Sunday Blues

All about the phenomenon known as the Sunday Blues.

For many weekend warriors who jealousy guard their free time for outdoor pursuits, there is often a phenomenon called “The Sunday Blues”.

This phenomenon is not just for outdoors people of course. But it feels esp acute among many of my friends who work full-time and love the outdoors.

The more I enjoy a trip, the more depressed I get the night before I go back to work. 

My someone, I am ashamed to admit it, notices how grumpy I get on a Sunday evening. My Northeast roots show with the sarcasm, curtness and surliness.

someone says it is Work Paul. And Work Paul is grumpy at times.

When we go on vacation together, Vacation Paul is seen. The goofy, overall nice guy who gets really excited about the outdoors, the local history and culture.

Vacation Paul is the person she married. Work Paul is a bit of an ***hole at times.

The sense of freedom I had over the weekend or vacation slipping away into the beige cubicle world of my IT job come morning.

A bit different from the office….

Like many people, I have the bad habit of trying to extend the weekend. A book is read. Binge watching is done on Netflix. This website is updated. A few favorite websites are perused.

All to stave off the coming morning.

Before I know it, it is 1 am on a Sunday (Monday, really), and the alarm is about to go off in a few short hours.

Makes me appreciate my Dad and the nearly 40 years he worked at the same job. I now understand where Work Dad was coming from as I see him in the mirror sometimes.  Retirement Dad is a lot more fun and easy to talk to. And, there is the old adage that now that I am 40, somehow Dad seems smarter than when I was 15. 🙂

Unlike Work Dad, my someone and I have no children and both work in fields that, ultimately, have more options and flexibility.

And, truth be told, the work week is truly never as bad as the mere anticipation of said week. Unlike my Dad and Grandfather, I doubt I’ll have any permanent injuries from many years of work.  My job allows me to cross into the world of Middle Class People Problems. 😉

So I quit whining. Suck it up. The coffee is consumed, I go through the day and the week begins in earnest again.

Then Friday comes. Relief is in sight. And some outdoor adventure is planned.

I start a new job in a couple of weeks.

Though I am excited over the new job, the new environment and the new opportunity, it is ultimately just another step in the long terms plans the someone and I have. 🙂

In mean time, I’ll try to not let the Sunday Blues get to me. Ultimately it is in my control. Be it a new job, a new career or just keeping a positive mental attitude and concentrate on what is good about my life.

The job on Monday mornings is what allows me to hike, ski and climb. It allows me to indulge in, and attempt to cook, the many yummy dishes from my childhood. Or go to the local museums that someone and I both enjoy.

And ultimately it the job another way to help my someone and I build the life we want together.

And that is what it is all about in the end.