The second question for November is…
(And no, Mark, they won’t all coincide!)
You guys were AMAZING with the first question. I LOVED reading your answers, and I happen to know a lot of other people (some who commented, and some who lurk on… ) did, too.
Here’s today’s question, which is going to involve more imagination than memory…
I want to hear about your perfect day. Not a day you’ve already had, mind you, but an amazing day you plan right here.
Money is not an object, but time is… you only have 24 hours.
I want to know:
- Where you would go
- What you would do
- Who you would take with you
- What you would eat
- … and some of the soundtrack for the day, if you can manage it!
Don’t sell your imagination short! Give us all the detail you can.
This is an exercise I once did with a classroom of ninth grade English students. I was in twelfth grade and had to occupy them for two hours as a part of an assignment for another class — I don’t even remember what class anymore. Now, I was a camp girl, so I wasn’t intimidated by the kids in the least (even if I was still less than five feet tall.)
But trying to keep them going without any curriculum or media? Yikes.
So I came up with this assignment.
I wrote all the things I wanted it to include on the board, and put them to work.
There was a bit of whining and discussion at first, but eventually the classroom became funeral quiet while everyone sat and thought and wrote. Even kids who had given me blank looks in the beginning put pen to paper.
And what they turned in at the end?
GOLD.
I learned a lot about their hearts from those pages, and I don’t even think they knew they were sharing them. After all, it’s just a list of stuff you like and enjoy, right? What can that possibly say about you?
Heh.
People have such a hard time picking “favourites” because they like so many things. But I find picking favourites interesting because it forces you to prioritize a little and look at what grabs you the most. I think there’s usually a lot we can figure out about ourselves at the end of that tiny little journey.
I’m totally going Hallmark again. Dammit.
Now, I know YOU don’t have two hours to do it — maybe just two minutes — so I’m not expecting an essay. But I’d love to hear whatever you can get down. And if you like, you can post it at your own blog, too!
November 2nd, 2006 at 12:51 pm
Well, I’ll riff on yesterday’s answer, just a little bit.
My Perfect Day
I wake up after a splendid, restful night’s sleep in my oceanfront villa on the north shore of Oahu to breakfast in bed, served by my husband, who then joins me.
We lie on the beach with good books. Sunburn is not a worry at all. I swim when I get a little too warm, then doze. Later in the afternoon, I work on my novel and have a fabulously productive time of it.
I would definitely take my husband with me, but everyone I like is invited, because there’s plenty of room in my villa.
I would eat ripe grapes and ruby red grapefruit with sugar, thick juicy steak, perfectly baked potatoes swimming with butter, OH! lobster!, beignets and cafe au lait, and a wonderful salad. Then I would eat some Hawaiian shave ice from Matsumoto Shave Ice in Haleiwa, complete with ice cream and red beans (sounds weird, but it’s amazing). Soundtrack? Good funk, blues, and then some jazz to end the night. And Marvin Gaye. Plus Al Green. Good night.
November 2nd, 2006 at 12:58 pm
Oh. My. Gosh. So there.
November 2nd, 2006 at 2:51 pm
It would be a day together with my wife and daughter before my daughter goes to college. We will take a bike ride through the countryside near whatever college she ends up going to–this will be on a visit several weeks before she moves in. We will have beautiful weather, and a wonderful time, with a stop at a lake and a hike up a mountain. We will meet a lot of interesting people, perhaps students and parents or locals. We will have the kind of conversations that we are only beginning to have now–in which our daughter is speaking from a new foundation of independence. We’ll ride the bikes back to town and have dinner on the college town Main Street and head home. Just a perfect day before she goes off. This is the exact perfect day I’m hoping to experience in the year ahead.
November 2nd, 2006 at 4:37 pm
I really like this idea.
I would wake up — at a decent hour — well-rested and ready to start the day. No customary doubts of my worth would keep me from meeting the day with a smile. Maybe sipping on a giant Hazelnut latte for good measure while I take my time experimenting with different hairstyles and eye shadows as I get ready.
I would not be too nervous to take my dog on a hike in the beautiful mountains lined with fall foliage. I would not be too scared to chat with fellow hikers and I would meet interesting new people with promise of becoming interesting, new friends. My dog would exhaust herself pulling hard on the leash, yearning to smell every nook of her new surroundings. We would both feel good about getting the much needed exercise and breathing in the fresh, morning air.
I would teach a dance class full of dedicated students who would find my style of choreography particularly tough and feel frustrated by my insistence that they keep practicing, practicing, practicing. Their pride at eventually getting the steps right and enjoying the movement would be better than any monetary payment. Worries of weight, ability, etc. would not be allowed in the studio, only skill and enthusiasm for the art.
I would grab lunch at a local Mexican restaurant with my former Spanish teacher. We would talk over enchiladas suizas, chile verde, and tecate as he told me about the time he was shot at by the Sandinistas while living in Nicaragua. He would tell me he admired my passion for the Spanish language and would encourage me to pursue a degree in teaching it. His belief in me would far out way my misgivings.
I would spend time with my family – laughing, eating, talking, playing games, catching up. The laughter and smell of a home-cooked meal would waft through the neighborhood and incite others to come and join the party. I would not be too shy to voice my opinions to certain members of family but I would have enough sense to know when to back off. Love would be felt in every room of the house.
I would meet my friends at a local dive bar. We would dance, laugh, drink, talk, and spend the night confirming our strong connections at every turn. Memories would be created that we would relive and revive again in years to come. I would feel comfortable in my own skin as I turn some heads on the dance floor. I would seize the moment and enjoy myself
I would say I was sorry for how I acted. I wouldn’t be too stubborn to admit the way I handled things was wrong. I wouldn’t ask for forgiveness because I would know it was way too soon for that. I wouldn’t waste time worrying about what would happen but rather make sure you knew that I apologize.
I wouldn’t feel lonely, sad or depressed. I wouldn’t feel the need to eat or buy things to satisfy some gap in my life. I would see the beauty in everything. I wouldn’t wait for some impending disaster. I wouldn’t talk myself out of going for what I want. I would be myself and that would be enough – I would maybe even be happy about it.
November 2nd, 2006 at 4:55 pm
after waking up in my fabulous villa in modena, italy i would spend the day with Giovanna Cati-Barbieri in her cellar learning how to make aceto balsamico the real italian way. then we would taste from Giovanna’s secret stash. she would slip me a small bottle of really old aceto as a momento of the day.
then i would head to Ristorane Vinicio for some of the best carbonara. i would end the day with some fresh chocolate gelato!
November 2nd, 2006 at 5:47 pm
oh barbie, i knew you were going to say something like that!!!
i’m not feeling very creative today. HOWEVER i will say that i’d like to have ONE DAY when my son doesn’t whine, dawdle, or cajole. and perhaps a day when i’m not completely exhausted and stiff and achy.
that’s all.
November 2nd, 2006 at 7:11 pm
Oh my. First I’d hop in my transporter (because otherwise the whole day would be taken up with travel), and wake up on a little farm in Western Australia. I’d travel alone, but I’d be meeting my dearest friend. We’d get caught up, and laugh, and hug and laugh some more. At night we’d have a full leg of lamb dinner, Australian style and at the end of the day, we’d crawl into the bed and laugh some more. The soundtrack of the day would be the sound of the kookaburra birds outside the window, the lambs bleating in the pen, and the whinnying of the horses in the barn. What a lovely dream. Can I have my magic wand now, please?
November 2nd, 2006 at 7:22 pm
You guys are amazing. Thank you so much for taking part. Ashley — you made me cry.
Keep ‘em coming, kids!
November 2nd, 2006 at 8:45 pm
I would wake up feeling rested, go feed the animals on my small farm, eat a light breakfast and go take a contemporary dance class or go to rehearsal. This class would leave me invigorated and excited to be making art, instead of just frusterated with my aching body. I would then go home and cozy up with the cat and some knitting and some movies. I would make cookies, sitting down to knit and watch the movie in between batches. I would not feel guilty for having more than one cookie. A nice dinner with the boyfriend and a warm shower. Simple things.
November 3rd, 2006 at 11:08 am
24 hours, huh? I will need to borrow Bev’s “transporter” so as not to waste a moment traveling the required 3,800 or so miles.
I would find myself on one of the deserted beaches along the Baja Pacific coast, armed with all the accutrements of a perfect day and night at the beach.
For me, that would have to include the obligatory large (and soft - not scratchy) beach blanket, a beach umbrella, a really great book, a large picnic hamper and cooler, chock full of goodies. Oh, and my dear hubby- with his surf fishing rod and tackle. :)
After spending some time beachcombing, I would settle down on said blanket, under said umbrella, reading said novel, sipping either the iced mocha or iced tea that I brought along. Hubby would be close by on the rocky ledge - fishing, of course.
Our lunch would include fresh grilled fish (that hubby caught & cleaned, of course - hey, this IS a fantasy, right?) a bevy of fresh tropical fruits, cheeses, a good crusty bread and perhaps a lovely Chardonnay.
After lunch, the waves would be big enough to send a chill of excitement through me, but small enough to lull me into a snooze. Hubby, who does not like to nap, would go back to fishing - for supper. :)
As evening fell, we would light a fire and have another lovely meal and top it off with a couple of tangy and salty margaritas. At which point, hubby & I would settle back onto the blanket to watch a spectacular sunset, see the stars appearing, the full moon rising and listening to the waves lap luxuriously onto the shore…………Ahhhhh………….
Oh, and the soundtrack to this scene would have to be “Baja Sessions” by Chris Isaak. (Preferably with him in person, playing it acoustically.) :)
November 3rd, 2006 at 2:17 pm
Meg! It made me cry that you cried!
Thanks for posing this question, it really made me think.
November 3rd, 2006 at 2:19 pm
Thinking is good. And you and I must NEVER go to anything emotional together. We’d be cyclical wrecks!