Yes to big ideas. Not to marriage proposals. So just… get that thought of the way. (If you listen quietly, you can hear my mom weeping).
A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about saying Yes. I wrote about branching out and creating a list of 10 liberating and slightly irresponsible choices and using the month of June to jump into the deep scary end of the ocean of living. Here is the list and what I’ve done so far…
1. Instead of skipping out on the bill (which was suggested in the original list- which? Is too dodgy for me since I had so many friends working in the service industry when I was in university), pay for someone else’s meal. Not their Starbucks order- their meal. DONE. Although, I have to admit, it felt strange. I didn’t want anyone to think I was picking them up, or that I was going all Single White Female on someone so I waited for the perfect set up- a frazzled looking mom and her kids. Sure it was only a dinner at a quick take out place but the look on the waiters face when I told him my plan was priceless.
2. Spend a weekend eating only what looks absolutely delicious. Disregard proper meal times and caloric intake. Instead of fretting over fat grams and workout plans, really enjoy eating and give luscious foods a home in my body. Not Done- YET. I blame this on just not feeling good lately.
3. Email 3 of my co-workers (that I’m not particularly close to) and give them each a compliment. DONE. Holy shit this one was tricky. I regularly give verbal high fives to the co-workers I’m friends with, but randomly sending an email to someone I’m NOT close to? It felt as comfortable as my last pap smear. I thought it would be less awkward to do it in person, so I spent time stalking classrooms and then jumping in with a random work question before casually throwing in the compliment I had spent a stupid amount of time crafting. The best part was how good I felt after I talked to these people. And each of the three I complimented looked genuinely happy after. Win!
4. Get patio drunk before noon. On a weekday. Not done- YET. I’m still teaching for another five days. (HOLD ME) Although, I’m sure I could make spelling review far more interesting if I incorporated tipsy rapping and balloon hats. I would also be later unemployed after…
5. Get rid of 50% of my clothes. AT LEAST 50% of my clothes. Donate them to the neighbor’s kids who are currently wearing flood pants and paisley snap shirts. DONE. AND YES, IT FEELS SO GOOD. Getting dressed in the morning is actually FUN when you have a closet that is similar to this (I even bought an ottoman with storage.)
6. Spend an hour outside reading poetry with my class. Do not worry about where this fits into the curriculum, or what we could be doing instead. Soak in that hour and let the words of Elizabeth Bishop and Shel Silverstein hang heavy in the air. DONE! And it was easily one of the best days of the year.
7. Do not give a single further ‘hello’ in the hallway to the co-worker who made May miserable. DONE. Except change the words ‘hello in the hallway’ to ‘a thought’. I can’t cure politeness and not saying hi would be roughly 10,000 times more awkward than just saying hi and moving on.
8. Hold another contest and give away something I love. DONE and DONE.
9. Buy a plane ticket. Not DONE -YET. But it’s happening. I’m finalizing plans to visit so many of my favourites this summer. A blogger shanty town in Renee’s living room? Yes please!
10. Get up an hour earlier, whip out the hot rollers, liter of hairspray and invest a morning in creating the hair I caress on magazine covers but am always too lazy to attempt to replicate. Not DONE- YET.
So all I have left is to get ridiculous drunk at noon, eat my weight in deliciousness, buy a plane ticket and create a kick ass hair day. I like my odds.
What have you done this month that you are proud of?
The link to that real simple article on closet organization? YES. SO MUCH YES. and also, THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
Honestly, it helped me so much! My addiction to Real Simple (website and magazine) is something that should be studied, but never cured. I’m definitely a visual person, so seeing someone with a closet roughly the same size as mine really helped me see what I could do with the space. Good luck!
It’s been one of my Life Goals to pay for someone’s meal and I can’t even imagine how that mother felt when she found out someone paid for her and her children’s meals! I love how you made it more personal, not just paying for the person behind you in a Starbucks drive-thru.
(Also? What’s with the skipping out on a bill deal?! I’m not sure that should ever be someone’s goal…)
As a mom myself, who is often hurried and stressed, I am 100% sure you made that woman’s day. Go you!!
I’ve lost two inches off my measurements and I am so beyond proud of myself!
You’re awesome :) I love the post! Will definitely try something like this for July (its too late in June to start)
Best list ever!!! I hope you achieve the remaining items quick smart :)
This month I have been so excited with donating a whole bunch of stuff from my house (anyone seen Hoarders?) to a local church run thrift store. Seeing the volunteers’ eyes light up with gratitude when we gave them big, warm blankets and my old scarves really made MY day (it’s a cold winter here at the moment). Knowing that someone who is struggling to pay for heat or electricity (or even a roof over their heads) will now be SO SO warm in my blankets (which we only got rid of because we haven’t used them in 3 years) just makes me happy.
:)
You inspired me to make my own list (http://maplequilt.blogspot.com/2011/05/so-brandy-la-brainyjane-turned-me-onto.html) – which turned out more like “stuff I should be doing anyway but maybe a list will help pick up the slack”. It felt great to get started, but I stymied quickly. Maybe I’ll get a few more done in the next 10 days. I’m glad you’re doing well with yours!
Hi. Let’s have a Chicago sleepover, please.
I mean, we could even make s’mores on the stove.
visit me, visit me, visit me!!
I just saw that closet in my Real Simple and was like — heaven! And then was like, uh, wait. How do I actually DO that?!
I wanna come play sleepover with you and Renee and the others! Also, the closet thing – I kind of did that earlier this year, and while the wardrobe I still have is mostly outdated and I hate it – it works. And now, every time I buy a new piece, I get rid of an old one. Updated wardrobe, minimal choices :)
you are on a roll woman! nicely done. also, love all of shel silverstein’s books, those were seriously my favorite poems as a kid. excellent choice for the kidlets.
I’m so inspired by your getting rid of 50% of your clothes!
This month I donated away an insane amount of clothes, books, and other miscellaneous items that had been cluttering our home.
Yay! Congratulations on all your progress so far – it’s super impressive and now I really, really want to overhaul my closet. Real Simple is a dangerous thing that taunts me with it’s beauty all the time. I’m addicted too.