Aaahh, Friday.

I actually was home before 4:30 today.  On a Friday.  I used to go shopping on the way home on Fridays or out to happy hour with friends on Fridays.  Not anymore.  I just want to come home on Fridays now, and it is truly a luxury.

There was also the time when I would rush home, grab my stuff and hit the road on Fridays - those days were fun.  Meeting up with boyfriends; going to the beach with the gang; heading down to visit my parents and sister and having a home-cooked meal at my mom's kitchen table; even attending conferences with friends was fun.  I also used to have parties on Fridays.

Not anymore.  Now Fridays end with 10 minutes of commons duty watching kids make plans to do something they are not supposed to be doing.  Looking to see if one of my bosses is looking for me as I stand there to say "have a nice weekend" ... when I know I just want to pack up my stuff and leave or God forbid, hit the export button on my computer one more time to meet someone else's agenda item.

The up side to Fridays is two whole days off from teaching and talking to people who really don't know what I do, how I do it, what I think, what I care about.  Two whole days of doing stuff on MY agenda - taking care of me, my house, my animals, my family, my friends, my stuff.  Usually some good intentions are thrown in there (grading a few papers, cleaning out the cupboards or garage, making a delivery to Goodwill... something of that sort) and every now and then, that happens. 

More often than not, though, before I can put my butt in a chair I have retrieved the mail, fed the cat, played with the dogs, let them outside, poured a glass of wine, lit a cigarette, checked the phone, opened and logged on to facebook and scrounged for a snack and grabbed the bag of puppy treats.  That is my idea of being home.  Then for about 20 minutes I search and scan the computer for anything important that needs my immediate attention.  If not, I'm good for the night.  And on the weekends, I can start thinking about what I want to do.

Yes.  Fridays are good and likely the best day of the week.