Rainy days and Mondays...

It never fails, like clockwork.......the day I dread rolls around and I am once again facing the beginning of another week. I just plain and simply can't stand them...but there is absolutely nothing I can do to avoid the inevitable, as Sunday night turns all too quickly into Monday morning.

I love the weekend...I am blissfully happy each Friday afternoon knowing the next 48 hours are all mine to do with as I please. I am totally convinced that my number one beef with Monday, has basically to do with the fact that my time is no longer my own. I am governed by an employer's time clock in a 5-day, 40 hour mind warp. It is the one and only day of the week that I am truly unhappy with the idea of picking out my clothes, getting dressed, packing my bag and heading out the door. Most other mornings, I'm pleased with my daily routine and look forward to beginning my day. It has nothing to do with my lack of sleep or my unwillingness to begin the workweek. I am literally saddened by the thought of sitting at my desk all day, when I could be hanging out at home, working on a project.

I feel the overwhelming Monday morning blues as soon as my mind begins to wake from a restful nights sleep. The cobwebs in my brain slowly clear and then the realization of the long day stretching out before me sinks in with such a clarity, I'd rather close my eyes and avoid the inevitable. My usual morning routine is somewhat dulled by my lack of interest in the day's wardrobe choice. Any other day of the week, I actually enjoy picking out my outfit and trying to make sense from all the clothes hanging in my closet. It's like putting a human jigsaw puzzle together, shirt and pants, shoes and then jewelry..it's all part of a game I play...like paper dolls for real people. The whole process looses something in translation on the first morning, more often than not, my initial outfit of the week leaves a lot to be desired. It is truly a reflection of my mood, which I always hope will begin to fade by midday.

I kiss my husband goodbye, close the front door, walk down the hallway, step onto the elevator, and unconsciously, before I even reach to push the button for the first floor, I begin to hum the first few notes of my Monday morning theme song...."Rainy Days and Mondays Always Get Me Down." Ironically, living in South Florida, we don't have a lot of rainy days, and even on a Monday the sun is usually up and shining quite brightly by the time I am heading towards the elevator. The gloomy day, as I perceive it, is really all in my head. Most of the time, by noon, I'm beginning to accept that work is where I must be, so realistically I just need to grin and bear it. Silly as it may sound, I miss being at home with Roger, and would like nothing more than to spend another day with him. You see, he has Mondays and Tuesdays off from his job, and I work a normal Monday through Friday 40 hour week.

I'm not overly fond of the person I become on that one solitary day of the week. I find throughout the day, that I'm continually giving myself little encouraging pep talks...."come on Joanne, you can do it..only a few more hours and you can bust outta here, and the rest of the day is all yours." For the most part, it all works itself out, and I'm back to my normal pleasant temperament...sometimes without even letting the rest of the world in on my dirty little secret...I HATE MONDAYS!!!

Gee, I really don't like to use such strong a word to describe my personal feeling about such an innocent, unassuming day of the week...I mean really, what did a Monday ever do to me to deserve such a bad rap. I sometimes feel like I am the only one that has such an intense aversion to the one single day that begins my work week. I seriously need to get over this obsession and distaste for what I can't possibly ever hope to avoid. I mean let's face it....I'll never again enjoy the pleasure of a Friday, if I can't get through a few simple Mondays.

I've decided I should reward myself each week with a little something special on Monday morning, as a sort of peace offering to offset the inner angst I feel towards my least favorite day of the week. Almost a self-healing solution, if you will, to the overwhelming inner turmoil I experience each week. There must be something the small inner child would like, which would soothe the unhappy feeling that I wake up to each Monday. This week, I wasn't quite smart enough to nip it in the bud earlier in the day, so I waited until I finally arrived back home, and something as simple as a nice long walk in the fresh air with Roger, appeased the Monday morning monster still lingering inside my head. Dealing with daylights savings this week just appeared to be compounding my self-imposed misery. It may be a longer week than usual for me :(

I recognize that it may very well be a combination of many things that causes my heart to sing the blues each week...my desire to stay home with Roger, the idea that I will be cooped up for 8 long hours without any fresh air at my desk, and the basic thought that races through my head as my finger reaches for that elevator button.....I have once again officially begun the week of five, long, mind numbing days, sitting at my desk......until the glow of light at the end of the tunnel appears, as Friday afternoon slowly rolls into view.

As my head hits the pillow at the end of the day, one shining little thought pops up and I realize that tomorrow is Tuesday...thank goodness....I'm not sure I could handle more than one of these manic Mondays each week!!!

How much longer is it until Friday????