when my father got up to get ready for work around 4:00 - 4:30AM. 

      Once on my own and doing what young kids do, I'd be hanging out, partying, whatever and turned into a night person.  And now way would one even consider going home and settling in for the night until 3AM at the earliest.  Growing into an adult and being involved in various aspects of the music industry; I'd work late, so I'd get a late start on partying, which means I had to stay out later...and go to bed earlier...in the morning instead of at night.  Even when I switched to the other side of the bar, once the alcohol stops flowing, there's still lots that has to been done...get the drunks all out, cash out, count tips, make sure everyone gets the place in order, cleans up, straightens, restocks.  By that time, we're ready to kick back and relax...at 4AM.  We'd have some cocktails, chat, play darts...it was out own, private social event every night once the city finally fell asleep...and we'd be going home to bed as everyone else was just getting up to start their next day.

      Now, I've gotten old and those are days of the past.  I have nothing interferring with my chance to sleep a normal pattern...and most of the time, I can't do it!  It's all by chance with me.  I have as many normal nights sleep as most people have abnormal nights.  It's all hit and moss by chance.  It's a rarity I would ever sleep 10 hours...unless I didn't feel well.  Once in a while, I'll have an 8 hour night.  I might have a few 6 hour sleeps.  But most of the time, I sleep 4-5 hours...and I'm awake!  I'm awake already...I'm awake!  Four o'clock in the friggin' morning...and I'm awake!  Like there's so much to do at four o'friggin-clock in the morning??? 

      I make coffee and check my E-mail.  That killed a lot of time.  4:05...now what?  Into one of the local chat rooms - 40 people...and I think they all went on when they got home from the bars and passed out on line chatting while intoxicated.  Play a few video games on the computer.  Sun comes up.  The news is on.  Another day has begun.  I'll sometimes slip a little nap into my early afternoon and don't go to bed for the night until 11:30 - midnight...the hours I kept when I was a child.  I've gone full circle.

      But my morning routine has changed now.  Yah, I still can't sleep for crap, but now when I arise at such an ungodly hour and check my E-mail, I have tons of articles and imagines to check out...and try to come up with something semi-intelligent to say myself.  And there you go.  Unlike the days of yore when television has old fashioned late night movies, the modern world now has Gather...the network that nevers sleeps.