I've been included in a Minnesota anthology "Under Purple Skies", now available on Amazon!

My second chapbook, "The Second Book of Pearl: The Cats" is now available as either a paper chapbook or as a downloadable item. See below for the Pay Pal link or click on its cover just to the right of the newest blog post to download to your Kindle, iPad, or Nook. Just $3.99 for inspired tales of gin, gambling addiction and inter-feline betrayal.

My first chapbook, I Was Raised to be A Lert is in its third printing and is available both via the PayPal link below and on smashwords! Order one? Download one? It's all for you, baby!

Monday, January 19, 2009

This Work Isn’t Going To Do Itself!

So here we are: Monday morning. What the? Wasn’t it just Friday afternoon, redolent with the promise of sleeping-in, of finally folding those towels, of sitting for hours with friends just because you want to and you can?

And now, here we are again: Monday morning, with a full work week ahead of us.

It’s not that I hold you responsible, per se, but I do notice that every time I see Monday, I see you.

What’s the connection?

In fact, the more I reflect on this, the more I’m starting to think that the work week – and you – have something to do with each other…

Anyway, if we’re going to keep doing this? If we’re going to continue to do this Monday-morning thing? We should establish some guidelines.

That okay with you?

First of all, I think we should take turns picking up coffee. You like coffee, right? Me, too; although by the time I’m done adding half-and-half and Splenda to it it’s not so much coffee as it is some sort of caffeinated dessert. I don’t know if you want to go every other week or what, but I figured we should talk about it.

Second and/or “B”, I think Mondays should be pleasant but low-key. We don’t have to talk if you don’t want to, but there should be some sort of acknowledgement of each others’ presence. I appreciate a brisk nod, the casual wave, even a wink. We got all week – no point in peaking early.

Next, I get a number of personal phone calls throughout the day. Maybe we could work out some sort of signal as to when I could use some privacy? I’ll balance my coffee cup on my head when I could use a couple minutes. If you need me to leave, you pat your belly twice and belch the alphabet to “G”. I don’t know – I’m just throwing it out there. We can work on that more, later.

Finally, I’ve got a series of global Live Meeting conference calls that need to be set up – one for North America, one for Europe (if you can’t fit it in with the North America meeting), and one for the Asia-Pacific area. So if we’re going to sit here and distract each other, maybe you could take one, I could take the other, and then we’ll go to lunch?

I’m thinking Chipotle’s. You let me know.

26 comments:

Pseudo said...

Where does the holiday weekend go? Me I've got lesson plans waiting to be finished....

Thanks for stopping by my blog. I loved teh visual of the porch as freezer.

♥ Braja said...

My Monday was mellow and low key. And tomorrow I'M GOIN' TO THE SEASIDE!!!

OK sorry.

Unknown said...

That was great! Now, if only it will happen that way. Have somebody video you balancing coffee on your head if you could do that.. that'd be greeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeat.

Sorry you have a case of the Mondays.. I am actually off today YAY!

Eskimo Bob said...

Hi, fellow bus-rider, girl -

I know that we sit across from each other here on the bus, and occasionally I'll give a friendly smile and nod. However, I'm sorry if I gave you an impression that I'm seeking some interaction from you.

I'm flattered, but please, don't talk to me again, and may I have my breakfast burrito and newspaper back?

Kavi said...

"I appreciate a brisk nod, the casual wave, even a wink. We got all week – no point in peaking early."

ROTFL !!

Yes. Whats the point in peaking early !?! I will remember that on Monday. Perhaps i will wear a poster on me, which says, "i am not peaking today. Wait till midweek !!"

Thats a swell idea !

darsden said...

dang I missed the bus again. I will wink at you if you will ever remember to call me to let me know the bus is here...ssssh I have a headache. I prefer the meditation approach to Monday mornings oh man I meant to write medication approach. Have a happy week Pearl

La Belette Rouge said...

Please come on over. I tagged you. I didn't mean to make more work for you. If you need to play hookie from work feel free slack to on my meme.;-)

Vic said...

I usually greet people with a "What up?" chin lift and sometimes a little sniff. That'll be my greeting to you because I gotta maintain my image...

And I take my coffee black, so that's easy.

Sticky said...

*wink*

I'll take Europe for 200...

Douglas said...

I'm confused... Are we arranging a date? :) I don't understand this Monday issue. I am retired. Mondays mean Golf. So do Fridays. In between there is only waiting for Monday or Friday. Coffee was already dealt with
in Wake Up And Smell The Coffee

Irish Gumbo said...

Chipotle's, mmm, burritos taste good.

Weekends and weekdays are getting a little blurry since being laid off in December. Wait, is it Monday? Crap.

Pearl, if you can pay some travel expenses, I got some time, I could come up and be a personal assistant for you. And I do have good phone manners. Most of the time, anyway...:)

Steve said...

"I think Mondays should be pleasant but low-key" - this will be my contribution to the team briefing tomorrow. ;-)

Pearl said...

Pseudonymous High School Teacher. Whew. Actually, that's all I can do there. :-) I'm exhausted!

Braja, I forgive you. But just barely. O, my. The sea. The architecture and the solitude. Insert heavy sigh here.

dizzbld, Monday off?! You smart girl you!

EskimoBob, my brotha, I was actually trying to point out that you had some oatmeal on your chin. :-) I will, however, continue to grin and wave and pat the seat next to me every time you get on the bus, just cuz I like the way you look around, put an index finger to your chest -- who? me? -- and look around again. It's endearing.

Kavi, I actually liked that, too. :-) I like to build it up 'til Wednesday/Thursday. Friday, everyone's too distracted by the weekend to notice that I'm sliding backwards...

Oh, Darsden, I'm sorry about the headache. We'll continue to wink quietly at each other. I also believe there was talk of margaritas, but I digress... I digress easily on Mondays...

La Belette, for the first time ever, I'm going to, um, do MOST of the meme. Just for you. As a matter of fact, I just finished writing the bulk of it and it made me quite sad, actually!! Not sure where it came from, but there ya go.

Vic, a fellow chin-lifter! I do the same, unless we're really close and then it's "what up, g" because I think lame middle-aged white chicks saying "what up, g" is funny. :-)

sticky, it took me a moment, but good one! Sending a wink right back atcha...

What?! Douglas?! You don't work? I've heard of that -- have even had some relatives that have retired, but I also know a number of people (my parents included) for whom Monday remains a day of attonement in some form or another. Go forth and golf, my son, and remember us that cannot be there...

Oooh, IG, I forgot that you'd been laid off. Yikes. That wasn't nice of me, was it?
I'm a little broke myself, but I have a friend who has a friend... If a '98 Seville pulls up in front of your house, just go ahead and get in. Tell Pancho "the rooster crows at midnight" and he'll bring you straight to my house. Don't forget those words though. We never did find my first assistant. :-)

Steve, tell them it works over here! Of course, we're looking at unpaid time off in our immediate future... Sad but true. Just found out. Well, better that than laid off!

Irish Gumbo said...

Pearl: No worries, love! I have been getting a lot of writing done, and that has taken a lot of the edge off, I dig it. I'll keep an eye out for that Seville...(it wouldn't happen to be orange would it? :)

I forgot to say, I linked you inot my post of last Saturday - http://irishgumbo.blogspot.com/2009/01/mi-cerebro-esta-en-fuego.html -

Really, really sorry about the tire tracks in your yard...

Mr Farty said...

You had me at sleeping in ;-)

Jeanne Estridge said...

When you pick up coffee, please make mine decaf. I don't think any of us could stand it if I were any more hyper....

Red Squirrel said...

Ewwww coffee. Yuck.

The missus has her own coffee mug in my flat as I don't want the horrible taste affecting any of my 100 tea mugs. Tea is a refined taste dontcheknow?

And what the hell is creamer? What happened to milk over there, did someone uninvent it?

Marinka said...

Sounds ok, except for Splenda. And what about snacks throughout the day?

Susan said...

Monday cancelled here due to lack of interest.

Douglas said...

Pearl, I used to work. No, wait, that's not exactly true. I was in the pay of a large telecommunications corporation for some 34 years. Their rigid requirements for receiving a paycheck did not really include actual work on my part. Fortunately for me, I'd say, since I am allergic to it anyway. Since no one in charge was familiar with the concept of work, it was rarely seen anywhere in the company.

a mouthy irish woman? ridiculous! said...

i'd like the asia-pacific area please!!!!! live from ARKANSAS!

Ian Lidster said...

Monday-Monday, can't trust that day. Nor should we even if they come no more often than Fridays.

Michelle said...

Pearl, didn't i tell you in your earlier post that i would be your helper monkey??? So, when i say helper monkey i mean i would fix your coffee desert and take your overseas phone calls and fix you a chipotle burrito and well you get the idea!!!

So, when do i start!!!

Oh and Happy MONDAY!!!!

The Wife O Riley said...

What are the guidelines for the rest of the week? Can we have naked Wednesdays and Pig Latin Thurdsays?

Smart Mouth Broad said...

I like my coffee sweet and light and hate Mondays too. See you at the coffee shop. I'll be the one with the red tam and a pink feather.

Julian Meteor said...

I USUALLY get laid on a Sunday night (Walkabout bar" on Finchley Road is a HAVEN for local honeys lol) so my Monday morning greeting tends to be QUITE full-on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lmao