The Friday List
As we discussed yesterday, it’s time to make a special project out of ourselves. Our own personal spring cleaning.
This isn’t about fixing anything or improving anything–I declare us all fine as we are. This is just our chance to notice once a week whether we’ve done enough nice things for ourselves. It’s a habit I’m trying to develop, and so as usual I depend on you bloggies to keep me honest and on task. It’s like the Tuesday Book Club–I know I have to report in, so I’d better keep reading.
So here we go. If you need some ideas, look at yesterday’s list–both mine and the additions in the comments. Lots of kindnesses to choose from. You don’t have to tell us absolutely every nice thing you’ve done on your own behalf, but give us just a few. For inspiration. Because maybe your self-pampering this week will be someone else’s next week. No reason not to be copy cats when it comes to pampering.
Here’s my Friday list:
1. I scheduled two massages for myself during my five-day book tour next week. Days two and four, Seattle and Ann Arbor. Ahhhhhh.
2. I worked down my massive to-do list, took care of one thing at a time, didn’t panic, and now everything is done, including finally finishing the taxes. Double ahhhhhhhh.
3. Spent an hour on the phone yesterday morning talking to the same best friend I’ve had since my sophomore year in high school, continuing our practice of analyzing all matters large and small (including this week’s Lost–didn’t you love that last scene with the football?), and generally doing our best to figure it all out. Life, I mean. I think we’ve gotten a lot better at it since we were fifteen. Think how much better we’ll be when we’re eighty.
So there you go. It’s a start. Now it’s your turn. Did you make yourself a decadent dessert this week? Take time to play with your dog or your child? Send your manuscript off to an agent? Decide to take it easy on yourself when you messed up somehow? Whatever–just give us a taste.
And then to keep the good feeling going, be sure to stop by Jules and Eisha’s place this weekend and participate in their wonderful experiment. Here’s what they’re doing: “The idea is that every weekend we can cyber-gather and discuss what Beautiful and/or Kick-Ass Things Happened to You or That You Read or That You Noticed This Week.” Love it! So you get the difference? The Friday List here is about nice things you’ve taken the trouble to do for yourself, because I think we need to make a special project out of that. The Seven Impossible Things list can include nice things done by others unto you. Get it? Got it? Good.
Nothing wrong with multiples of happiness. Let’s be extravagent and pour it on.
Technorati Tags: Happiness, Success, Pampering, Kindness, Friday List, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
March 16th, 2007 at 9:12 am
Well… last Sunday I had a spa day and it was glorious! (My parents got me a gift certificate for Christmas.) I had a massage, a facial, a manicure, and a pedicure!! Pure Heaven =)
Now, I know this won’t sound exciting to most of you, but yesterday I reactivated my membership to Curves (the all women’s gym). Technically, I own a Curves with my mom and grandmom, but I moved and it’s too far away for me to go to on a regular basis. Sooo… I’m going to start going to one by my apartment now. I’m really excited. I’m always happiest when I exercise regularly and I think this will be really good for me! =)
March 16th, 2007 at 9:16 am
Yep, Christen, that’s exactly the kind of thing I’m talking about. Good for you!
March 16th, 2007 at 11:04 am
The nicest thing I did for myself after reading your post yesterday was to admit I’m not very nice to myself and maybe I need to start. So, yesterday morning I exercised/played with all my dogs and then flew out to another city and had a terrific time working for 12 hours on a great case with really nice people and even laughed my way through it. I flew back this morning and made the effort at the airport to actually talk to the person next to me and not hide behind a book-and I liked it. I dealt with the disappointment of losing a house I really wanted to move into exceedingly well, made a commitment to not worry about anything today for a change, and another committment to ride my horse tomorrow morning and hang out with horsey people and have fun. Just as the Tuesday book club checkin has encouraged me to read more, these Friday checkin’s will encourage me to be nice to me. I’m wishing you a great book tour trip next week.
March 16th, 2007 at 11:13 am
WOW, Deborah! I can’t tell you how happy your comment makes me.
And I’m really impressed with your travel skills. No wonder you had all those good tips for me.
I’m so glad to hear you’re going to make the effort to treat yourself sweetly. What a worthy effort that will be.
March 16th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
I guess the nicest thing I did for myself this week was to watch The Illusionist yesterday,in the middle of the afternoon. The rest of my family was out and about so,around 2:00,I popped open the Netflix envelope and watched it.
It’s a good movie,a clever period drama/romance with the best performance award going to Paul Giametti as the reluctant police inspector hunting Edward Norton down. I do have The Prestige up next but since my sister is dying to see a Czech film called Little Otik(we caught part of it on the Sundance channel),I’ll do something nice for her and get that instead.
March 16th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Well…
I found this website to amuse myself for hours.
http://www.roflcat.com
March 16th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
Well, this post is timely
I’m in the midst of beating myself up over a blogpost by someone I really respected–a post that has set off a good discussion, but one that has upset me nonetheless.
I also need to exercise. I was an exercise queen, but a year ago I fell off the wagon.
I’m too down to suggest good things for myself. Robin, any strategies to suggestion?
March 16th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
Make that “any strategies to suggest”? See! Can’t even type.
March 16th, 2007 at 1:50 pm
I’m kinda at a loss here…. I ALWAYS treat myself better than I do anyone else (it makes it easier to be nice to others, beginning with my husband and going on from there…. because I don’t have any background feelings of deprivation!)
Specifics? At Christmas, I always buy special chocolates just for me - this year, it was a one-pound ballotin of cerises from Leonidas in New York. And every time we hit Costco and Smiths (once a month each approximately) I pick up some yummy flowers.
I make sure we do at least three plays at the Utah Shakespearean Festival in late summer and early fall. Can’t live without the Bard!
I’m going back on Nutri-System to get rid of the last 10-15 pounds. I’m actively looking for two 19″ LCD monitors for a decent price (that is, less than $200 each - nope, not Sonys for that, but at LEAST ViewSonics!)
I’m going to spring for a new sofa, because this one’s old and while I love the wood and the fabric (which is unfortunately beginning to wear VERY thin), it trashes my back when I sit on it for any length of time…. I consider that being “good to me” because as bj knows, mostly I don’t buy stuff that’s not “broke” (for instance, last year was the Year of Replacing Appliances - EVERYTHING in the house except the dishwasher and the water heater, including husband’s TV…. not MY TV, mind you…. I don’t do TV!) including two computers.
I’m actually very good to myself. Who deserves it more than I do? (I may have forgotten to say that I’m EXTREMELY selfish, not to mention self-centered to a fare-thee-well….)
March 16th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
Well most of this weekend is family time, my older daughter’s birthday.
We get to have some friends over and my husband is cooking gourmet. Yumyum!
If the timing works out then we will go to the movies Sunday afternoon. A little busier than I would like after this hectic week but I won’t complain since my daughters want to spend time with us.
March 16th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
Kelly, I think I know what you’re talking about, though I’m not sure. But in any case, I’m so sorry it’s gotten you down.
It’s a reminder that what seems so easy to write and post on a blog can often have longer-lasting, deeper-hurting impact than we mean. I guess my first suggestion is resist the temptation to lash out in print, too. The feelings may be temporary, but writing is permanent.
Second, if I’m really having a dumps day, my favorite cures are: a bubble bath with the lights out, maybe one candle burning, then curling up in a chair with a blanket over my lap, and write it all out in long hand, as many pages as it takes to fully unload myself. I can sit and write for an hour, freeform, spilling every mean, sad, angry, petty thought I have. And it’s amazing what a release that is. I don’t have to save the pages–I write on 3-hole looseleaf paper, nothing fancy, and if I feel like it afterward I shred or burn it.
Then I ask myself a simple question: What would you like right now? And my promise to myself is that I will go out and get it. If the answer is some kind of food, then my poor little self and I get in the car and go get it. No request is too extravagent. Or maybe the answer is I want to rent a Drew Barrymore movie or watch The Princess Bride again–the deal is, whatever the hurt girl in me wants, it’s my privilege as the adult woman to go get it for her and mother her.
So maybe some combination of those will help.
Lady T, I love the decadence of watching a movie in the afternoon. That’s such a treat.
Patrick, you always find the oddest sites, and as usual, thanks for sharing. You’re a cat person, I’m guessing.
Vc, right on! You set a good standard. And I love the idea of a Year of Replacing Appliances (of course, only if that’s by choice–wouldn’t like it so much if they all decided to conk out at once).
Readerdiane, Happy Birthday to your daughter. And it is awfully sweet when children want to spend time with their parents. Enjoy!
March 16th, 2007 at 5:43 pm
I’ve become one. I see you’ve not been to my blog.
March 16th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
Thanks, Robin! A nice bubble bath, a beer and the figure skating championships are in order.
Tomorrow I get a full day with the kids, too, so that should be fun.
March 16th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
Oh, and I’m sure I’ll be more positve next week. Hopefully by tomorrow for the 7-Imp girls
March 16th, 2007 at 7:16 pm
Unfortunately, it was because they all conked out at once….
March 16th, 2007 at 8:55 pm
Uh, I can’t think of much. I’m pretty bad at this. I’ll try better and keep checking in every Friday.
Cringe.
March 16th, 2007 at 9:09 pm
Jules, I’m sure you did something nice for yourself this week. How could you not? Come on, think a little harder.
March 16th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
Wait! Wait! You’re right. I just remembered — before even seeing your response — that I got some alone time yesterday while my mom watched the girls, and I bought myself some new clothes, which I really needed.
Whew. I bet I sounded like a big dramatic martyr there, but truly, I had to think about it. That’s sad.
I will say — though I know that excuses are probably not allowed — that it’s hard with two wee children. For instance, taking a hot bubble bath is a treat for me, but I can’t just up and do that with two girls at my feet (Sunday mornings, however, are my time to do that while my husband watches them — he sleeps in; then I get a bubble bath).
Anyway, good idea!
jules
March 17th, 2007 at 6:13 am
Jules, good deal. Any time you make arrangements to grab some time for yourself is a real gift–especially when you have little kids. Hurray!
March 17th, 2007 at 9:20 am
Yesterday pretty much blew me out of the water too, but earlier in the week I bought myself a cute stuffed animal, just ’cause I felt like it. (I am such a dork.)
March 17th, 2007 at 11:03 am
Mother Reader, I say dork out as often as possible. It’s a good thing to treat the little girl in you to something cheesy like that. We can all be serious the rest of the time, but every now and then some of us need a sparkly pen with a feather on the end, or some cheapo bead earrings or yes, a stuffed animal. Carry on.
March 17th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
Okay, I don’t think I did anything until TODAY. I went out and danced FOR FUN. At competitions, I’m never going to the best, but if you go to a bar on St. Patrick’s Day and do a four-hand reel, apparently you get on the news! For real, how cool is that? I have to remember to do things because they’re fun, not just to prove something.
Happy St. Paddy’s Day, all. Wear some green (or orange, or blue)
March 17th, 2007 at 7:33 pm
I’m sitting in my hotel lobby, alone, having a glass of wine and eating a sushi roll and catching up on blogs, which is about as decadent as it gets, I think…
Also, the wine will set to rest those pesky preggo rumors Patrick has started.
March 17th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
Ha! You’re doing great, Diana. Keep up the good work.
Molly, how cool are you?
March 18th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
I’m coming in late because it was the Seven Imp list that made me remember that one of the new nice things I try to do is have fresh flowers in the house. I admit it has taken encouragement from my partner to spend even a small amount of money on something so frivolous but I am really enjoying having flowers there to smile at during the day.
It’s strange, when you proposed this idea I thought about how I already try to do nice things for myself and then felt guilty about that, thus missing the whole point! So maybe I do need to participate as well
March 18th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
Emmaco, I’m so impressed you give yourself fresh flowers. I’m so cheap with myself about that, when really all it takes is a bouquet of white daisies to lift my little heart.
Thanks for the reminder!
(And your comment about feeling guilty cracks me up. Guilt is my favorite go-to emotion.)
March 18th, 2007 at 6:40 pm
I learned at my mother’s knee as it were NOT TO DO GUILT.
I don’t. I haven’t since I was maybe 17. I will NEVER do guilt. Never.
March 18th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
Vc, VERY impressive.