My Perfect Day

by Shirley Hailstock

As our weather can't decide whether it wants to be warm, cold, windy, great, sunshiny or whatever, I thought about what a perfect day would be.  And it's not about the weather.

My perfect day is a fantasy since I’ve never actually lived it.  I’ve been into reading biographies for a few years now and I read Katherine Hepburn’s Me: Stories of My Life.  To sum it up, the book said: It’s All About Me!  That would be my perfect day.  One in which I was pampered and praised.  Not too much praise mind you.  Sometimes it can get embarrassing.



I’d begin the day with a relaxing massage.  I had one massage in my life and I thought the guy was trying to force the fat out of my body through my pores.  I hated it.  By the time he finished, I could hardly walk back to my room.  I slid into the bathtub and let the soapy water wash the oil off me and then I crawled into bed.  However, at a conference in a resort in Arizona, my fellow friends and writers were having massages and raving that they wanted to marry the masseuse.  It sounds wonderful and my perfect day would include one of those.




I’d have a light lunch prepared by my housekeeper/cook (who also shops and keeps me on my diet) and while it’s also delicious, filling and nutritious, it won’t add any pounds to my Barbie-doll waistline.  Then I’d get dressed to be ready when the limousine comes to pick me up to take me to my booksigning.  The line wraps around the block with people waiting for my signature.  At the bookstore, my picture is on the store bags and walls.  I’ve already checked out Barnes and Noble and know that not all the people on their bags and walls are dead, so I don’t have to die for the opportunity.  The e-book people are also there just to say hello and tell me how much they enjoy my books.


My publicist would be there to help with the books and store personnel for crowd control.  We know fans are courteous and friendly, so most of the store personnel’s work is to talk to the people in line and give them papers to write the names they want in the multiple copies of the book they plan to buy.  Of course this would be exhausting work for me, but I love this kind of exhaustion.

After a short drink (soft drink) with the publicist where I and my team discuss promotional plans for the next book, I’m returned home for a short nap.  I get up to write and the words just stream out of computer.  My fingers can hardly keep up with the story the characters are telling.  The book pours out of me like an open water faucet.  When I finish for the day, I spend the evening with my family and we watch a movie – a love story, of course.





Notice, my perfect day doesn’t include kids or husbands or picnics in the park.  After all if it’s perfect.  It’s all about me.


I'm sure we all have our vision of the perfect day.  What's yours?



Comments

  1. What a fun and inspirational post, Shirley! You've moved some items higher on my Wish List, and with Mother's Day/my birthday right around the corner, thanks for the ideas! Here's hoping you'll receive at least one of the things on your "All About Me" list for YOUR Mother's Day gift! But in the meantime, have a wonderful weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If I could have only one I'd opt for the neverending booksigning line. That way I could possibly hire help and get all the other things too.

      Delete
  2. Oh, Shirley---I haven't stopped laughing. You have such a great imagination. I think my perfect day would be one full day of having absolutely no responsibility for anything. None. Zero. Zippo. Just let my mind rest and veg out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No responsibility - oh that just went on the list.

      Delete
  3. This is hilarious, Shirley! I work with many who feel "It's all about me."
    My perfect day would be spent outside. It's spring, the weather is glorious and I'm doing nothing but reading.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lol. I'm all relaxed by yours! I'm not sure what mine would include, but I wouldn't dust or vacuum or decide what to have for dinner, although I don't mind cooking it. I would have a 5000-word writing day that I didn't have to lose half of in the editing process and I'd sew until midnight without getting tired. I think I'm maybe a little boring...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Liz, you're not borning. I've had 5000-word days. You want them where they are not exhausting. And sewing until midnight without being tired, I would set my machine right next to yours and we'd have a ball.

      Delete
  5. I want your day!! Especially the part about the line of people out the door and around the block for the book signing. Your masseuse must have given you a deep tissue massage which is what I usually get, but one day I'm going to have one of those relaxing ones. lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can have my day, any and all of it. It's still something we can dream and make real.

      Delete
  6. Shirley, my daughter is a massage therapist, and she’s given me one massage. I think she was paying me back for every wrong I ever did to her. Chuckled all the way through your blog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. Marion, as I said above, I had one of those type massages. I love the relaxing ones, better.

      Delete
  7. A day without any responsibilities or obligations would be nice. :) Add in a writing session where the words flow and every one of them is perfect, a dash of M&M's, close it out with my fave show and I'd be a happy girl. What a fun post, Shirley! And the massage sounds lovely, too. Happy weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks. With all I have to do, just getting to the chair to write fiction is a luxury.

      Delete
  8. Shirley! Substitute me for you in the above perfect day and I'd love it. Except where you had a soft drink, I'd have a glass of Moscato and a bag of chocolate covered macadamia nuts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think we should all go to the same place and do absolutely nothing except what we enjoy. Cell phones at the door in a place where there is no reception, no news, no people in our lives to disturb our bliss. Let's go.

      Delete
  9. Such a fun post, Shirley! I would love a day to myself with absolutely no deadlines or responsibilities looming. I would binge watch some tv and take a nap (A NAP!) and not cook one single meal. That would be a wonderfully relaxing day!

    ReplyDelete
  10. There's got to be a way we can do these things. We need them for our mental health.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment