Everybody seems to take tiredness in a different way. Some people get sleepy. Some people get cranky. Some people get more fun. I was over at a friend's last night, and I noticed that several of us got more and more animated and more lively as the night wore on. Others either left or fell asleep. Some became quieter. Why?

I guess it has something to do with night people and morning people. Because, giving it some thought, these same people who became quieter and quieter, they are more lively in the morning. And the people who are lively at night are last night's left over dog food in the mornings. So the question becomes why are some people morning people and some people night people?

Could it be some leftover trait from the caveman days, when it was desirable to have a population with varied peak awareness levels so that at any given time, somebody would be at his sharpest? Or perhaps it is not genetic at all. Maybe it has something to do with the way a child is brought up. But I can't really see it. I mean, all babies sleep a lot, and at various times of the day and night. And when they become children, they usually sleep early, and rise relatively early also. So this can't be the solution. What about food distribution throughout the day? But that can't be it, because while food distribution is often inconsistent, this trait is usually very consistent.

Well, I'm fresh out of ideas. If anybody knows the real reason, please do let me know. In the meantime, I would just like to say that I wish there were a lot more of these night people. There's nothing I like better than an interesting conversation to run way into the wee hours of the morning.

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