I Don’t Mind Mondays

• Lori Palminteri
• Uncategorized
• August 21, 2022

While I love The Boomtown Rats song, “I Don’t Like Mondays,” it’s not a sentiment I can currently relate to. I literally work six days a week. Sometimes seven days a week if I have shows on a Saturday. Sure, there are days where I’m overwhelmed with how much I have to do, but quite simply, I like the work in my career right now.

Whether it’s writing for radio, TV or being hired to script doctor other writer’s screenplays, I enjoy what I do. Dread and I go way back, but I can honestly say most of the time I look forward to getting more work the way I would look forward to going to a party.

It took a long time and a lot hustling to get where I am now… which is really only the beginning (hopefully!). I recall all too well the anxiety and flat out disdain for life being in a job you hate can bring. For better or worse, I was subjected to knowing how much work can suck from a very young age. From bagging groceries when I was just a kid to waiting tables to working in a nursing home to property management and various secretary jobs in New York City… I was so miserable, I couldn’t believe more people didn’t kill themselves. To me, life would have made more sense if people were throwing themselves off building roof tops more often.

Sure, I don’t have a retirement plan or life savings. I make only enough money to support myself. There is still so much uncertainty for my path. Though I suppose I like it that way. I never liked life (or people) to be predictable. Too boring. To me, there could be nothing worse than waking up, dreading the work day, and knowing you have 20 more years of work that’s only meaning is to make a dollar.

And yes, in my line of work, work can dry up fairly quickly, making you desperate, afraid. I knew long ago I was smart enough to make a lot of money if that’s all I wanted out of life. But I want to love something… that’s a tall order, you’ll find, but not impossible.

One day, when my nephews and niece are older, I hope their hearts will outweigh greed, and live without that American need to consume unnecessary crap. That they too, will go to bed on Sunday, knowing that Monday will be okay. That no day in particular will trigger repeat bad feelings.