This translates into meaning she is rarely ever home (which is great for my obsession with TV and means I have total control of the remote). Happy hours, over-nights with friends in the city, concerts. Pretty much you name an activity that can take up your time and Natalie is there.
I love activities too...but I mainly leave them for my weekends. My work weeks just drain me. Maybe it's because I don't particularly love my job. Or maybe I just stress myself out too much during work and need time to cool down. But whatever it is, I just can't seem to make myself do much after work except go home, make dinner (or in my case, purchase it on my walk home), watch TV, and go to bed.
Natalie, on the other hand, doesn't usually make it into the door of our apartment until 10 p.m. and it's not because she's working late.
So ever since moving into my beautiful new apartment with gorgeous amenities, I have felt like a grade A lame-o with no friends. Yea, Natalie also seems to have a lot of friends. She is friends with practically all of our neighbors (which means we get a lot of visitors all hours) and she's friends with a lot of people at work.
I really commend her. I mean, I almost envy her fun-loving weekday lifestyle. I just wish I had more energy to join in on the fun.
So my new challenge to myself is to start doing more activities after work - whether that's shopping, grabbing dinner or drinks with friends, or just going to a movie. I'm going to try and institute a new after-work routine that involves more than just dinner and bad Lifetime movies.
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Sounds like someone has a case of the "ho-hem haws" -- Natalie sounds like my former roommate -- Natalie... (must be in the name) -- I recently got married and boy did my single lifestyle change... definitely enjoy the freedom to do whatever, whenever, however and how-muchever you want while you can :) p.s. -- my latest blog was about singlehood and all its perks :)
I use to be the same way as you. But who am I kidding? I could never keep up w/someone like Natalie.
I go out 3-4 times a month w/friends or datenight w/hubby and that's about as much as I can handle. Old age!
I am the exact same way but the manfriend is too, so we're not exactly encouraging each other to get out there doing things.
Work drains me as well. I'm usually home straight from work, dinner in hand. What a fun life!
Ha boy do I ever know how a boring job or one you don't really like can drain you! An office job girl I was never meant to be! I am in bed by 9 most nights. I don't even have cable TV to drone in front of. How boring is that! Yeah even just getting out to be with friends for drinks, dinner, just hanging out is always a great idea!
I hear you on that..I just started graduate school and I don't want to feel like all I do is class, intern, and then a dinner/movie combo on my futon. Weekends are a good way to start; and happy hours after work are always good. Hit a few up alone and you're bound to meet someone interesting. Good luck.
I was the same way when I was working M-F in my office job; I rarely went out at night because I was so tired and then when I threw school into the mix... forget it. Everything was left for the weekend.
Part of the secret is working up to an active lifestyle. You'll burn yourself out if you just resolve to go out every night and do something. You'll wear yourself ragged. Maybe resolve to do something active or away from home twice a week for a month and see how that goes. I've got to tell you, though... as a working girl who is out of the house from 8:50 am to 2 am the next morning most Mondays through Thursdays, the thought of being able to come home and veg out in front of Lifetime is super tempting. I'd jump at the opportunity.
I go through phases, some weeks I am out and about 3-4 days and some weeks I am in, on my couch, every night. At least you're saving dough.
Unfortunately both my fiance and I have this problem. He works eighty hours a week and I'm starting an entirely new career so we both end up at home at 7:00 watching bad reruns and eating twizzlers while we wait for the takeout guy to show up. Its really something we've got to work on.
I don't think I could keep up! I'm totally drained after work. Doing anything sounds exhausting!! Good luck on the new routine.
Don't feel bad. I had NO life this entire year (first year of teaching and grad school combined). I felt like a loser when I'd come home from work, do more work, or stare lifelessly at the TV watching programs like "Rock of Love" and "Beauty and the Geek" - but looking back, the life with no life was what I needed at the time. I was tired, burnt out, and needing "me" time, not "social" time.
I'm so glad I stumbled on your blog. I was the exact same why when I was working in corporate. I would go home and not want to do anything else. But now even though I'm not working like that anymore the first thing I want to do when I get home is grab the remote and watch me some TV!
You have officially inspired me to challenge myself to go out more! Even though I doubt I could become a Natalie, it sounds like a lot of work!
I get it. I like to just sit and chill in my PJs after work too. Sometimes, I'm just as lazy on the weekends unless I force myself to peel off the couch and away from my moose tracks ice cream, like I did on Sat. (see latest post).
To each their own! Seriously though, I go through cycles of being a social butterfly or a complete homebody on weekdays. The upside of staying home: you save loads of money. Going out for a happy hour here or a movie and dinner there can really add up over the course of several weeks.
I used to be the exact same way that you are now. I would go to work and be so exhausted from work that I would come home and crash on my couch without eating and take a 2 hour nap. It was so sad. I would get so sick of it that one day I decided that I needed to stop taking naps after work and start getting active and doing some things. Sure there are the nights that I come home and have nothing to do but 3 nights a week I make it a plan to eat dinner with friends, watch a movie with someone, hang out with the boyfriend, etc. I found that I became a lot happier in my job(even tho I hate it) being more active then coming home and crashing each night. Hope you get out of your slump.
wow Natalie shes really living her life.....
too me am much like u i like to grab a take away dinner watch some tv and go to bed
meeting friends i just like to do it at the end of the week
cues the studing takes alot of my enargey at the week days
How about workout, pick up food and rush home to your favorite shows? That way you are healthy, social and you don't miss your tv!
i am definitely the same way and usually too tired to do anything after work. however slowly but surely i have tried to change that and unglue myself from the tv.
Lately I have been exhausted after a long day and the last thing I want to do is cook when I get home but I push myself and am always happier after a healthy homemade meal. Take out is too tempting!
I'm not sure why, but at my last job I had no problem going out late at night and then getting up in the AM for work. Now? i'm like an 80 year old.
Don't feel bad-- it's not just you.
Sounds like a good idea! :) I did that yesterday actually, left home at 8am, didn't get back there til 10.30. It's a very nice lifestyle...wish I could do it everyday too..
I went through this same thing, where I was the HARD-WORKING GIRL of the household and many times I felt like my roommate was Parker Posey in Party Girl. At times it didn't seem fair, but yes you're in a gorgeous city so take advantage of the nightlife on say a Wednesday. (It's supposedly the new Friday by the way) Nothing major, just grab a girlfriend or two and make dinner resos at a quaint place to catch up. Start there and then you'll realize how much you're having fun.
You shouldn't work at a job you hate, that's really unhealthy (but what do I know I'm only in high school). Although you should go out every now and then, don't follow in a party animal's footsteps or you might find yourself losing track of things because after all that partying things are going to start piling up. Also, I'd like to add that I really like reading your blog because you sound like a successful business woman and that's really encouraging to me because I want to turn into something successful as an adult..so yeah, keep blogging.
I'm the same way! I stress myself out so much at work, that when I come home I need at least 3-4 hours to wind down and relax. Try to go out one night a week and then on the weekends.
You surely have to join in the fun. It'll enlighten your workday routine and the job won't seem to stressful.
I used to be MsSocial but now im MsWork! Thursday nights where my nights out - id go out about 7pm and make it home after 2am! And be in work for 8am the next morning! However after 25 i'v suddenly got a conscience and perhaps abit bored with the social scene here and dont go out on "school nights" i do however make dates with friends and try and stay out of my house until 8pm or else i will just veg for the evening! While i dont think ill b becoming Natalie anytime soon - i most def am going to have to start getting out there abit more once i move!
I work long hours, so normally I even skip the tv and head straight to bed. I may be able to check out funny videos on youtube and handwash delicates, but that's really about it. My weekday life is uber-boring.
Oh I am so like you. I just can't bring myself to do anything after work. My job is really stressful on the best of days, and by the time I get home, I just want to crash. But I end up cleaning, scrapbooking, playing with the dogs. Then I crash hard. I'm up at 5 am every morning. Funny thing is, I enjoy this lifestyle.
Ahhh, to be honest that would probably annoy me. But I've also had moments of wanting to be more active after work... My routine is basically come home, spend some time with my daughter, cook dinner, eat dinner and veg out with my fiance. Go to bed, wake up and do it all again. LAME. But we've started "movie night wednesday" where we actually leave the house (shock horror) and go to the movies. And my girlfriends still drag me out to a bar every now and then. I'm an 89 year old stuck in the body of a 23 year old working girl! argh!!
Work can be so taxing. I commend you for your goal to be more proactive! Even I can barely move a muscle once I get home.
I've been there! It's always good to get out of a rut, but there's no shame in being a home-body who likes Lifetime movies (she says to convince herself...)
One of the best things about living in NYC is the endless after-work possibilities! Just be sure to maintain a balance and don't feel too bad about yourself for not going out as much as Natalie. Sleep is important too!
I think that your routine it's kind of normal. Being a wife, a graduate school student and a working girl, I just have time to make meals for the next day, study a little and then go to bed, by that time it's around 12pm.
I hope some day I'll be able to get home and, after making the meal (that's not negotiable), watch some TV or simply go to bed early (at 9pm will be perfect!)
So, don't be dissapointed, most of us are on the same ship.
I Crave weekday outtings! It is so much more fun! Yea sometimes you might be tired the next day but so what! Then when the weekend hits you're not so pressed to crame all your fun stuff into 2 days... you can actually rest some on the weekends and do it all again come Monday! LOVES IT! I support your decisions to spice up the work week... totally rooting for you. (Oh it also helps the week not drag and be so monotonous)
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