first weekend of 2013: setting the bar
Monday, January 7, 2013 at 08:32AM 
As I wrote earlier, I am loving my Leonie Dawson 2013 Incredible Life planner a LOT. I make a big point of planning every year, but with Leonie on board from the start in 2013, I will surely have the most joyful year ever.
With Leonie on board, more joy is inevitable!
The planner/workbook is itself is a source of joy. It's so colorful, filled with drawings and pretty type, sprinkled throughout with Leonie's infectious enthusiasm. It's super-inexpensive to buy, as it comes as a PDF. Your real expense, depending on how you choose to proceed, I suppose, is in the printing. There's an option to fill it out electronically, but naturally I can't do that.
Naturally mine is printed, full color, double-sided, punched and held in a Levenger Circa with clear covers. I've already added little tabs to the pages I refer back to the most, like the 100 Things To Do in 2013. I keep my little tin of colored pencils close by. Everything about the workbook calls for color and curlicues.
Coming up with 100 Things To Do in 2013, just by the way, ain't easy.
The first items on my list are super-pragmatic. Item #1: pay down debts. Not the funnest, right, but really and truly my #1. Losing weight is #4, but #6 -- feel really good -- is probably more important to me. I got to about 20 items on my first go-round and got stuck, but I've been steadily adding to the list every day, as ideas pop up.
I'm adding to my list as I check things off, having little epiphanies all the time.
Example: this first weekend of 2013 was my favorite weekend I've had in a really long time. It was a rare weekend because Joe and I spent a ton of time together, like this:
- three inexpensive but fun meals out (dinner Friday, lunch Saturday, lunch Sunday)
- 1 movie
- 1 little adventure in San Francisco
- 1 quick shopping-trip during which I purchased some super-pretty sparkly stuff
- 1 little visit with his parents
- 1 little visit with some friends
- hours and hours in each other's company.
I'm not complaining, but usually, usually it's not like that. Usually, either on the Saturday or the Sunday, he's gone for 4-6 hours on the bike, then home to feed for an hour, then generally a bit spent for the rest of the time, orbiting close to the couch. On whichever day isn't the long ride, there's a shorter ride. I, on the other hand, hike with the pup and/or go to yoga, so it does seem like broad stretches of the weekend are spent on our own activities with our various sets of friends, with some shorter, though-still-quality time spent together. It always feels too short.
But this weekend, he was both nursing a sore knee and coming down with a cold.
His misfortune was my fortune, apparently, since we were together tons.
And his misfortune made it possible to check off two items on my list. In case you can't read my scribble at right, that's Do Silly Stuff with Joe and Ride a Segway.
Going on a Segway tour in Golden Gate Park was super silly and super FUN. Being a tourist in your home town is an experience not to be missed! I learned little factoids I hadn't known before, saw corners of the park I'd never seen, was generally entertained for two hours by our funny tour guide all while riding along on this absurd awesome device, looking like a total goober with my safety vest and bright yellow helmet, delighted the whole way. If it hadn't been necessary to keep at least one hand on the handle bar at all times and both feet planted, YES, you guessed it,
I woulda been clapping and jumping around!
Based on this weekend's experience -- really, my favorite in such a long time -- I've added to my list of Things To Do in 2013, and that is:
#37 Have Really Fun Weekends.
I don't wish Joe to be injured and under the weather all year to accomplish that, and I don't necessarily mean that every single weekend needs to be jump-around, clap-your-hands awesome every single time.
BUT I do mean that I want more of those, somehow, more Silly, more Adventure, more Big Break From Regular Life kinda weekends. Because honestly I feel so restored this morning, so full of funny stories to tell others.
AND did I mention I got to ride a Segway?!?!
This is going to be the best year ever. How do I know? 'Cause with the help of the Leonie-directed work play I'm doing right now -- and will continue to do because it's so fun, why would I stop? -- I am making this Best Year Ever happen, one day, one weekend, at a time!
Jump Around, Clap Your Hands!
Levenger, incredilble life, leonie dawson
Reader Comments (1)
You inspired me to check out Leonie Dawson's website. How could I leave without ordering her gorgeous workbook. I can't wait to dive in. Thanks!