Last weekend, I made that dress.
When I was a kid, I loved school so much that weekends left me conflicted. On the one hand, I didn't have to get up early and deal with mean kids making fun of me for being fat.
On the other hand, I didn't have classes to go to and homework and the library. (I used to be so good at the library; now I am the worst.)I figured, hey, the weekends were pretty good but so were all the other days -- so I'd just enjoy all of them.
That philosophy stuck with me for a really long time. It even survived me being an adult involved in long-distance relationships; I got to see my significant other on the weekends but there was so much driving and expense involved, too. The balance was preserved.
But lately (mostly just over these past couple of years in fact) the weekend has turned into something different. The work week -- Monday through Friday for me -- is full of things I HAVE to do, so those two under-appreciated days off have become full of things I WANT to do.
(Is that what it means to really be a grownup?)
OK, the weekend days are full of grocery shopping, too, but I'm working on enjoying even that chore.
And, hey, please note how much self-restraint I am exhibiting by NOT embedding a video of Loverboy's classic "Working For The Weekend."
My father had that album on vinyl. I still remember the cover: red leather.
The ’80s, y'all. What was even going on with people in the early ’80s?
But I digress! Though, I think, that's another thing that makes the weekend great -- we get to meander a little bit more, whether it's taking a walk or a drive or having a long conversation about mostly nothing.
The weekends are solid gold brunch time.
After 8-10 hours every weekday, on average, spent working a day job, the freedom to arrange our own errands and appointments on the weekend is a heady thing, isn't it? And we can even -- if events and maybe childcare (for those with kids) align -- just not do anything for a couple of hours.
I'm pretty bad at that part, actually. Which is why my weekends are largely filled with projects and excursions. Last weekend, I made a simple trapeze dress without a pattern. The process involved a whole lot of sitting on the couch with the dog -- and some consultations with the cat, who wanted to sprawl out on my fabric when I was trying to cut it.
This weekend, I'm going to be quilting. That's the plan, anyway. I'll spend a good couple of hours doing other things -- like that aforementioned grocery shopping -- but there will come a point when I'll be surrounded by fabric scraps and curved safety pins and variegated thread. And that point will be when the weekend really kicks off for me because I'll be doing something that I love.
That's the only weekend rule I can think of, actually. It's a challenge (for all of us, which includes me, too): do at least one thing you love every weekend.
Hanging out with Tynan during a long weekend trip to Wisconsin!
So far it's working out pretty well, whether that one thing is traveling and hanging out with awesome people or exploring my neighborhood or finishing up a long-contemplated art project. And on Sunday nights, when I'm thinking about heading in to work on Monday morning, it leaves me with a sense of satisfaction. Because even though I never make it through my list of things to do, I did at least one thing I really love.
And now my weekend plans get to involve spending time with you. If that's not something to be happy about come Monday morning, I don't know what is.
(By the way: Got a weekend pitch? I'd love to read it, so send it to me at: Marianne@xoJane.com!)
Welcome to your weekend. Got any plans?
