Planning lazy days are as important as planning the other events in your life. It doesn’t matter if these days will fall under a non-working holiday or the weekend, one must be prepared to have at least a meaningful — if not slothfully — day/s .
“Lazy days are great as long as you have a well-stocked bar and fridge.”
Therefore, I am spurred to write this probably insignificant post to some, but I most certainly view it as a bit important. Who would want to be stuck at home with an empty pantry and fridge? Like me, I don’t always have plans of going out every weekend. Sometimes, staying at home gives me more pleasure than be surrounded by suffocating crowds in malls and spending a lot of money for entertainment that I can well get my hands on in the confines of my little abode.
There are some days when the weather urges you to just roll around your bed and be lazy. After a long stress-induced workweek, you are entitled for some catatonic moments and having everything at hand makes up for staying cooped up, bundled in your favorite blanket and chowing on buttered popcorn in front of the telly. Now, that is what I call “relaxing time.”
SEGUE: As a singleton, I’ve always been quite independent. I’ve gone through living an individual life without co-habitating with anyone for years and I like it that way. It doesn’t mean that I abhor any kind of company. An occasional visit from friends, winding them down to crashing for a night seems okay. However, living with another person for an indeterminate time is something I’m not used to anymore. I — like some people — am more comfortable living alone, with no distractions or anything that might pass off as an irritant. Maybe that will change when I find the guy for me. But for now, I am well content with my living arrangement.
As I was exercising my three functioning brain cells to come up with the important things to have when you’re beset with the lazy bug on your off days, and here are what I came up with.
1. Food.
You don’t want to get stuck in your home wearing pajamas throughout the day with just a box of Triscuits. You have to have something substantial. Stock up on your comfort food. Sandwiches are easy to make. It doesn’t take a culinary genius to come up with it, so have some sandwich fixins ready.
You can also stock up on munchies. Just make sure not to overindulge in your cracklings, ice cream and other chewables. Too much sodium can make you sleepier than ever. It will also cause a lot of problems to your kidneys later in life. It’s a good thing there are healthy alternatives to munchies. I prefer those whole-grain snacks that comes in different flavors. I like barbecue and cheese.
Popcorn is also a must-have, when you plan to glue your tush for a couple of hours in your comfy couch.
2. Drinks or beverages.
A couple of six-packs or a couple of liters of your favorite beverages is another must-have. If you want to treat yourself better, have a bottle of good whites or reds. Sparkling wines are also great additions. For the hardcore bunch, whiskey, brandy and all those liver-cooking liquids are also okay. If you plan to get drunk, it’s better to do it where you won’t likely embarrass yourself to the whole wide world.
3. Entertainment
Now . . . this is one thing that is quite all-encompassing. I mean, it depends on the person and what he/she likes for entertainment. It can be as varied as a smorgasbord. For me though, it would have to be visual entertainment (i.e. movie and TV series DVD marathon all the way, baby!). Those who know me personally can readily attest that I’ma movieholic and TV junkie. I can go on and wear my eyes with thousands of possibilities to watch.
So, choose the ones that you’re dying to watch but haven’t had time to do. This is a great opportunity to do it. If you don’t have titles to think of, do a little research on what’s good out there. You can hit your local video store and browse through their selections in advance. Or for TV junkies like me, you can set your TiVo or any recording device to capture all the episodes you’re itching to watch.
Gamers can also stock up on new or old titles that will be enough to entertain throughout the lazy days.
Alternating between entertainments can provide variety. I’d often plan to listen to albums and set time for the watching stuff. I’d sometimes obtain copies of classical conciertos or rock concerts to kill two birds with one stone.
4. Laying comforts
Lazy days require a set-up where you can lay, roll-over and play dead throughout the day and/night comfortably. So, make sure that you have somewhere comforting to luxuriate or marinade. Cushions, pillows and soft blankets are a must.
5. Reading materials
Looking for a good read is one of my favorite pastimes. I keep abreast with what’s the latest in the genres I prefer. So, whenever I have an upcoming lazy day, I make sure that I have one or two at hand. Magazines are also a good alternative. However, most of the stuff in magazines can already be found online, so buying a copy is not — in my opinion — a necessity.
6. Other activities
FOR GIRLS: This is the right time to experiment on makeup style, hairstyles/hairdos, nail polish colors and other beautifying activities girls do not normally do in a regular day. Giving yourself a mani-pedi and/or foot scrubs (if you are capable) is great. You can pop a video on your player while the lacquer is drying.
FOR BOYS: If you’re sporting the grunge hairstyle and all those K-Pop or J-Pop inspired hair, this is the time to try and experiment on ways to style it. I also know some guys who put on facial masks to give them baby-butt soft skin.
7. Sunning
This is dependent on the weather and geographical location. If you live in the tropics like me (the nearest beach is just less than an hour’s drive away from my place), you can plan on sunbathing while reading a paperback or hardcover. Don’t forget to put on sunscreen.
Of course, if you like indoor activities more, this may not be a good option, but it is still worth mentioning.
So there’s my rundown on lazy day must-haves. I know there are some people who does it differently and maybe have weirder stuff they do in the privacy of their sanctuaries and I’d love to hear some — crazy or not. Lord knows I have my crazy moments too. It’s all the better to know there are other misfits out there.
THE GOOD . . . THE BAD . . . AND ME. 