How to Have the Best Possible Memorial Day Weekend

Its the first weekend of summer.

(June 20 is astronomy bullshit for nerds.)

Time to startwearing all whiteand eating meat outdoors.

Lets minimize regret by making a plan.

Make a bad-weather plan

Weather.com sayspretty much everywhere, its gonna be hot.

Cool on the West Coast though.

(If youre really looking forward to watching six hours of TV, go for it!

Just dontsettlefor it if you actually wanted to, say, play D&D.)

Maybe its not the weather you oughta watch, but your own energy level.

Write down theambitiousplan and thefallback lazyplan.

For me, thats take the ferry to Governors Island vs. walk six blocks to the park.

I still go out and do what I have the energy for.

If you could, get one errand done tonight, or Saturday morning.

Youre trading in that time for a little more peace on Monday night, when youll be knackered.

Do as much necessary prep right now as you could.

Because the Sunday Sads are the worst when theyre delayed til Monday.

Not crack of dawn; Im not saying dont sleep in.

The best minutes of the weekend are the extra ones you spend unconscious.

But if youre waking up at 7 on weekdays, maybe get up at 8.

Sleeping in doesnt really catch you up, so take those hours back.

Set a different alarm, one with a different sound, not your weekday alarm sound.

Heres how to turn sitting still into a memorable activity: read a book.

This is the time for cheap mass-market paperbacks at the beach or the park or the beer garden.

Its ready entertainment for the whole family that doesnt wear you all out.

Or its the best way to suck a little more marrow from the day on the tired ride home.

Okay, tell us your weekend plan.

Well be your accountability partner, and if you dont follow through, well shun you til Labor Day.