Robin Brande, Author, Dog Lover, Coffee and Chocolate Addict. Living an Interesting Life.

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The Friday list a day early (nice things you did for yourself this week)

I debated whether to spring this on you a day early–since I know a lot of you don’t start thinking about being nice to yourselves until Thursday (shame!)–but I’m leaving town tonight and won’t be johnny-on-the-spot with my moderating tomorrow, so here we are.

Which brings us to the very nice thing I’m doing for myself this week, which is spending the weekend with my best friend since high school, attending a conference she and I have both been craving. Three whole days of brain-blowing seminars. Ahhhh. What a treat.

Plus there will probably be some Double Stuff Oreos involved (just a guess), and the dress code is sweat pants and jeans, so really, we’re talking Valhalla here.

And what’s up with you guys? What have you already done to be sweet to yourselves this week, or what will you do now that Thursday is here and you remember you’re supposed to do that?

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23 Responses to “The Friday list a day early (nice things you did for yourself this week)”

  1. jules Says:

    I’m drinking really excellent coffee this week: That’s my nice thing.

    On another note, last night’s episode of “Lost” actually. made. me. cry. Never has before. That whole My Five Greatest Hits in My Sorry Excuse for a Life had tears streaming down my face.

    Enjoy the seminars (and Oreos)…

  2. Sara Says:

    Hey Robin,

    I’ve got to check in early, too, because the nice thing I’m doing for myself is going out of town with my husband!

    Have fun with those double-stuffs! I prefer Mint Newman-O’s myself…

  3. MotherReader Says:

    Yesterday, I felt kinda lousy - bad night sleep, stress, allergies - and I was going go to work anyway, but I didn’t. I went to a morning meeting at a different location, and then called it a day. Nicest thing I could have done for myself was take some quiet time at home before my body totally broke down.

    In just the shear, silly treat category, while buying my daughter a necklace for her birthday, I threw in the purchase a twelve dollar ring that looks like a huge diamond a movie star would wear. I’ve worn it out twice, and it’s a fun thing to have. My girls esp. love it, but it didn’t come in their sizes. Pity.

  4. Heather Harper Says:

    I wrote all day Sunday, and didn’t let myself feel guilty about it. :)

  5. Laura Fitzgerald Says:

    Drinking Naked Juice almost every day!

  6. Liz Garton Scanlon Says:

    1. I just added the fabulous Robin Brande to my links list so I don’t have to work so hard to get straight here to the good stuff!

    2. I took chocolate truffles into the teacher appreciation luncheon at my daughters’ school and I ate one of them myself on the way there.

    3. Serious yoga session yesterday even though, technically, on paper, I didn’t have time.

    4. A new jog bra. OK, that may sound kind of pathetic but an upgrade was so overdue…

    5. Women’s dinner tonight that, I can assure you, will go late late late because it’ll be such good company. Oh, sweat pants and jeans are definately part of the deal, too. Also, maybe another truffle or two.

    That’s what I call a good week…

  7. robin Says:

    Jules, I know! I was all choked up, too. But then to have that surprise ending–and what about the previews for next week? That show is so excellent when it’s excellent. (And good job on the good coffee, too. Life’s too short for a bad cuppa joe.)

    Sara, have fun!!!

    Mother Reader, what a HUGE favor you did for yourself, taking care of yourself that way before your body insisted on it for you. That’s such a kindness to yourself. And I love the big-** ring story! Sometimes only gaudy will do.

    Heather, bravo. I know you’re working toward a July deadline, and it’s good that you’re putting your writing ahead of other demands. A hundred percent of the books that get published were finished first, so it sounds like you’re doing your part.

    Laura, I almost deleted your comment with the other spam involving the word “naked.” But then I saw it was you. Whew. Carry on with your juice therapy.

    And Liz, welcome! While I love all your list, I’m particularly fond of #4. Because life’s also too short to wear bras that don’t fit or are all worn out. You have my support (get it! I’m so witty!) on that.

  8. Kelly Says:

    These lists just made me smile. They are all wonderful and show how the smallest little treat can make your day so much better :)

    For me, I took a nap this morning. Dumped the quarrelsome kids at school and went back to bed. It was awesome.

    Oh, and I made a super-duper-detailed to do list and am plowing through it step by step. I hope to be caught up by Sunday. I used to remember every little detail and every little appointment, but this year, since I’m on sabbatical and I have nothing to pin duties to in my mind (like kids go to dentist on day I have faculty meeting) I forget them all.

  9. Deborah Says:

    So glad we are doing this today as tomorrow my internet service is disconnected and I won’t be up again until next mid-week. It’s been a busy but good week:

    1. Sold my house yesterday.

    2. Bought another house today.

    3. Almost all packed up.

    4. Threw out, donated, gave away or otherwise got rid of so much stuff I neither needed nor wanted anymore and I feel so much lighter in so many ways.

    5. Found some things I had totally forgotten about, but realized I had missed terribly.

    6. My college roommate is coming into town to help me move out/in and we will eat Chinese food out of the carton, gossip, and argue over where is the best place to put things in the new house (just like old times).

    Have a great week everyone!

  10. robin Says:

    Deborah, CONGRATULATIONS!!! That house thing must be such a huge load off your mind!! Very happy for you. That’s big. And the Chinese food/college roommate part sounds pretty great, too. Love those girl weekends.

    Kelly, I have that same kind of a list going. And it sounds like you enjoy it as much as I do–seriously. It just feels so much better to write down every little thing–from “finish book” to “get dog food”–so that you can have the satisfaction of checking off a lot of items and feeling like you’re making progress.

    And handing off the quarelsome kids to someone else sounds pretty cheerful, too.

  11. annette Says:

    HOORAY for deborah, i feel lighter just reading your post. have fun making your new house yours.

  12. Jen Robinson Says:

    After a somewhat draining morning and early afternoon on Tuesday (teaching a class, and then volunteering at the library), I came home totally exhausted. So I did something that I hardly ever do: I watched TV without also doing work at the same time. I just lay there on the couch, fast-forwarding through the commercials, not paying bills, or working on my blog, or doing email. I watched last week’s Grey’s Anatomy and ER episodes back to back. Haven’t seen last night’s Lost yet, though, so I had to skim through some of the comments above.

    Last night I knocked off work a little early and read Among the Free by Margaret Peterson Haddix cover to cover.

    Have a good trip, Robin!

  13. robin Says:

    Jen, sounds like you handled things just right. Sometimes nothing cures a brain overload like Grey’s Anatomy.

  14. annette Says:

    i’m just getting in under the wire. i signed up for five great, diverse “cultural” events at my local cultural events purveyor for the upcoming cultural events season. some really cool stuff like roseanne cash and perla batalla. so i feel good about getting my sorry a** out and about and supporting the arts community.

  15. Little Willow Says:

    I went to a movie screening with a friend, and the film + music = excellent.

  16. robin Says:

    YAY, Little Willow! I’m glad you went out to play!

    Annette, sounds like tons of fun. I need to get my sorry a** out and about, too. Thanks for the reminder.

  17. Patrick Says:

    “the dress code is sweat pants and jeans”

    I’m thinking you should wear a shirt, too. Unless it is expressly forbidden by the dresscode.

    I see that you are trying to trick us again with the early ‘nice’ list. We need our consistency!!!

    I’m sure I did something nice for me this week. Just not sure what it was. I did plenty of bad things too. Not much sleep for no apparent reason.

    I saw Meet the Robinsons — A MUST SEE as both Miri and I have mentioned. Great movie.

  18. robin Says:

    That’s right, Patrick, it’s a test to see whether you’re really reading the blog every day, or if you only stop by when you feel like it. Looking for commitment here.

    Thanks for the reminder on Meet the Robinsons. I do want to see that.

  19. Christen Says:

    Oh no! I’m a day late!! And I was so good to myself this week!

    First, I treated myself to a pedicure! Then I got my MLIS! After that, I started a new diet… but made sure to not feel guilty for cheating (I had to have a celebratory ice cream cake). And tomorrow I will drink wine and I will love every moment of it!

  20. Nancy Says:

    Wow, here I thought I’d be early today, and it turns out I’m one of the later entries!

    Robin, enjoy your conference and the time with your friend. Nothing more valuable in this life, I say.

    My good things:

    1. Time with parents and brother and nieces and nephews last weekend.

    2. Indulgent clothes shopping.

    3. Bought myself the most decadent scented candle for much too much money but I didn’t care.

    4. Skipped dinner on Wednesday, and then, starving, ate pulled pork from the container at 1 in the morning. Total bliss.

    5. And the big one… let myself be adored… which, you know what? — is really pretty enjoyable.

    Happy Friday all!

  21. robin Says:

    Christen, congratulations on getting your MLIS!!! Woo-hoo!!!

    And Nancy, way to go on letting yourself be adored! What a great gift to yourself!

  22. Alkelda the Gleeful Says:

    I’m a few days late, but it’s still The Week. Here’s what I did:

    1) Planted shade plants I loved (trillium, violets, columbine)
    2) Bought 10 lbs of rhubarb in anticipation of the compote I’m going to make.
    3) Ordered peonies.

    These nice things are all plant-related in some way. That’s what I’ve been up to this week.

    Bon voyage! I hope you enjoy the conference.

  23. robin Says:

    Mmm, Alkelda, rhubarb compote! Yes, please!