Monday's return

[gurdonark]

The "return to work" part of Monday morning never really bothers me. I'm able to find meaning in my work, and it's nice to be rested, which lets me accomplish more things. The only part of Monday which bothers me is assessing what I got accomplished during the weekend. On Thursday, I always feel as though I have some intuitive "map" to the weekend, in which I accomplish chores, have fun with my hobbies, read scads of material, and make contact with folks I've not spoken to for a while. By Monday morning, I'm reviewing inadequate exercise, undone tasks, people I forgot to call, people I forgot to write or e mail, people I did call, write or e mail to whom I said almost exactly the wrong thing, and all the ways in which I let the weekend go by. I have an old friend who, no matter how fun or active his weekend had been, always looked up on Sunday night and drawled "another....WASTED....weekend....another....WASTED....weekend". I took an ignoble pride in the fact that I never felt that way, because I like to enjoy what did happen in a weekend instead of dwell in what did not happen. But on this particular Monday, I am instead dwelling on things undone, rest not taken, mistakes made, and weekends gone by generally. It's not as though my "intuitive map" to the weekend had any real structure. I didn't have a detailed plan to write "Swann's Way" or walk the local 9 mile trail or anything. I don't get "down" often, and when I do, it usually doesn't last long. But I do dislike that feeling that I had ample time, and I spent it in sleep or worry or needless complexity, when there were things to do.

Comments

[nacowafer.livejournal.com]

I'm like your friend who complains about wasted weekends...every Sunday. No matter what I've done. There's just never enough time, it seems. It's almost like Sunday is a wash since it consists mainly of dreading the return of Monday. Yesterday was particularly bad, as I finished nothing I set out to do. Except grocery shopping, but there I spent too much and it made me worry about finances. I splurged on frozen key lime pie. Ah, must try to be more optimistic. Like you, I always have grand plans and schemes but never seem to get to all (sometimes any) of them. Alas. You seem to do a lot, though. Kudos to you.

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the encouraging word. I know just what you mean. Frozen pie! I haven't had that in ages.
I'm not sure it's a luxury--it may be a necessity I've long foregone.

[marstokyo.livejournal.com]

Since I'm no longer working, or go anywhere I don't even really feel like I have a *weekend*-- it all runs into a long kind of sameness... except that my son and husband have weekends, and it's so nice to have them around for two days. Otherwise I'm still taking one day at a time (but that's an improvement over one HOUR at a time.)

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

One day at a time is a good pace. I frequently think I should focus on this pace more often.

Re:

[marstokyo.livejournal.com]

Yes, and also staying in the NOW-- rather then thinking forward or remembering backward. It's easier said than done.

[nacowafer.livejournal.com]

Man, I wish I could master that!

Re:

[marstokyo.livejournal.com]

Nobody ever masters it, I think. It would be almost impossible to do. But if you can be aware of trying..that can make a difference.