IF YOU MUST RETURN FROM VACAY...

OK, so we never danced to Love Shack. But our teams -- T.S. Squad and Ann's Team -- placed in the top four during the Trivia Night contest at Madeira Inn.

The tips of my recently highlighted blonde hair may have turned green after swimming, but I got a nice tan.

And I did not smuggle home jars of Frisch's Tartar Sauce and packets of Skyline Chili mix in my carry-on, but I managed to dine at both of my fave Cincy eateries TWICE while I was there...yummy!

Yes, my Cincy vacay was wonderful! Thanks to all who have inquired  since my return last Tuesday!

The best part of the trip, of course, was seeing the ol' gang-o-mine...though, sadly, everyone's lives busy and hectic as they are, I did not get to see everyone I hoped to see. And in all honesty, I don't zip around on vacay quite as fast or quite as energetically as I used to, and I spent a good share of my time just letting the stress of the work-a-day world  and the past few frenzied years of my life ooze out of my pores.

I steeled myself for my return to reality, even had a day to adjust to the real world before I returned to work. Nevertheless, I still fell into a giant vat of post vacay blues the second day back. Felt like I never left. But isn't that always the way for anyone after several days of R and R?

"Golly, it's so good to be back after 10 days of vacation!" said no one, ever.

In fact, I have done some research, and because post-vacay blues are a universal malady, there are plenty-o-tips and ideas for dealing with them. Caught an article on Web MD that likens going on vacation to a trip into space, and I quote:

"The nerve-wracking blastoff takes place only after weeks of careful planning. Then a few days of serenity and peace are followed by a harrowing re-entry. The old routine may feel like the force of gravity after days of weightlessness -- a familiar burden that suddenly feels harder to bear."

Spot-on, Web MD!

A harrowing re-entry indeed.

So for those of you about to embark on a long-awaited vacation, I thought I'd share some of  my own post-vacay survival tips.  I call them Annie's Post-Vacay Blues Survival Clues.

Yes, if you must return from vacay:


1. Return on Tuesday of pay week. Take Wednesday off to adjust (i.e., whine), go back to work on Thursday and find your paycheck waiting for you when you return from lunch! WooHoo! And if Friday happens to be Ice Cream Day, and your supervisors are dishing up bowls of it on your morning break, even better.  Sugar always helps soften the blow of having to be back at the ol' grind.

2. Put your pics on Facebook right away. Relive the fun! Now, I didn't do this because I still have Daniel's senior year pics taking up most of the room on my camera card (yes, he's starting his sophomore year of college in a few days...still hard to let go), and I still haven't figured out how to transfer just the few vacay pics I did take to my Mac. And no, I don't have a Smart Phone. But just do what I say, not as I haven't done, and you will keep those post-vacay blues at bay...somewhat.

3. Pretend you are still lounging around your friend's pool, the beach, or whatever random body of water you visited on vacay.  Grab your lawn chair, a bottle of suntan lotion, a tall glass of iced green tea (with peach) and head out to your Iowa-drought-scorched front yard to catch some sweat-drenched rays in the searing 100-degrees-plus heat. Pay no attention to the dead, brown, what-used-to-be-your-lush-green-lawn crunching beneath your flip flops. I'd say turn on the sprinkler or fill a small plastic baby pool with water, but we're supposed to be conserving the H2O...oh, hell, just spritz yourself with the green tea -- a couple of flicks to the face, and you'll be rejuvenated. I know I was. Mental imagery is key here. Best of luck.

4. Cry. Yup. If the first three suggestions don't make you feel better about your vacation coming to an end, just lay down on your bed, bury your head in your pillow, and bawl like a baby. For at least an hour.  Rail at the cat. When your friends text  how is it being back after vacay? immediately text back SUCKS! Yes, just wallow in self-pity till you can wallow no more. Then dry your eyes, hug your cat, text an apology to your friends for being so dour, and then throw on the big girl/big boy pants and face reality.

IT'S OVER. DEAL WITH IT.

Like an annoying summer cold, it generally takes me about a week to come to grips with reality after my Cincy vacay. And I've been back just a little over a week.  Followed some of my own advice. And look at me! 

I'm fine!

Really. I'm fine.

Just fine.

Fine.

Oy.