Everybody's Working for the Weekend

Or not.  I was a huge Loverboy fan in the day.  From the time I was about 14 until just out of highschool, Mike Reno and the boys kept me pumped up during the school week and ready to P A R T Y on the weekends. As I've gotten more mature, a party on the weekend is more like a few friends meeting up for happy hour, and back home snug in my bed by 10:00 but the same intent.  That work week grind is done, and time for some fun. 

It doens't have to be like that though. Considering there are five whole week days and only two weekend days, why deprive ourselves from fun and festivity during the week. I have been working hard on the positivity train, and one way to do so is to ensure each day has things to look forward to. I am finding adding small things on my calendar every day, things I enjoy, raise the satisifaction with the week tremendosuly. I like my down time as much as the next person, but if we go to work, come home, eat, run, sleep, day after day, the five days will seem like just days to get through rather a full life. Here are some of my favorite weeknight pursuits.

Al Fresco Dining: Eating outside in my own home, complete with lighting a candle, is a fair weather treat anywhere, but in places where the fair weather season is short, no reason to stay inside where the lure of the television or worse, housework, might draw you in. I'm trying to virtually pencil it like a dinner reservation in my calendar. Having a meal that is uncomplicated or right off the grill to save the back and forth from the kitchen is the way to go.

Deck nights after a long walk: Take that stroll in the neighborhood with a good friend or two, and wind up at someone's back yard for a chat and a drink.  Anything from a glass of ice water to a glass of wine as it doesn't matter because the fun is in the company. I schedule doctors appointments, tax preparation, and oil changes, so why not schedule time for my friends and my body at least once a week.

Bon fire and marshmallows: A bit harder when school is still on, but why wait for Friday or Saturday to pull up a chair around a cozy fire.  With the nights still cool in the spring, the fire feels particulallry homey. Keep it to one nice log so it doesn't burn forever, and you can still be in bed at a normal working persons hour.

Concerts: We have a resident musician so will be at no less than five concerts this spring, but for those of you not hauling around the entertainment, check out your local arts section or school district web site for free or low cost music events. I may have a bias, but we are blessed in our community with a public school music program that provides ample opportunities for the community to enjoy fine music. I should know-I'm getting a taste of Elton John, Journey, and Kansas nightly.

Plays and community theater: In the same vein as concerts, many communities and schools have spring and summer plays on weeknights. Learn what ones you need to prebuy tickets for, as we have been disapointed to learn there were no tickets left for a night we wanted to attend.

Sporting events: We are still in the phase of life that sporting events are imposed on our calendar. I do though still like to go out on a free Wednesday night and watch my friends that are agile body enough to play softball in a city league game.  If sports are your thing, there are a variety of offerings from little league to pro.  Most parks departments have calendars of events going on in the community if you don't want to spend anything or not very much. As my sister's season get's going, I particulallry like going to the double headers.

I don't need to just tolerate the week.  I can make the most of time and talent and ingenuity,  Who knows, maybe some day I'll wake up on a Saturday, wishing it was Monday. For those feeling nostalgic for some bad 80's hair, but good 80's rock, look who I found on YouTube.

Loverboy Working for the weekend starts at 2:26