It's Labor Day Weekend and traditionally I guess that would mean summer is over. Hard to believe in the heatwave we're still experiencing (sorry, rainy ol' England but it is luuuurvely).
A few years ago I'd be heading back to college, desperate to get back early so my friends- the ones I hadn't seen over the holiday- and I could consort and get into all kinds of mischief before classes began. There was something about bumming about, drinking and carelessness for 3 solid days that was (what a surprise)...fun!
Cut to "the real world." No, I'm not talking about that previously addictive but now terrible TV show, but my paycheck to paycheck (or, rather, unemployment to unemployment check) life. It is very hard to bum out when you know you don't have a schedule set in front of you for the rest of the year with certain institutional responsibilities that are pretty much laid out, even with a liberal/new age curriculum like Brown's.
Yes, I'm an adult. Not that I didn't know this before but while listening to the dozens of back-to-school ads on the radio, it suddenly came to me that I have a very hard time bumming out for 3 days anymore. In fact, I'm usually, pretty much "doing" something every day because otherwise my insecurity of having nothing set in stone in the future will catch up with me. I mean, I haven't even left this town for a weekend excursion in aaaages, cause I feel too anxious and undeserving. Hmmm, "therapy" do I hear?
My friend has a theory that if you take time off and do NO WORK for 3 solid days, you return to your job with a vengeance, working more effectively than you ever did.
Maybe I should take her advice. Maybe I should. Well, through gritted teeth, of course. Maybe not this weekend. Or the next. Or the one after that...ooops. Looks like London for Christmas will be that next time. You know, the one where my family TELL me to come back and I oblige like a good daughter.
Jesus Christ I'm a neurotic!
But you probably already knew that.
