THE NIGHTLIFE

Nightlife, Chicago, IL

I just happened to once again hear the ‘60’s hit song Nightlife recorded by Ray Price this week.  Nightlife or “habitual nocturnal carousing” is an activity we all indulge in, at least on occasion.  Nightlife for babies translates into 2:00 AM feedings.  Then we enjoy our evening bath and go down for the night around 7:00 PM.  During our teen years nightlife curfew extends to weekends between 10:00-12:00.  And it’s always a good idea to follow the rules set by the people that feed you.  The nightlife at that stage starts to involve carousing with close friends and dating.  My mother always reminded me that if you’re out after midnight, you’re probably up to no good!

Once we leave the nest and go off to share an apartment or a college dorm room the parental rules no longer apply.  If you haven’t learned things by that time, then you’re on your own in the school of hard knocks.  And its during this period of life that your mother’s words echo true in your head!  For many, marriage and midlife emerge and nightlife involves dinners and entertainment, generally on Friday and Saturday nights if your work schedule allows the time.  Those who indulge more frequently are sometimes associated with nocturnal creatures with whom we share the planet such as night owls.

The nightlife has settled into our culture as being “cool” and desirable.  Restaurants, bars, theaters and sports figured this out years ago.  But like all things of this world, even the nightlife can be a drag when indulged in excess.  Entertainers must know this all too often as they work nightly in this environment.  Not too surprisingly, Willie Nelson collaborated on the hit song appropriately titled Nightlife:

“When the evening sun goes down,

You will find me hanging round.

Oh the nightlife ain’t no good life,

But it’s my life.”

And then finally there’s the golden senior years of life where you can vaguely recall that you used to silently slip out of the house late to indulge in the nightlife and now you silently exit the nightlife early to go home.