Is the vintage crowd the curmudgeon crowd?

[John in Covina]

I think that as a mix we cover the range of nigh owls and early to bed types. I find that late night partying after a long day needs a lot of great stimulating talk. I enjoy that afernoon stretching into the evening BBQ type get together.

If you're heading out to the 4pm early bird dinner and tend to like stewed tomatoes you're more likely to be the curmudgeonly type.

 

[Gin&Tonics]

Part of my job is to make sure that people who like to have fun don't get out of line: we serve alcohol in the balcony during concerts, and I've had to chuck out obstreperous partiers, fake ID kids, and just plain drunks on more than a few occasions.

You might say I'm a professional curmudgienne --when I glare at an inebriated customer over the top of my glasses, they know to settle down or else. It's all about psychology: even the rowdiest rowdy has a deep-seated fear of some stern first-grade teacher they had, or a harsh grandmother or mean old neighbor lady, and I deliberatly evoke that when I approach them. And it's never failed me yet!

Your anecdote brings to mind a long-standing mystery with me. What the heck is wrong with people who get stinking drunk and start fights or generally act like idiots? It doesn't seem like much fun to me.

In my younger days, on the few occasions where I had WAY more than I should have and got three sheets to the wind blotto, I just became more friendly, outgoing and fun-loving. When I drink I basically feel great and want everyone else to feel great. The idea of starting a fight or breaking stuff never even entered my mind, and yet I know a couple of guys from my regiment who are guaranteed to start swinging fists when they've had a certain amount of booze...

I just don't get it!

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I grew up in a home of 'early to bed, early to rise.' My dad gets up between 2 and 3 am and is usually in bed by 7 or 8 pm. I lived that life, too when I worked early morning-shift, as did my mother.

As a second-shifter, now. My evenings don't start until 10 or 11pm (most of my friends get done with work at 11, I'm done at 10) and go until 2-4am. The downside is, minus Sundays, my butt is never out of bed before 11am.

 

[TraditionalFrog]

Curmudgeon? Old (Young) Fogey? Yup, that describes me to a tee! I'm definitely a man born in the wrong era for sure.

Never been interested in partying, and large groups of people and I just don't mix. Maybe I'd feel different in the Golden Era as people were generally a bit more low key and less raucous. I'd think I'd enjoy the old hotel dining/ballrooms where the likes of Glenn Miller played (Cafe Rouge Hotel Pennsylvania), or even the like of the fictitious Tropicana where Ricky Ricardo played. Alas there are few clubs or venues like that today, at least around here. We do have the Indiana Roof Ballroom (Big Bands), one of the last original ballrooms in the country but it's a tad pricey for my budget these day and besides I'm just a bit on the stiff side when it comes to dancing.

In my late teens to mid twenties I could go two three days with practically no sleep before I felt it, but not so any more. One night of no sleep for me is like two for most people. So no more extreme late nights/all nights for me. My body clock is all over the place. Some days I'm up before the Army and in bed by nine, other days I'm not up till noon, and then awake till about two or three in the morning. Regardless I tend to require at least eight/nine hours sleep these days to function compared to five/six as little as five years ago. Yup, I'm not a spring chicken anymore.

A typical Friday evening for me is browsing a few local bookstores, maybe pick up a cuppa tea and read a magazine in the cafe. Then it's back home and a good book, a glass of wine, and some quiet music or OTR. Sometimes I like to work a crossword in bed before I got to sleep.