I'm no spring chicken

Okay, obviously I know I'm not a chicken of any kind, but as the saying goes... I'm no spring chicken.  And by saying that I am admitting to the world that I am not as young as I used to be.  I don't feel like I expected to feel as a 32 year old man, but I am also not as resiliant as the university student I once was.

I remember those days in the late nineties when I was at Dalhousie University and I lived the stage in my university career where sleep was for losers.  It would start with a week jam-packed with course material and a part time job.  Endless chapter readings and lab reports keeping me up until 2 or 3am.  Then Thursday night would roll around and I would find myself being driven over to Sherriff Hall to drink with Amy and her dorm-mates.  Then we would head to JJ's for cheap drinks.  That place was legendary.  Lord knows what time I would finally creep into bed.  Then up for physics Friday mornings, get through the day of classes then off to work.  While at work, plans would be put together for Friday night drinks.  Probably the Dome, or Merrills, and there'd be another late night.  Back up for work Saturday and then Saturday evening I would be picked up from work.  I would get home, mix a drink and hop in the shower.  Drinking while in the shower made up for lost time.  While in the shower the girls would be in the kitchen putting final touches on the makeup and putting curlers in their hair, while listening to favorite tunes.  Then one of the parents would stuff us all into one car and drive us to the Dome.  Round the night off at Pizza Corner or Subway and the birds would be chirping on our way home. 

Fast forward to this week where I am balancing a career with a 40 hour work week, a shared custody agreement, taking a university level CGA course.  Wednesday night I was up until 2:30am doing an assignment and last night I was up until 2:30am because I decided to check out the MellowTones at the Seahorse.  They were amazing, BTW, but two nights out late like that makes it hard to concentrate at work and the alarm to be my worst enemy. 

I think back to university and wonder... how did I ever function on such little sleep?  what would my grades have been like if I slept even 7 hours a night?  how the hell did I afford that?