Fresh off of two weeks vacation, I woke up looking forward to going back to work. As much as I love sleeping in, eating cookies for breakfast, and generally just being lazy, I was looking forward to getting back into a regular schedule. However, I don't think this morning could have gone any worse.
Living in New England, I should have expected the slick layer of ice covering the roads and sidewalks. I usually pride myself in my spectacular balance, but not this morning. I started my walk to the train laying flat on my back in the middle of the road, my white coat now covered in dirty slush. I did, however, save my coffee. Whew.
Fast forward to the train stop. Being on the side of a busy road, I'm used to the cars whizzing by. I'm not, however, used to sand trucks whizzing by flinging salt all over the place, including all over my pants, already dirty white coat, and bag. They even managed to get my coffee mug, but thankfully none got inside. Where were these trucks ten minutes before, when walking down my street was the equivalent to ice skating downhill in high heels with nothing to hold onto?
I did manage to make it into work in one piece, with only a wet pant leg, some dirt smudges and a sore ankle to remind me of my Monday morning, welcome-back-to-reality commute. But it did get me thinking. What do I have to look forward to now that the holidays are over? I spend so much time looking forward to, and preparing for, the holidays, that now that they're over I feel a little lost. There's an empty void in me that used to be filled with wrapping paper and cookies.
So my question is, how do you deal with the hum-drum days that follow the rush and excitement of the holidays. Do you plan a vacation? Or post-holiday party? Do you just enjoy the peace and quiet? I'd love some suggestions because if this morning is any indication of how this month is going to be, it's going to be a very long January indeed.