My Monday was a total loss. I put in the desk time, but the work was an annoying, ineffective slog, and I ALSO didn't accomplish any of the many small but important non-desk activities that have been piling up for a while. I was seriously frustrated with myself by the time Spouseman & I went on our Neighborhood NightWalk on Monday evening.

He listened to me gripe about not getting done what I wanted to do (bc he is awesome that way) & explained it all in one statement:

"Makes sense. We had people over yesterday."

We did. It was a celebration weekend. We had friends over for fancy takeout food, toured folks around the new game room for the first time, and gathered around the firepit for posh drinks & dessert on the new patio afterwards. It was a GREAT time. Hours & hours of enjoyable relaxing, conversating, catching up, pet talk, & planning for future funs.

But it was still a social event, one involving significant advance preparation & loads of communicating.

So, DUH. Of course I was made of mush the next day.

I keep forgetting my brain doesn't care if events are satisfying or stressful, fun or frazzling. Brain only knows social interaction = major processing required, and that means a mental crash+emotional rebound ripples WILL follow whether I like it or not.

(For the record, I do not like it.)

I'm still feeling the effects today, (HELLO, SELF-DOUBT & ANXIETY, YOU CAN LEAVE ANY TIME NOW) but knowing the cause helps me better cope with the effects. I'm focusing on physical chores so I have those small victories to boost me.

And Pippin is doing his best to model proper relaxation for me.

That's all for now. Until later!