A Week Without Worry

My friend Anita got me to thinking what I would do if I had an entire week to myself - without the thought of having to go back to work on the eighth day, without the stress of the "shouldas," without the phone ringing off the hook. It reminded me of what she used to tell me when I was going through rough times (many times over), which basically boiled down to the advice that if I took care of my personal yearnings, explored some hobbies, read a few books and played a few dusty video games, that I would feel better for having taken care of myself. Given that week, and assuming that I cannot involve anyone else in what I do (though I would most certainly want my beau and my Anita alongside), here's what I'd do:

1. Write a short story. I used to write all the time in high school and at the beginning of college, and used to be fairly good at spinning a cheesy yarn. The advent of college and graduate papers - and now constantly having to grade them - has kept me from this passion.
2. Go camping. I've been yearning to spend some time outdoors lately, in communion with nature and her sounds and smells. I am always most at peace when I am most connected with the environment or have access to natural wonders, which is why I feel that Arizona was, in so many ways, a great fit for me that I chanced upon at the wrong time.
3. Go hiking. Related to number two, hiking is great exercise and a way to be in contact with nature at once. I took myself hiking in Birmingham a few months ago, and really was able to relax at a level I rarely experience.
4. Play some old school video games. I've had a hankering to pull out the old Amiga 2000 the last few months, and I just haven't made the time (or room) to do it. I miss getting lost trying to save the Lemmings.
5. Read a few novels. Among the new ones I have yet to read (Harry Potter 6), I've wanted to reread a few of the classics (A Tale of Two Cities, Les Miserables, The Count of Monte Cristo, Confessions of Felix Krull). They always spark my imagination.
6. Make a sinful dessert. And eat it all. I've had a craving for chocolate and cherries lately, and though I don't necessarily need them together, both would be nice additions to my post-meal enjoyment. I attempted to satisfy the cherry craving the other night by brining along a Wal-Mart cherry pie to a friend's house for dinner, but since all people who shop at Wal-Mart are apparently suffering from insulin issues, none of the pies available contained any sugar. Point of advice: Pies need sugar. Don't buy a sugar-free pie and think that the taste will remotely match the sight.
7. Sleep without worrying I might miss something. I'm always starting awake thinking that something is going on that would be more fun than laying in bed, no matter how cozy I am in the sheets.

The wonderful thing is that I don't need to have a full week off to do any of these things, and have managed to chip away at a few of them every now and again. I feel better each time I indulge myself, and must work harder to treat myself mentally. These things are activities I have always enjoyed, and ought not be forgotten.