This morning started out with such promise. One of the first scanner reports when I got in at midnight was of police investigating reports of a man walking down Maunakea with his pants down.

It was either a slow strip or, well, we won’t go there.

Regardless, nothing ever came of that call or the call of a building fire in Makaha.
By 2 a.m. the scanners were virtually dead. Sometimes, Honolulu really does sleep at night.

Weird.

TV-wise, does anybody know how many times ESPN Sports Centers are replayed in a day?

I’m a diehard sports fan, but they show so many repeats it makes MTV’s Parental Control, the X-Factor and NeXt seem like must-see TV.

With no chatter and nothing to watch, I did what any insomniac would do: I took a drive. Went down to some typical hot spots usually mentioned on police, fire or EMS scanners: Through Chinatown, Ala Moana Park, Waikiki … and nothing really materialized.

The Ladies of the Night have moved from behind the Pali Long’s to the street in front and the partiers are still hanging out near the Waikiki Trade Center at 3 a.m. Police may as well set up a substation there for all of the fight calls that come in from that area after midnight. For those unfamiliar, it’s near several hot spot bars including Zanzibar and Tsunami’s.

I did come to the conclusion, however, that Jack in the Box’s two tacos for 99 cents is a waaaaay better deal then the Taco Bell tacos, but I guess I’ll guess into a more conclusive taste test on another night, complete with fuud pix. (I hear that goes over huge).

Anyone got a favorite late-night hot spot or special dish?

The first email received on this blog was from a co-worker who was wondering when I was going to write something on the site.

My mug, which will be changing soon, has been up since our site changed on Thursday but tonight — or this morning — is my first shift back burning the midnight oil.

So … ta-dah! Welcome, fellow insomniacs, to the overnight shift, where we burn the Midnight Oil by listening to scanner chatter, watch mindless TV and chug Red Bull and coffee to stay awake.

This morning’s shift has been a two buller and a 24-ounce coffee.

Then again, it’s only 2 a.m., so this may be a record day because I didn’t sleep at all Saturday.

I’d love to hear from other overnighters on how you balance sleep, a social life with family and friends, and going from days to night and vice versa.

The great thing about Midnight Oil is no subject is taboo. Four TVs, three scanners and the Internet are all in constant motion, so I hardly feel alone. The sports guys — usually Wes Nakama and Ferd Lewis — come in once in a while and there are a few online guys here until 4 a.m.

But this job is best when I get out with the video camera and see the nightlife myself. Simply put, Honolulu After Dark brings can be a crazy place.

My second night on this shift we had a tsunami warning, and since no one had ever worked this shift before, as crazy as this sounds, I didn’t if it was par for the course or what. I know I didn’t need any Red Bull that night, but any thoughts of how big this story could have been were punctuated when a reporter from a newspaper in Philadelphia called the newsroom asking for comments about the impending destruction from the tsunami.

“Can you tell me what the feeling is like with it coming right at you?”

“Uh, kinda busy. Can’t really talk right now…”

It turned out to be a six-inch tsunami, but it was an early warning of things to come.

I’ve since covered a manhunt on the North Shore for three suspects in a Kaneohe murder, brushfires, a murder-suicide, multiple fatal accidents, fights, boats running aground … and that doesn’t even begin to cover the weird stuff I hear on the scanners or see on TV.

Speaking of which, a call just came in at 2:15 a.m. for a pedestrian accident so I have to bolt and check on it.

I hope you check back in with any questions about burning the midnight oil or just to chime in on what your experience is like. I’m curious as to how other overnights adjust their sleep patterns. And since we’re on the schedule topic, the one perk off the overnight shift is it’s a four-day work week.

I start my shifts at midnight and work Sunday, Monday and Tuesday mornings. On Wednesdays I join the real world and work a dayshift. If you don’t see me posting at these times I’m out on assignment.

Cheers.