A Perfect Day

What would happen on your Perfect Day?

I was thinking about this last night, a Friday, because the whole weekend stretched before me without a plan, meeting, or must-do in sight. Plenty of should-do's, sure, but I was calling the shots for two whole days. Two components of My Perfect Day are writing and exercise, I thought to myself, and I can do those things, I can!

But I'm the kind of gal that needs a plan, an occasion, so I made one: Get up with M, send him off to work, write for an hour, then go to the weight class at the gym (I can't get motivated to do machines on my own, and it has an appointed hour--very important). If I know what to do to have a Perfect Day, I stand a greater chance of actually having one, right?

I find that morning is key for activities for me--I start to wind down in the early afternoon, motivationally speaking. I knew that if I could just type and gym right off, the rest of the day would be savory vegetarian gravy, whether I accomplished anything or not.

So it's 5pm on Saturday, I stuck with my plan, and as a result it's been a wonderful day. The "June" novel now has nine thousand nine hundred and eleven words (I thought about banging out the other eighty-nine words so I could have an even 10K, but it was the end of the scene, so it was a natural time to stop). The weight class flew by, and I actually initiated a conversation with a fellow class member--unheard of! I spent three hours running errands: more baseboard for the bathroom (did I remember to bring a sample with me? Nooooo. I picked up the wider version, so it's back to Friedman Bros. tomorrow...), cat food, eyelash yarn, a nip into Borders for a cheap DVD ("The Ice Storm") and to see an old friend I used to work with. A visit to my ever-swankying mall to buy hamburger for M's meatloaf for tonight, and once more into the breach of wedding dress shopping. A much better experience today. A lovely saleslady who picked out many styles for me to try on, always encouraging the smaller size, and who set me up in the more special dressing room. Some close ones (the heavily beaded light blue number just needed a bit more modest bodice--and about $200 off the price), but no cigar. But I'll be back to that store--what a difference a helpful salesperson can make. She was so happy for me, asked me all about my plans, told me how her daughter is at college in the same town where we're tying the knot.

Speaking of salespeople, I hope M's sold something today...

So what's my recipe for a Perfect Day? In no particular order:
- Writing (check)
- Exercise (check)
- Knitting or other craftiness while listening to NPR with a cat on my lap (to be checked as soon as I post this)
- Post a blog (checking)
- Shopping (check)
- Good food
- Good lovin'
- A connection with a friend (check)
- Reading
- Something cultural/arty (I rented "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" for tonight, and received "The Man Who Wasn't There" from Netflix. So many choices!)
- A glass (or two) of wine or beer (checking)
- Pet snuggling (check)

I plan on checking off all of these items by about 11pm tonight. Damn, I'm one lucky middle aged suburbanite.

What are the components of your Perfect Day?

Next weekend will be quite different, perfectly speaking. I already have plans for breakfast with friends in Occidental, an adventure with another friend somewhere in the Bay Area (perhaps she'll come wedding invitation shopping with me?), and BIC time with the writer gals. Don't know how I'll work the exercise in. And the bathroom project. But I'll think of that another day.

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Happy Birthday, Julia! Look forward to your birthday blog this evening.

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After I returned from shopping, M called. Grades were mailed yesterday, and he wanted to know if they had arrived. The mail hadn't come, but while we were talking, Rex barked in his deranged-enraged-pint-sized-killer voice, so we knew the mailman had stopped by at his own peril. And M's grade were indeed to be found in the depths of the mailbox. I couldn't resist dragging out the results of his scores a little bit to tease him (in the month since he took his midterms he has run the gamut from elation to doubt to despair tinged with resignation--I deserve a little payback), but he did very well, even better than he thought in the heady post-exam phase. It's only the first midterm of the first year, but it's a relief that he's off to a good start.

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One piece of good news: our neighbors found a home for their chocolate lab, the one that constantly barked mournfully of neglect. They still have the pitbull, but she seems to be a part of the family unit. At least, I'm telling myself they found a new home for him.

Little relief from the exterior noise tonight, however--they're having a bbq, and the men are conversing in loud drunken tones on the back porch. I'm sure it's much more enjoyable for hang out there now that the dog is no longer begging them for attention with his loud, heartbreaking woof.

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It's getting chilly. The one thing that makes Rex's day perfect (aside from play-mauling M) is a walk, so I think I'll go ahead and make his day.