Hitting people and running away

It’s not something I want to promote about myself.  But a little bit of virtual aggro, via the Heroes application on Facebook, does seem to help when winding down for the day.  (I can at this point blame Mr W, who invited me to try this application.  It all started with fast cars, too.  It’s a slippery slope.)

Something funny seems to happen in your thirties, when it comes to letting go of what’s happening in the day.  There’s not much of the day left to disconnect from, by the time you get home.   How do you do it, without taking the evening over it?

Not being much of a drinker, alcohol got left out of the picture as a way to unwind, for a long time, but I think it’s trying to make more of an appearance on my weekends.

That sense of ‘phew, got to the end of the week’ seems to need more celebration as I go on.  (Food is clearly enough of a companion to my days, as you already know, so it’s not necessarily helping me hit the ‘stop’ button in the same way.) Let’s say I appreciate the treat when it comes.

Gardening started trying to enter the race this year.  And yes, coming home from work, and saying hello to the plants (watering them too, on occasion) was a good option.  But now it’s wet, or cold, or both, and the garden is back into that phase of being left to its own survival mechanisms for the next few months.

There is blog writing – though perhaps I need a new injection of ideas.  Perhaps time to start listening into other people’s mobile phone conversations a bit more.  (As if.  I could probably write a new radio show a week on what I ‘overhead’ (without trying) on the bus each day.)

And for points of trying to make mind and body agree to slow down in the adrenaline rush, there can be su doku.  A nice long bath is a winner in this department.

Recently, I have been feeling more and more that my earlier ambitions to make a difference in the world, to contribute, are getting worn away in the need to keep up – and then recover afterwards – day by day.  No claims of special workplace trauma – we all have it, in fairly intense ways for many.

Is the solution to find a ‘quicker’ way to unwind, so that I can make the most of time outside of work?  I’m coming to the conclusion that letting go of one set of lists at work, only to pick up another at home, doesn’t seem that attractive.

Probably the thing that cheers me up, and therefore helps me let go of work, is finding out how other people are doing.  Ergo Facebook in general.  I might even finally put up some photos of my own, given how much I like seeing other people’s.

Perhaps it comes down to holding on, rather than just letting go – holding on to what is important to you, day by day.  And on that note, I’m off to hug the hugsband.