Okay. First things first. The title* of my post gives me the perfect opportunity to include Frank Turner song #2 in my blog. Exciting!
Now that’s out of the way I can get down to business.
Not even a dyed in the wool republican** like me could fail to notice that there’s something to do with the Queen going on this weekend. Something about diamonds, a concert and some boats. There’ll probably be fireworks. In fact, if there aren’t fireworks, I’ll eat my hat.
I try not to be cynical about these things, I really do. But a) pomp and ceremony just isn’t my thing and b) an ambivalence towards ‘big events’ seems to run in my blood. Generally speaking, the bigger the event, the more underwhelming I manage to find it.
I’m not writing to complain about the monarchy, or about pomp and ceremony, or even about the amount of money that we’re spending on having a national party for some old bird who could wipe out third world debt with her personal fortune and could therefore afford to buy her own sausage rolls.
I’m writing because I don’t like weekends too much and I’m dreading this one – with all its ‘coming together of a nation’ and enforced jollification – even more than normal. I’ve got myself braced for a lonely one. Depression is a lonely illness and I find myself lonely at the best of times so I’m a bit worried about how I’m going to feel when it seems, to all intents and purposes, that I’m the only person in the UK who isn’t having any fun this weekend….
I’m meeting a friend for brunch on Sunday so that’s a few hours taken care of but for the rest of the time a plan is required and a good one at that. The first part of Saturday has therefore been given over to making that plan. As is often the case, it’ll involve an extensive and elaborate list of distractions and challenges and a spot of ‘hanging on in there’.
Four days is a long time, isn’t it? Maybe one day I’ll start looking forward to the weekends and bank holidays again. But for now I’m battening down the hatches and readying myself to spend a longer time than usual avoiding the edge of the cliff by myself. Wish me luck.
* I considered calling it ‘the Queen is dead’ so that I could squeeze something by The Smiths in too, but I thought better of it in the end.
** For the avoidance of doubt I mean republican in the sense that I oppose the monarchy, not that I’m a US Republican type…
How do you eat an elephant? 
You are absolutely not alone in complete ambivalence towards this weekend, or indeed any major event such as this. Hell, in keeping with the royal theme, the wedding of William and Kate last year was a prime example of an event that I barely even remember happening because it had so little real effect on my life.
Now I think about it, I feel that may be the reason these big events are so completely disappointing. They are so big and hyped up that you feel like you should be excited, when in reality you just don’t care. That’s my experience of this anyway. As a result, I’m going to spend my weekend avoiding it as best as possible and making jokes among like-minded friends about it when we do encounter the celebrations. The best I can do is try to laugh about how ridiculous it all is and just keep myself busy.
Good luck!
I managed to completely avoid the royal wedding last year – I just pretended it wasn’t happening. I’m glad it isn’t just me who doesn’t quite geddit!
I feel exactly the same. Whole heartedly. About all of it. I was driving to work this morning mentally murdering people wearing red, white and blue and with Union Jacks on their cars, because I don’t understand it.
even if I do have to switch the TV off because you KNOW it’s going to be jubilee every channel and I don’t understand the point of pomp and ceremony either :S
You aren’t going to be the one not enjoying this weekend, but I’m determind to find other ways to enjoy it
There is about as much chance of me turning the TV on over the next three days as….. oh, I don’t know, something very, very unlikely 🙂
As when the Royal Wedding was on?? 😉
Exactly!
i know the feeling re enforced jolification, reminds me of a few new year eves- there a few choices here- and you’ve made one… to see a friend for brunch. That’s really nice 😀 – There, that’s one day gone!
At first I thought oh no, what am I to do!? I really can’t be bothered with this jubillee stuff- also where i live i know everyone so if I step out I’ll bump into so many people, all cheery and drunk and partying and chatting – so i thought I know- i’ll catch up on my paperwork and housework and if I get into the mood walk to my local park where, guess what? they’ll be having fireworks!! haha… and perhaps thinking of cognitive behaviour, once i’m there I’ll feel happy about it…
friends are already calling for drinks etc and thanks to an added premenstrual pain and weirdness I can’t even hang out with them really. Can’t be bothered.
Hate to say this but I’m happier now that I know the weather is going to be rainy and crap – kinda ‘dampens’ the hype a bit!
If at any time you feel really low in these four days, please email me. I truly mean that. xx
Told you there would be fireworks!! Thanks so much for the support, means alot 🙂 So far I’m doing a reasonable job of hanging on in there! x