Well, these thoughts seem stay in my imagination. The other day I told Chad about this great date night idea where we dress like gangsters, foiled teeth and all, and drive around town at night, blaring our music, sagging our jeans, and glaring at people through our sunglasses. He just laughed and said, “Um, okay.” “Chad, doesn’t that sound like so much fun?” I thought it did, but then I remembered how silly it would be to get a babysitter just for that. So I said, “Well, we could just do that on the way to something else.” Who was I fooling? I may be that cool in my mind, but I rarely bring my inspired ideas to fruition, partly because I know they’re kinda lame. Yeah, whatev.
Similarly, I always think we’re going to have these great summers where we do all those charming summery things like have water balloon fights, eat corn off the grill, jump in the lake, float the river, go to block-parties, fly kites, roast s’mores with the family whose laughing cheesily like on the back of a board game box. Then the summer goes by and I say, “Summer is over? What did we even do?” Even with all the best intentions, I can’t ever seem to have as much fun as I had hoped.
Feeling befuddled last night I asked Chad, “Am I boring?” thinking that I could be the very cause of my problem. He said, “No, I’m boring.” And I said, “Yeah, maybe you are. Well, no, you’re actually really fun most of the time.” He acted slighted by the fact that I could even consider him to be boring, even though he just said he was. I don’t think he’s boring, or that I’m boring, it’s just that life gets in the way. We have errands to run, appointments to make, chores to do, and all that running around makes us just want to sit down and watch a movie, where I’ll probably fall asleep in the first 30 minutes, sorry Chad, you know it’s gonna happen.
Thinking back, this lack of summer fulfillment has bitten me before. Well, I will not have it. Not this summer, by golly!
Here are the things I must do this summer or I will hate myself, run away, and live in a hole the rest of my life knowing that things will be more exciting there.
Okay.
1) Go on many bike-rides with Jet. Maybe I’ll attach funny flags to our bikes and see how many people wave or stare confusedly.
2) Swim in the lake. Chad won’t want to, but at least he can watch Jet for me while I pretend to be Danielle from Ever After. I’ve never seen someone look so blissful in dirty water.
3) Read some novels, not just non-fiction.
4) Go to an Ems game
5) Host poker night with mocktails
6) Take one trip to the coast, to a town we haven't been.
7) Run in the sprinkler with Jet
8) Have a hot dog feed with unique and delicious toppings. Guacamole, tomatoes, and sour cream…..YUM.
9) Sign up for redbox and watch the great movies of the past, like Singin’ in the Rain and The Shawshank Redemption. I might have to drink some caffeinated soda to stay awake, or get up and do push-ups every few minutes.
10) Hike one new trail, I’m thinking Brice Creek (thanks Jenni)
11) Roast S’mores, maybe try new recipes, different crackers, unique chocolate. Wait, I did that last year….and loved it. S’mores with toasted coconut? HEAVEN.
Well, there is a start. I know I can think of better ones, but I need to at least put these on the calendar. Any other ideas?
2 comments:
LOVE THAT LIST! I am going to steal some of your ideas! And let me know how you like Brice Creek, even though I already know you'll love it :)
And Jessica-- you are the OPPOSITE of boring. absolute OPPOSITE!!
Ok I'm going to say something. If you want to do those things then do them. But if you're only doing them because you want to fufill an idea of what you think life SHOULD be then let go of the guilt and be happy with the routine things that you do daily. I don't mean "enjoy washing dishes!" ha, no. I just mean, if is all you do is watch movies and make treats, or yummy dinners, that's ok! Sometimes my friend Amy (my old neighbor) she and her husband would do so many adventures, EVERY WEEKEND, and I always felt so bad about me and Mike, who also, "just watch movies" etc. But then I realized- I don't like to hike! I don't like getting up early. I am not IN LOVE with camping. Sure, I'm fine with a camp trip once a year, as well as a hike, but- I don't need to do it every week like them because I don't love it as much as they do. They LOVE camping- they spent their thanksgiving camping! How crazy is that?!!! So my ONLY advice is- do these things because you truly want to do those things, not because you're "supposed to". I think your list sounds great! I think if you did even ONE exciting or different thing ONCE a month- that would be enough to satisfy your feelings. The month goes by SO FAST. So - why don't you pick one thing for once a month, and then before you know it- the year is over, and you did 12 really fun things! 12 memories is ALOT! Ok now let me think of something fun..... fondue is fun. go to a lake and BQ, (notice how all mine have to do with food? ha) Mike and I each painted a canvas once, side by side in our family room. It was our main art for many years. You could read a chapter from a book each night together. Sorry I don't have alot of ideas as we are also considered a "boring couple". ha. love you- Oh- and mike never feels like doing anything out of the ordinary either. I think it's harder for men to want to go anywhere because they are gone ALL DAY at work, so when it's over they just want to be at home and rest. I'm trying to remind myself that as I also try to get MIke out of the house and he doesn't want to.
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