By myself

After a long day at work dealing with crazy gossipy coworkers, bratty customers, and insanity all around...the best way for me to relax is to be by myself.

Despite sitting next to only one person at my job, I am constantly talking, texting, emailing, or live meeting with someone all day.  Then on my way home, I'm on the freeway for about 45 minutes with several thousand of Milwaukee's finest and on the phone with a friend, my mom, or MIB.  And when I get home, I know that I am going to be bombarded with hugs and kisses from MIB, requests from mom to run errands, and possibly a few dozen more of Milwaukee's finest at the store.

I am an only child and I am a loner by nature and am at peace with being by myself.  So before MIB knocks me down and mom starts her demands I let the know I have got to sit in my room for half an hour before I can deal with ANYTHING.  At first I used to feel guilty about it, but after breaking down sometimes because of the stress of work and home...the guilt quickly exited left.

I will turn on Disney Jr. for MIB, let mom know the business, come in my room, turn on the TV, take off my shoes, and lay down in my bed.  It will be me and some house hunter for about 30-45 minutes (and sometimes a margarita in a pouch...Capri Sun for adults!) chilling out before I make dinner and listen to the stories of the day.  And even though the TV is on, I am able to be with just me and my thoughts (because after about 15 minutes I have already blocked out House Hunters and know which house they are going to pick anyway).

That time is needed to not only focus on my thoughts, but to clear my head, decompress, cuss out folks that I can't cuss out at work because I need my job, and relax.  If I don't do this before I really deal with my family, I'll end up taking out my frustrations from work on them and they don't deserve the wrath I wish to place upon them sometimes.

YCMs/YCFs...what do you do to relax after a long day at work?