LIGHTEN THE POST-HOLIDAY BLUES

Here we are, the Sunday morning after the biggest New Year's in a millennium. Now what? Do a new century of struggles await you at work? The demands facing you need not be weighty to get you down. Even a mountain of laundry can unleash an avalanche of the post-holiday blues, a real and sometimes incapacitating malady.

Researchers investigating the physical and mental stresses involved with moving from vacation mode back into the daily grind say these blues are a normal reaction to the transition. While in most cases the blues fade in a few days, some folks naturally seem to suffer more severe symptoms.

These can range from simple lethargy to a rapid pulse, elevated blood pressure, trouble breathing or fullblown clinical depression.  Here are four steps you can take to make easing your way back into the swing of things less taxing on your psyche. Even if you can't implement these ideas this weekend, keep them in mind the next time you get the opportunity to slip away from your normal routines for a few days.  The basic idea is to maintain a positive mental focus all the way through the transition. 

First - and this is admittedly late advice - before taking the time off, try to make sure that matters at both your house and office are organized as much as possible. That will help you to depart with a sense of confidence.  It can be reassuring to check on matters while you're away, but try to resist the urge, unless there's something that absolutely demands your attention. Even a short phone call can mentally drag you back into the work-a-day world. 

When you get home, take a few minutes to jot down a list of things to be done. List-making can both help you get prepared to face the world and provide a positive sense of direction and purpose.  And finally, if you should happen to feel your mood being pulled to the dark side, take a few moments out and try to consciously focus on a particularly pleasant holiday memory. In other words, let the sun shine in. 

Europe's 2000 cultural capitals  Each year since 1985, the European Union has selected one city to serve as a focus for the Continent's cultural riches. As befits this auspicious annum of triple zeros, the Union designated nine cities to carry the cultural baton. 

The cities have been grouped in sets of three, based on their geographic proximity. In Scandinavia there's Reykjavik, Iceland; Helsinki, Finland; and Bergen, Norway. Central Europe features Brussels, Belgium; Krakow, Poland; and Prague, in the Czech Republic. The southern European entries are Santiago de Campostela in Spain; Avignon, France; and Bologna, Italy.  Each of the nine cities hase been left free to adopt a different emphasis and organized activities, within a scale and budget it deems reasonable. While the range of opportunities varies considerably, the citizens in of these venerable locations have used the occasion to both polish their architectural and cultural crown jewels and to schedule an ambitious slate of exceptional events through the year. 

Needless to say, there's been considerable competition among the nine cities to put their best foot forward. However, they will also collaborate on a number of joint projects designed to create cultural synergies.  For visitors and residents alike, the menu of possible options is dazzling, with literally thousands of choices.

To help disseminate information, each of the nine Cultural Capitals is developing Web sites both dedicated to its particular permanent attractions, and providing details on all of the special events planned for 2000.  The quality and usefulness of the sites vary. The listings for Reykjavik, Helsinki, Bergen and Brussels are ready to go, complete with English translations. Prague's site is operational with an English index that has lots of city information, but the page regarding the 2000 events is still under construction.

Sites for Avignon and Bologna are operational, but only if you read the language, and Santiago's site is being updated.  Reykjavik, Iceland: for city information, www.reykjavik.is; for events, www.reykjavik2000.is; or call the Finnish Tourist Board at 212-885-9737.  Helsinki, Finland: for city information, www.hel.fi; for events, www.2000.hel.fi; or call 212-885-9700. Bergen, Norway: for city information, www.bergen-travel.com; for events, www.bergen2000.no; or call 212-885-9700.  Brussels, Belgium: for city information, www.opt.be; for events, www.brussels2000.be; or call 212758-8130.  Krakow, Poland: for city information, www.krakow.pl; for events, www.krakow2000.pl; or call 800-2236037.  Prague, Czech Republic: for city and events information, www.pragueinfo.cz; or call 212-2880830.  Santiago de Campostela, Spain: for city information, www.campostela2000.org; or call 212-265-8822.  Avignon, France: for city and events information, www.avignon-tourisme.com.  Bologna, Italy: for city information, www.regione.emila-romaglia.it/ turismo; for events, www.iperbole.bologna.it/; or call 212-245-4961.