There’s some doubt in the media about whether or not today is Blue Monday. Heck, from where I sit, Monday is blue, grey and drizzly. Downright miserable, if you ask me, with not much at all to redeem it. Navy Blue Monday.
When I was at boarding school, and probably through my high school and university years too, I used to get the Sunday night blues. That mild feeling of dread that the weekend was over – and, as a boarder, that often meant a weekend away from the hostel – and Monday would bring with it a bunch of its friends – four other weekdays – to work through until the next weekend. I loved school and sport, but my slight dis-ease related more to the freedom and generally school-rule-free abandon that a weekend away allowed me. Even if I didn’t go out, boarding school rules were quite relaxed at weekends. And we got to listen to our radios, have “free” swimming and have a roast for lunch on Sundays.
When our sons were at school, our weekends were just fabulous: most Saturdays were spent watching our boys play rugby or water-polo, depending on the season, and the rest of the weekend revolved around our family. Sunday evenings always brought that ripple of disappointment as I acknowledged the end of a weekend and the dawning of a busy week where we all went in different directions.
As a working person, I did find that Monday had a charm all of its own. For most of my working career, I’ve loved my jobs and Monday brought with it new and exciting opportunities.
Now that we’re in London, and empty-nesters for now, Mondays are a different animal all together. Some Mondays I wake up with hope and excitement and a renewed sense of enthusiasm for all that the week holds. Other Mondays not so much. Today is one of the latter.
Last week I wrote about my start to 2011 as a ride on the backwards rollercoaster and in the dark. I don’t know if this is supposed to tell me something, but I lost 15 subscribers that day. Just like that! I don’t think I’ve gained that many in a day, so to lose them seemed quite careless! Who were they, and where did they go? And was my post that bleak that they just unsubscribed on the spot?
At the beginning of January, I got an email from WordPress giving me a summary of my statistics for the five months I’ve been blogging. In the email they congratulated me for my busiest day ever – 3 December 2010 – when I got 2 views. This was the second half of my Freshly Pressed day, and how they lost 2,861 from that day and a good couple of thousand from the day before, I’m not entirely sure. If I thought losing 15 subscribers was careless, this, WordPress, was entirely irresponsible.
The media tells us there are things we can do to feel better on a Blue Monday: sing a song, sit in the sunshine, listen to the sea, listen to the birds, or go for a walk. In drizzly, grey London, where I am nowhere near the sea nor sunshine, and I don’t fancy a walk in the rain, I could stand on my head and whistle Dixie through my a*** and it won’t change a jot about Monday. I’ll live with it for today and tomorrow it will be Tuesday.
And Tuesday will hold its own charm. It brings me the privilege to write my 100th post. I can’t quite believe I’m hitting the ton, and I’m really excited to be doing so. There’ll be no mention of Blue Monday, no whingeing, no whining. I hope it will be pure Sunshine in London – lame humour served with a lashing of optimism. Actually, it’ll just be lame humour. Sorry I can’t find either today. I wonder what colour Tuesday will be?
Sunshine signing off for today!
Sunshine in London 
I love “navy blue Monday”–great image.
I simply can’t imagine your losing 15 subscribers in a day. I have had some of my subscribers complain of late that they weren’t getting my updates, and learned from that that WP seemed to be having an issue in this regard. I wonder if your loss could be an error.
You certainly won’t lose me as a subscriber! I love your blog and missed it over the holiday!
Hugs from Haiti,
Kathy
Thanks, Kathy, that’s so kind! Yip, I don’t know what happened to them subscribers – mystery to me! xx
Whoa, how does one lose subscribers? Do you not provide them with a GPS? Or, at the very least, a good map? I feel like I can safely say that the “loss” was a glitch in the WP system. There are at least six bloggers I subscribe to but never get their updates.
I don’t know how you lose subscribers, Renee … I’ve looked everywhere, even under the cushions on the couch xx
I think the 15 ‘lost’ subscribers may be a technical glitch of some sort, can’t imagine so many people unsubscribing!
It has been a very, very blue Monday.
Hugs to you from London, Cindy xx
Monday morning blues are as fun as a root canal 3 days straight. So now I only have 2 more days to go!
Ooh, sorry to hear that, duke, how painful. Hope the two more days go by quickly!
I just can’t get the engine in my body going. My usual trick is to go to You Tube and listen to a song by Pat Green called Wave on Wave. Its very upbeat. I think I need to find me a different song this morning.
I’m not surprised – root canal is brutal. Hope you can find the right song … music makes such a difference.
I think WP might be having some “issues” (big companies never have “problems”)…Jane and I both noticed a mysterious increase in our number of subscribers last Monday…since then 7 of my 30 “extra people” have disappeared again (perhaps they fell in the river!).
Like Renée, I also had problems getting e-mail notification on new posts from subscriptions over the last couple of weeks, although it seems to have resolved itself now…
Congrats on your upcoming 100th post!
Hugs,
Wendy
Yes, Wendy, something odd going on with WP subscriptions for sure. Thanks xx
I noticed a big bump followed by a big drop in subscribers, too, in the last couple of weeks. Don’t sweat it. Could be a glitch, or they could be extremely fickle blog readers. You’ve got a decent following online. As long as you don’t alienate those readers, you’ll be fine. If you ever lose Wendy, though, you’ll know the game is over. 🙂
Hahahaha, true, Todd! Actually, I have a number of readers I’d hate to lose … and I am delighted with the following I have. It blows my mind, actually.
Glad you had the same experience – seems like WP is going through some admin issues.
Paint me a birmingham by tracy lawrence helps! Ooops I think we have abit of a mis-understanding. The comment about the root canals was a metaphor for what Monday Blues are like. I do have to see my dentist today so she can send me to a specialist.
Oh, ok. I did misunderstand. Now I’m with you …
Well if it is any consolation, the weather in JHB is very grey blue today. Lots of rain. Not so cold, but NO sun.
I hope tomorrow is bright and colourful, and filled with some cheer!!!
Let’s make it a PINK or yellow one. Yellow being a colour of hope.
xx
Must admit I also can not understand how so many people who just dissapear. I woudl have cried- haha- but only because that would have almost been all of my subscribers.
xx
I like the idea of a yellow day – that’s wonderful! A sunshiney colour. Thank you and have a lovely day in rainy Joburg xx
Trust me 3 root canals in 3 day would mean at least two pints of Jack Daniels.
I’m not with WP, so I don’t have subscribers. What I have are “followers” or as I prefer to call them “disciples”. 😉 I don’t think of them as minions, I don’t! I swear! But yes I freak out if I lose a disciple. I wonder what I did or said… it’s a nasty cycle. So yes, it must have been a glitch in the matrix.
I hope that if your Monday doesn’t turn around for you, that at least your Tuesday will rock your socks off. (((hugs)))
I LOVE that you have disciples – that’s just wonderful! Glad that you understand how I feel about losing some of mine.
Thanks for the hugs, and I so look forward to a rocking Tuesday! Yeah, baby! xx
Navy Blue Monday, I know it well. I hope, my friend, Tuesday is a rainbow of magnificent hues.
As for the stats…I had the same problem over the weekend of lost subscribers. I’m pretty sure it’s a technical issue, because why one earth would anyone want to unsubscribe from my blog? Of course, I am joking; it was just a lame attempt at making you smile.
Hang in there, Sunshine…sunshine is headed your way. Hugs, Diane
I have high hopes for Tuesday, dear Diane! Sunshine and rainbows sound perfect.
Thank you for understanding how I feel. And I know – why would ANYONE unsubscribe from your blog?
So lovely to see your face, by the way – hello! xx
I have the Sunday night blues as well. Usually my husband recognizes the symptoms and finds a way to change the scenery for a few hours. Easier to do in the summer. Just hop on the motorcycle at go. I find the stuff about subscribers interesting. I’m still here and will remain!
Fun that we both wrote about the days of the week this morning. It’s dark, gray, overcast and cold here this morning. How I long for some sunshine! Looking forward to reading post 100!
Blessings,
Jeanne
Thank you for still being here, Jeanne! Yes, funny that we both wrote about days of the week – I thought that as I read your post.
Keep warm, and let’s look forward to the coming sunshine together! xx
I try hard not to get the Mondays…some Mondays are better than others. This Monday, I woke to pouring rain and having to go to work when most people are out, but I had the BEST shower ever, left home on time, and am reaping the rewards of an uber-productive Friday. Hopefully you can find some “sunshine” in a grizzly day. I suggest reading my wonderful posts ;-)!
That sounds like a good idea, 2blu – send me the link and I’ll check your posts out! I also try not to get the Mondays, but today’s different! Glad you’re having a great Monday – what a lovely attitude you have.
I write three blogs– one is about books and writing (www.copywrite1985.wordpress.com), one is reviews, mostly TV on DVD and movies, but can be a review of anything (www.2blu2btrusreviews.wordpress.com) and the other is my “main” blog (www.2blu2btru.wordpress.com). Some posts are inspired, some are random, some are just because I told myself I’d update, but there’s some real genius in there somewhere…I just don’t know where I put it! 😀
Thanks for the compliment. I like to think of myself as militantly optimistic–because sometimes, it’s a fight, believe me!
I like to think I’m intrinsically optimistic – I’ve just had a rough start to 2011. Thanks for the links – your blogs sound great, and I look forward to paying you a visit there! Yay! I’m impressed that you write three blogs – wow.
Well, at least WordPress recognized your Freshly Pressed day as you best day, even if they got the number wrong. You probably overwhelmed the computer with all those thousands of visits, and it lost track of the total! 🙂
My cat has a wonderful solution to a miserable, wet day – curl up in a warm place and nap. Or if you don’t feel like napping curl up with a good book, and “escape” until your mood changes.
I laughed when I read the “2 visits” in the WP mail! It was hilarious – I guess WP has all sorts of admin issues.
I love your cat’s solution – sounds like the best thing to do on a day like today xx
I didn’t ever notice the Subscribe option before, consider me subscribed!
Sending you massive hugs and lots of love and lovely thoughts 🙂
How wonderful! Have I ever told you how special you are? Lots of love from here too xx
I think that drop in subscribers must be some sort of snafu, Sunshine. I lost 10 subscribers that day, and then the next day gained 30. Something is amiss, because who are these 30 mystery people I can’t account for?
I’m sorry today’s a bit of a blue day for you. I’m on my way to your backward roller coaster in the dark post, so I’m still a bit behind. But here’s a quick remedy for you: get thee to You Tube and find some Barry White. If that guy can’t crack you up, nothing can.
Meanwhile, hugs, friend. I hope tomorrow is yellow with splashes of pink. And may there be ice cream.
Glad to hear the subscriber story is common to other WordPressers – makes me feel much better! Ah, yes – Barry White. What a good idea – I’m off to youtube!
Thank you, Maura, I like the sound of a yellow and pink day, with ice cream – just fabulous – hugs to you too xx
Well, I hope your loss of subscribers was just a glitch. If not, it’s definitely their loss! Congrats on your 100th post. We’re having a rare, sunshiney day here in Ohio, I’ll try to direct some beams over your way! (I don’t plan on unsubscribing from you.)
Thanks, Darlene – it does sound like a glitch, from the other comments, hey? How lovely to have sunshine in Ohio – I think I can feel the warmth coming across the pond. Thank you! xx
I used to dread blue Mondays. 34 years of them facing 11th graders in inner city minority drug and violence and broken homes environment. A couple of heart attacks forced me to retire in 2006. I am OK now but the heart attacks were the best thing that every happened to me. There are no more blue Mondays or alarm clocks and I can sit around thinking up cartoon themes and silly humor for my blog.
That sounds like a tough way to get to no more blue Mondays. I think teachers do such admirable work and get so little recognition for it, especially in such a hectic setting. Well done for surviving (and making a huge difference to those 11th graders, I’m sure) and now for making so many of us laugh every day.
If, Sunshine, you do decide to stand on your head and whistle Dixie through your a***, please let me know with all speed. While it might not do much for your day I feel sure it would brighten mine.
And Kate, your comment has so brightened my day. I laughed out loud – what a delightfully funny thing to say! xx
Dang! Kate beat me to commenting on the whistling Dixie through your a***! Please, please, please video that and post it on You Tube. You would so be instantly famous around the world! You have a lot more talent than you’ve been letting on.
Take care, sunshiny friend!
Patty
Thanks, Patty! Now that would be a talent to be proud of – hahahaha!