Living for the Weekend

Yesterday I woke up high on life - high on the excitement and fun of this past weekend. I sprang out of bed, bounded through a 4-mile run, giggled as I relived some great Pittsburgh moments, and got dressed and ready to seize the work day.

As the day wore on though, I lost momentum. With each review and response to deadlines, documents, and dozens of emails my super-charged self felt a little weighed down again. Suddenly I could feel the thirteen miles that I ran on Sunday in my legs; my fatigue from late nights and very early mornings set in; and my exuberant enthusiasm started to fade. I don't know what happened, but my pep just slowly drained away, and I hated it.

I remember in business school all the teachers used to introduce themselves by saying, "I'm so and so; I used to work for such and such company; after five years I realized how miserable I was; and then I went into teaching. Before we get into the mechanics here, I'd like to say, pick a career that you love doing. Don't wake up and realize that all you are doing is living for the weekends."

So I took that solid advice and I found a job that I love - and a company that I love - and I feel like I'm doing pretty well in my position. But what happens when your weekends are just so amazing that your job - even if it's a great one, can't compete - that it ultimately acts as a bit of a let down after 48 hours of high flying fun.

This weekend I once again returned to my hometown to plan, celebrate, race and celebrate again. Peter, my family and I literally didn't stop doing things all weekend long. And I love doing things! On Saturday we met with the florist to plan all the floral elements of our wedding; we finalized and ordered all the invitations; Ellie even had her first experience at Dee's Dogs.

I got to blog and go for a great walk through Shadyside. We went to mass of course. Then that evening Peter and I were feted with a lovely engagement party that brought with it some of my best friends and family members from around the country. (And again confirmed how amazingly beautiful my bridal party and guest list will be.)

My girls

Ellie got all dressed up and partied all night long with Mimi.

On Sunday I joined forces with @GregActon, my sister, and my cousins, Meghan and Ellen, and crushed the Pittsburgh half marathon. All five us of us finished with personal records and more than that, we each had an amazing time doing it. Afterward we had a champagne brunch and then I got to open a bunch of presents that made me oh so excited to tenderize meat, bake apple tarts, and make an argument for converting a green bathroom into a white one - the new bathmat won't match! 

Finish time of 1:42

So proud of my sister for running 13.1! (And proud of @GregActon as well)

And here I am back in Naperville - analyzing my work day ahead, reading work emails, editing my latest project, and trying to find the adrenaline with which I finished that race on Sunday.

I love my weekends. But perhaps it's not so much that I'm living for them, but more that I'm living for those moments where you get to dress up and laugh with loved ones; that promise running tours and amazing views of cities; that produce happenstance meetings with old friends; where you get to pass the mayor of Pittsburgh because obviously you are in better shape than him; that give you the opportunity to wave a terrible towel all through Pittsburgh; that offer lingering brunches with your family; And that produce the amazing feeling of self accomplishment when you cross a finish line. Sometimes, these sweet moments happen at work. And luckily, I'm in a job that has a lot of them. But when all these things happen in one weekend, and then you find yourself staring at your computer on Monday morning, it's just going to be a downer.

Today, I feel a little more grounded - a little more cued in to reality. But I'm looking forward to one of those amazing work moments. That is, recruiting Team Olga to run Chicago for Team RMHC with me in October. ; )

Lo.